"There is no point in testing if you don't look at the data, don't understand it, and don't change it."
"Making us report what we are doing, as much as I don't like that. It keeps the facts in front of us. It's a reality check."
Based on those two quotes how comfortable are you with setting goals (based on the MAP assessment or something else you choose), using the data to see what we could change (for specific students) and then checking in on progress?
I know that last year Dave, Lisa and Rick had us set a goal for something (first grade choose speed on addition tests) then we had to track growth on that goal. What if we came up with something that we could check more often, set goals (just for us, not to be posted) then work toward setting new goals as we meet the past one(s)? In doing that I would want you to look at me as a support not a threat. I would want to help you find ways to meet the goals and work with you, not just be someone that you report the data or results to. I do agree that a big part of my job needs to be helping you with instruction. How comfortable are you with that?
Keep in mind, I am just throwing out ideas and am looking for honesty. Tell me what you are really thinking. I am looking for ways to take what you are doing so well at Kindergarten, help you find ways to make it even better ( this is not saying that you are not doing enough or not doing things well, but as a teacher I was always looking for ways to get better and grow. I know you are all the same way) , then build on what you are doing when those students to go first grade, second, etc.
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Vickie, You've "been there and done that"...we know you understand what we go through with our schedules and teaching and all the demands we face. I think you are in the perfect position to support us and our students through any challenges we face. I think we need to get through the MAP testing process and see how that information will drive instruction and then we might have a better idea of how you can help us. I think what we are doing right here on this blog is helping with ideas and being able to think through things over the summer and be able to brainstorm ideas when we come back together.
ReplyDeleteI know you are there for us and that is a comfort for me and for the future students that I will be teaching. Thanks.
The Kennewick Schools are using the data from their MAPS testing along with some other assessments to drive their instruction, and I'm sure we can to if we get help in understanding how to use it. That has been my problem in the past either I didn't know how to let the data drive my instruction, or it wasn't the right kind of data to do this-maybe a little of both. The comfort level with setting goals is something I think all of us will be able to increase in as we learn while we do it. I am hopeful that this testing data will be very valuable and sort of explain itself. The book says the test is very easy to give and understand. As in the past I know I will be able to depend on dialogue with my team to help sort through it.
ReplyDeleteVickie you're in an excellent postion to help us make changes since just leaving the classroom and understanding the pressures felt when trying to meet the needs of all students. For me it always comes down to time. There never seems to be enought time to do everything. I'm very excited about taking what we already do to help kids but doing it better. I just hope that we don't try to make changes without making sure that these changes will be in the best interest of our kids and the best use of our time. As we all know, NU has a tendency to jump on every bandwagon that comes along and I don't want to do that.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't in on the larger scale discussion of MAP but it sounds like it will better help us instruct and set goals for each individual. Will we be able to get " eyeball to eyeball" with twenty or so Individual levels of students? Probably not, but it sounds as though the MAP program will help in goal setting and data collection. I believe we could realistically set grade level, classroom, and individual goals and then monitor on adjust as needed. It will likely take time to do this but ultimately help us better focus instruction.
ReplyDeleteVickie,
ReplyDeleteI agree with Connie and Belinda, you are in an excellent position to help us. You may be able to do what we haven’t always done in the past at NU, make changes slowly, carefully and with lots of thoughtful planning and smaller, realistic goals. Well, actually, maybe that part is not accurate. We most often do the extremes: A knee jerk reaction , that bites us later, or the admin moves so slowly that everyone forgets what we wanted to do, so we do nothing.
I hope that we can start really throwing ideas out now for how to use some parts of the book to help us improve our amount of direct instruction. If we wait until we have read the entire book we may not have time to make even a small change before school starts.
I agree with all above. Vickie, I belive you are genuine and are honestly willing to assist us and have the best interests of the kids. Setting goals is a good thing and gives direction for our instruction. There is a quote that is often recited to me from my husband (bless his little heart), "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." You could adapt this quote to say, "If you fail to plan a goal, you plan to fail or miss the goal." Making goals, understanding the MAP assessment better, working together as a team, and being supported and assisted side by side with administration are all good things.
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