Data

Demonstrating learning doesn’t have to look the same for every student…

January 11, 2015 by Amber Leave a Comment

This post was originally written for Classflow. After you’re done reading, check out this webinar and blog post to learn how ClassFlow can support various ways of demonstrating mastery, too!

As important as it is to have academic goals, learning outcomes, and a decisive idea of where your curriculum road is going, how do you determine that a student has actually learned the content you have taught? Whether it be a formative or summative assessment, or assessment of any kind, you’re typically talking about a number earned. A score on a paper, right?

As any teacher knows, just because a student failed a paper doesn’t mean they didn’t “learn” anything, and a passing paper doesn’t guarantee mastery either. This is one of the more persuading reasons to leverage the technology in your classroom to allow your students to demonstrate their learning. Differentiation takes on a whole new meaning when you allow your students to SHOW you what they have learned, utilizing technology.

A first grade class last week was walking through the halls, using paper and pencil to list the different states of matter of materials they saw in the hall. What if, using an iPad (or any other type of camera), the student took pictures and then created an animoto for each state they observed? Students could create a presentation in Google or Prezi, they could make trading cards using Big Huge Labs, or create any other tangible ‘product” that not only allows their choice to shine, but also combines creativity and even collaboration with others students in a digital artifact.

When I taught fourth grade, convincing my students that writing a lab summary report was exciting was next to impossible. However, once I allowed them to create and share in any means necessary, AND let them know it would be shared on our classroom blog, I had students lined up outside my door at 7:30 a.m. to go over their reports. We had videos, podcasts, hyperlinked animations and more. The ability to choose how they shared what they learned meant they cared about WHAT they learned. When I had them fill in a worksheet or a lab template, it became about me and the minimum of what I expected to see. There were things gleaned that I didn’t assess, that I was unaware of, misconceptions I wasn’t privy to. By allowing my students to choose how they were measured, the results went off the charts. I was blown away by how much they DID know, and the depth with which they were able to share it all.

How can you make this happen in your classroom? Start with one assignment, one concept, and allow students to choose how they can demonstrate mastery. (Younger students can be given options.) Provide tools that you are comfortable evaluating and that can be completed fully in a timely manner. If that overwhelms you, start smaller. Allow one student to choose. Build out from there.

By leveraging the thousands of different ways technology allows the multiple methods of demonstrating learning, you’re not only teaching your academic standards but truly preparing students for a life beyond a classroom.

multiplying-ly,

Amber

Let’s talk data, shall we? (wait, come back!)

March 28, 2014 by Amber 1 Comment

Data meetings are always fun and exciting. Teachers love when that lil’data appointment pops up in their email box. It’s a hard conversation to have because amazing teachers are already well aware of their students strengths and weaknesses. It’s still a reality in our classes. A necessary evil, if you will. My principal had a great analogy. We want to apply the data effectively because if you go to the doctor when your stomach hurts, you don’t want him giving you headache medicine.

While it may seem like “busy work”, ultimately, it benefits you most of all.

If you’re already aware of the in’s and out’s of student performance, how can looking at data help you? Think of it this way, you may have a general awareness that you need to lose weight. But that favorite dress/suit? when it’s tight you know its time to trim the carbs. Looking at specific data can heighten your awareness of certain topics/concepts.

What if the results are overwhelming? Break it down, bit by bit. Take one question a week. Focus on the vocabulary within the question. Anyone can eat the elephant, just one bite at a time. Need help with question stems? Try this site.

How do I spiral this into my already action packed plans based on existing curriculum? Make cards that you can use during bathroom breaks or at lunch. Have your students answer and talk it through with a student partner. Use it as a bell ringer that first 10 minutes of class while students are filing in and getting situated. Cut a couple of assignments a week down by half. Use that time to focus on lower scored skills.

How can I teach it differently, when I’ve already taught it the best I could? Within your textbooks, there are scaffolding lessons available. Think of iStation, Study Island, Think Through Math, Ten Marks…there are a variety of sites that offer teacher lesson support. If you’re on twitter, find educators who teach similar subjects and ask to share. Check Pinterest. Check for Facebook groups. Look at Teacher Pay Teachers for ideas…get creative!

