Data Days: continuing to develop a learning organization
Recently, I read an article from Education Week about at data analysis in education (My Nine Truths about Data Analysis, Ronald S. Thomas). It made me think about our upcoming Data Day on January 30th. A couple of things affirmed the importance and educational impact these meetings can have.
We need to be able to take data and turn it into something useful:
We don’t need “data driven” schools. We desperately need “knowledge driven” schools. The real breakthrough in increasing student achievement is to turn information into knowledge, and in a school setting, this happens through a collaborative process as teachers and administrators engage in focused conversations. When knowledge is used thoughtfully and purposely, the school will continually improve, and the school will become a true learning organization.
We don’t need “data driven” schools. We desperately need “knowledge driven” schools. The real breakthrough in increasing student achievement is to turn information into knowledge, and in a school setting, this happens through a collaborative process as teachers and administrators engage in focused conversations. When knowledge is used thoughtfully and purposely, the school will continually improve, and the school will become a true learning organization.
We need to look at data collaboratively:
Data analyses are not best done alone, sitting in front of a computer screen staring at Excel spreadsheets or colorful graphs. Data analyses are most effective when they are shared with other teachers with the same standards and assessments. These teachers can discuss concretely and specifically, based on student results, what is working and what is not working to increase student learning, asking questions like, “What do the students know?” “What do they not know?” and “What are we going to do about it?” These questions are the focus of helping schools to become learning organizations.
Data analyses are not best done alone, sitting in front of a computer screen staring at Excel spreadsheets or colorful graphs. Data analyses are most effective when they are shared with other teachers with the same standards and assessments. These teachers can discuss concretely and specifically, based on student results, what is working and what is not working to increase student learning, asking questions like, “What do the students know?” “What do they not know?” and “What are we going to do about it?” These questions are the focus of helping schools to become learning organizations.
The importance of our work:
The purpose of teaching is to increase the achievement of all students and to eliminate learning gaps. Most teachers strive to be of service to something larger than ourselves. What better moral purpose can there be than increasing achievement and reducing gaps? After all is said and done, isn’t that why we are here?
We will meet on January 30th during grade level common planning time, collaborating with GT, Reading Teacher, sped, and our instructional coach - and anyone else interested in joining.
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Sue
The purpose of teaching is to increase the achievement of all students and to eliminate learning gaps. Most teachers strive to be of service to something larger than ourselves. What better moral purpose can there be than increasing achievement and reducing gaps? After all is said and done, isn’t that why we are here?
We will meet on January 30th during grade level common planning time, collaborating with GT, Reading Teacher, sped, and our instructional coach - and anyone else interested in joining.
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Sue
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