Data Driven Instruction is a key aspect of my school's vision and mission. Our mission is to provide a quality evolving education that ensures success for every student through teaching and learning, and our vision is for community members to receive a rigorous education in an environment that expects scholarship, promotes leadership, and fosters respectful global relationships. That being said, data driven instruction is a necessary tool we must use to gain feedback on how where we are in accomplishing our mission and seeing our vision.
We cannot know or measure the success of our students if we do not have data taken at key points throughout every year. Having certain scores from tests, broken down into subgroups and compared to other years, other tests, and other schools, lets us know where our strengths and weaknesses are. We can see what sorts of tests our students struggle on as a whole, or which subgroups have certain weaknesses and strengths. Without certain data, we would stay stagnant in our teaching styles and strategies. Data driven instruction is the best way to constantly receive feedback about our student success, and make changes accordingly to help our students be more successful.
For example, at Clarksburg, we have a goal for SAT Participation and for SAT Score. This past school year, we were able to meet our goal for participation. But we fell short of our goal for the score. Without data from previous years, there would be no way to know that we had a weakness in this area, and no way to monitor our progress. We were also able to get data from schools similar to ours to compare and see how we measure up. It lets us know that schools with our similar make-up are doing better and ARE meeting these goals, so we need to keep striving and asking questions of other schools to get where we need to be.
Certain tools that my school uses are EXCEL, for showing comparisons and finding percentages of students who pass or fail tests. We also use Survey Monkey to get feedback on our school climate from staff, parents and students. In my own classroom, I personally like to use the Promethean Board Activotes when going over certain assessments. It lets me know right away which objectives my classes are mastering, and which ones need to be retaught. I definitely thin this is a tool that is not utilized enough at my school. Many teachers have not taken the time to explore or learn about the Activotes, and I believe they are missing out on a feedback that is key at the classroom level.
These are the Data Collection tools that I am the most familiar with, and the ones that I have seen most at my school. These are used pretty effectively by administration to see where we are and where we need to go, but at the classroom level I think we need to strive to get more data and feedback about each of our students.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Visionary Leader/Administrator Reflection
In today's constantly changing and upgrading school world, a visionary leader is someone who takes a sincere interest and active role in the ways technologies are being used.
Visionary leaders know that technology improves student achievement and understand that being technology savvy is what helps students compete outside in the real world. They also firmly believe that when technology is incorporated into curriculum and instruction, students are not only preparing themselves for the outside world, but they also have a greater desire to come to and stay in school.
Along with believing in students and their ability/need to have technology skills, visionary leaders believe in having and honing those skills THEMSELVES. They understand how important it is for school staff members to be properly trained and up to date on the latest technologies so they can be ready for the next level in education and in relating to their students technologically. In order to continue being up to date with technology and using it in the classroom, visionary leaders often find the challenges of funding, implementing, and maintaining new technology to be their primary concerns at their schools. By having these concerns above others, they are paving the way for the shift towards a more student driven learning style, a vision that many normal administrators are reluctant to face.
Visionary leaders also understand what comes with the desire to implement new technology. They know that the putting the technology in place by itself is not enough. They are aware that it takes the a shared vision, planning, funding, skilled personnel, professional development, support, a shift to student centered learning and more engaging lessons. And they are making these components a priority to attend to in their schools.
Visionary leaders lastly have to be extremely open. Technology is exciting and wonderful, but it also has its setbacks and risks, especially when new and untested. These leaders must encourage their teachers to try new things and take risks in the classroom. They must be ready to collaborate and ask for help when a technology system has a problem. They must be willing and ready to tread new waters with confidence, and also have a back up plan if things backfire. They also need to be great communicators, ready to hear and respond to all different opinions and ideas about what will and will not work technologically in a school from the stance of staff, students, parents, and the community.
Visionary leaders are at the next level. It is a level we all hope to be at.
Visionary leaders know that technology improves student achievement and understand that being technology savvy is what helps students compete outside in the real world. They also firmly believe that when technology is incorporated into curriculum and instruction, students are not only preparing themselves for the outside world, but they also have a greater desire to come to and stay in school.
Along with believing in students and their ability/need to have technology skills, visionary leaders believe in having and honing those skills THEMSELVES. They understand how important it is for school staff members to be properly trained and up to date on the latest technologies so they can be ready for the next level in education and in relating to their students technologically. In order to continue being up to date with technology and using it in the classroom, visionary leaders often find the challenges of funding, implementing, and maintaining new technology to be their primary concerns at their schools. By having these concerns above others, they are paving the way for the shift towards a more student driven learning style, a vision that many normal administrators are reluctant to face.
Visionary leaders also understand what comes with the desire to implement new technology. They know that the putting the technology in place by itself is not enough. They are aware that it takes the a shared vision, planning, funding, skilled personnel, professional development, support, a shift to student centered learning and more engaging lessons. And they are making these components a priority to attend to in their schools.
Visionary leaders lastly have to be extremely open. Technology is exciting and wonderful, but it also has its setbacks and risks, especially when new and untested. These leaders must encourage their teachers to try new things and take risks in the classroom. They must be ready to collaborate and ask for help when a technology system has a problem. They must be willing and ready to tread new waters with confidence, and also have a back up plan if things backfire. They also need to be great communicators, ready to hear and respond to all different opinions and ideas about what will and will not work technologically in a school from the stance of staff, students, parents, and the community.
Visionary leaders are at the next level. It is a level we all hope to be at.
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