Stay FOCUSED. Don’t let yourself get lost on the tangents of “poor questions”, “bad data”, “these students”, and “overall passing percentages”. Even if 88% of your students passed, what if it was just 1 TEK or strand that could bump the rest of your kids up?

One teacher mentioned that she has her students go back over their most recent assessments and decide which areas/TEKS they struggled with the most. Students are completing different assignments, prescriptive tasks, based on where they were struggling. When you can transfer the ownership to the students, how much more powerful is that?

Be intentional with your material…there’s just not enough time in your day to miss a minute. Especially when we’re doing so many great things. I’m a big believer in a whole child focus, but there’s a time and place for data as well!

Data dug,

Amber

Data Discussion

January 8, 2014 by Amber Leave a Comment

(This blog post is an assignment completed for the “Future Principal’s Institute within my district.)

How can teachers capitalize on data about student learning that are generated in their classrooms every day? How can this information best be collected and used to increase student learning? Making data part of instructional planning can be challenging, especially if teachers are not used to thinking about assessment and data as a regular part of the process.

Effective feedback is a great way for teachers to use collected data in order to improve student learning.

Results from almost any assessment can be of great benefit to students, provided they are used to make instructional adjustments. And — the shorter the amount of time between assessment and adjustment — the more powerful its effect on learning. Just like a diet plan that sits on your desk…until you actually pick it up and DO something with it, it isn’t going to affect much!

Here are Tina Garrett’s, Elementary Science Coordinator’s thoughts on how best to utilize data from a benchmark or CBA.

I asked her three questions, including one on how to handle a teacher who looks at her report and thinks that she did just fine. Drawing in Carol Dweck‘s research, she gave several suggestions for teachers on how to move forward, intentionally, with data (both formative & summative) as their guide.

In the Dec./Jan. issue of ASCD’s Educational Leadership, Jennifer Morrison shares one reason why data is so important to the classroom teacher, which ties in to Ms. Garrett’s thoughts.

Prodding teachers to collect meaningful data on their own ensures that they will begin to ask questions, as I found out when I put together a sample data notebook. In the process of collecting, analyzing, and reflecting on information about my classes, I stepped outside my assumptions and understood students more clearly. I discovered a new way of thinking about my practice, but better still, the process caused me to ask such questions as, Are my students demonstrating growth in learning? or What do I need to change to accelerate growth? To satisfy these wonderings, I had to design assessments that would gather the information I needed and analyze the results, sometimes rethinking my methods as a consequence.

At a previous campus we made looking at and restructuring instruction a priority by having monthly “Monday meetings”. The grade level met with the principal, the counselor, and myself. We briefly touched on EVERY student, from those that were performing at standard to those who struggled on different assessments. The teachers were responsible for pulling data from classroom assessments and the computer lab manager pulled from all of our computer based assessments. By collectively looking and discussing, we were able to brain storm about each learner as well as come up with an action plan on any who we felt needed additional assistance. If this meeting only happened twice a year, the data would have been useless.

Here is a flyer, Making Numbers Meaningful, that we provided early on to introduce the concept of having these monthly data PLC’s or “Monday meetings”. Some grade levels even brought snacks! They all, however, brought a positive attitude and a motivated mentality, which made all the difference.

Data discussing,

Amber

How using Dropbox changed my life!

October 14, 2013 by Amber 2 Comments

I know that sounds a lil’extreme, but seriously, it did.

Dropbox is a storing/sharing place in the cloud that allows you to keep up with all of your files,where ever you are, even across platforms. I love this blurb I came across:

“This program acts as a “magic pocket” which is always with you and contains whatever you place in it. Put a file into your Dropbox and it’s on all of your computers and mobile devices.”

Who doesn’t want a magic pocket? The genius of this for me is that I use a number of different devices for a number of different things. I take pictures on my phone, I take notes on my iPad, I do appraisals on my Mac, and then will write a blog post on my home PC that needs ALL of those things. Having a place that I can easily access ALL of my “stuff” is crucial for the efficacy of what I do throughout the day.

How to get started/going?

Step one: Go to Dropbox and set up an account. I just use the free one because with as many times as I downloaded it, I got a couple free GB just for multiple downloads. Next, download and install the Dropbox app. Put files and folders that you need to access from various locations and devices into your new Dropbox folder. Then repeat these steps on your other Mac, PCs, and iOS devices. (Again for me, that was two ipads, a phone, two PC’s, and my macbook.
The account that you create automatically includes a Dropbox folder and it shares files with any other devices that have Dropbox and are connected to your account. (PS: you don’t HAVE to download it, but it does make life easier. Anytime I’m working with a file I know I’m going to need later, I just toggle and save in my “Dropbox” folder so I can get to it later.
Now, anytime, you go to SAVE something, you have the ability to add it to your Dropbox. Easy peasy, I tell ya!
Many of us store the files and folders for active projects on the desktop. Put them in Dropbox instead. On your phone and take a pic? Click the + sign on your app and choose what pics you want to add to your Dropbox. It will then be available from any of your devices. Working online? Fabulous! The “files” tab on the website will bring you to your Dropbox folder. This folder is exactly the same as the folder on your devices; any files that you’ve placed into your folder on your computers are accessible through this part of the web site.
Want to share files? BIG Files that you couldn’t send via email without crashing the world wide web? Presentations for parents? Set up separate folders in Dropbox’s Public folder for different people, and then send the separate URLs to each. Or set up a different shared folder for each project, and then distribute that URL to all project participants.
Want to share amazing classroom pictures, but not make them “public public”? Copy photos to Dropbox, and share the URL with family and friends. (I’m going to use this for our family involvement activity next month!)
Feeling adventuresome? 62 things you can do with Dropbox suggests this: Go to the Send to Dropbox Website (sendtodropbox.com), click on Connect To Dropbox, and provide your Dropbox credentials. You can now email files to Dropbox. That makes all sorts of scenarios possible. For example, create a document in Google Docs and then opt to share it. In the Share drop-down menu, select Email As Attachment and provide your Send to Dropbox email address; the Google Doc will appear in Dropbox’s Attachments folder.” (WHOA BABY!)

It’s a very intuitive tool to use and following through some of the getting started tasks easily explains it as well as earns you more “free” space, 🙂 Nothing to lose there!

Mathematically speaking….

April 26, 2013 by Amber Leave a Comment

I shared this on Twitter this week, an article that details different ways to teach perseverance in math. I then received this as a follow up.

Never one to back away from a challenge I’ve talked to several different high school math teachers and complied THESE strategies for David.

Set a questions goal. When you are struggling with students understanding a concept, allow each student to ask a certain amount of questions and see how many different ways peers or the lead learner can answer them. For students who DO understand the concept this will be an especially high level activity, allowing them to “teach” to different levels of weakness.
Set up a section in their notebook or math journal for struggles. In a fast paced class, by the time a student has figured out they have a question, the class may have moved on. Use sticky notes to record the questions that come up, even if they don’t ask them. This allows the students to capture their thoughts and confusion somewhere, so that they can come back to them.
Integrate Warm-Up Activities The use of quick warm-up activities in class can be beneficial for several reasons. One of the most common reasons students may need intervention is that they have not fully mastered prerequisites. You can use warm-up activities to review prerequisites and to gauge student mastery. Begin your lessons by having your students complete several problems that cover prerequisites. This technique will also give you time to circulate among your students and have quiet one-on-one conversations. These discussions can be used as valuable informal assessment opportunities.
Differentiate instruction. This sounds very basic, but especially in an environment where social expectations are even higher than usual, students will benefit from a variety of instructional methods. Many students who need intervention struggle to learn concepts because they may not be able to grasp abstract concepts. “Some students may not understand a concept when illustrated symbolically, but may be able to understand it when it is illustrated concretely, either via models, manipulatives, or technology.
Try the concept of ““remediation through acceleration.” The concept introduces students to higher-level thinking and higher-level problems. Within the context of those problems, the teacher offers remediation to students who need it. Great example of this here….

Anyone else have any older students suggestions?

HS thinkN,

Amber