How Can We Collect
Data on Best, First
Instruction?
Elevated Achievement Group
www.elevatedachievement.com
Robert Crowe, Chief Learning Officer
[email protected]
Kelly Smith, Chief Research and Innovation Officer
[email protected]
How Can We Collect Data
on Best, First Instruction?
In order to increase student achievement it is
incumbent that we look at what students are
receiving on a daily basis to evaluate what is working
and what is lacking. Be a part of a learning
experience that includes how to support self-analysis
through a data gathering process specific to a
concise set of student learning indicators. Your
students will thank you for it!
“How Can We Collect Data on Best, First Instruction” Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved.
Elevated Achievement Group www.elevatedachievement.com
Determine what you will be collecting data on.
Determine how to collect this data in a non-evaluative,
self-reflective way.
Determine how to report results.
“How Can We Collect Data on Best, First Instruction” Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved.
Elevated Achievement Group www.elevatedachievement.com
What
Curriculum
All student learning is driven by standards and measurable and achievable objective(s).
Students are supported by…
All students are able to…
Accessible standards with relevant and measurable objective(s)
that drive all learning.
Articulate what they are learning and
how they will show that have mastered
that learning.
A unit/lesson that provides an integrated approach and that
supports conceptual redundancy.
Apply the skills of listening, speaking,
reading, writing, and thinking in
numerous and various ways to support
the learning to be mastered.
Access to curriculum materials that match the content and rigor
of the objective(s).
Utilize rigorous and high quality
resources and materials that directly
support the learning to be mastered.
“How Can We Collect Data on Best, First Instruction” Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved.
Elevated Achievement Group www.elevatedachievement.com
What
Instruction
All student learning is driven by research-based, highly effective and efficient instructional
practices.
Students are supported by…
All students are able to…
Opportunities for meaningful engagement using structured
communication.
Dialogue with each other in a variety of
groupings to support mastery of the
learning.
Opportunities for meaningful engagement using highly effective
instructional strategies.
Employ a variety of instructional
strategies to support mastery of the
learning; explain the purpose and
effectiveness of each strategy
(metacognition).
Opportunities for meaningful engagement where instructional
time is used efficiently.
Leverage precious time in the
classroom to support learning.
“How Can We Collect Data on Best, First Instruction” Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved.
Elevated Achievement Group www.elevatedachievement.com
What
Assessment
All student learning is driven by regular assessment which determines instructional
modifications.
Students are supported by…
All students are able to…
Data that is used to monitor current understanding and provide
feedback.
Understand when they are learning,
when they are struggling, and can
articulate the difference.
Instruction that is adjusted during the lesson based on current
data.
Utilize another instructional strategy to
support mastery of learning that they
are currently struggling with.
Instruction that is differentiated based on student needs as
determined by data.
Utilize specific/unique instructional
strategies to support their individual
mastery of the learning.
“How Can We Collect Data on Best, First Instruction” Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved.
Elevated Achievement Group www.elevatedachievement.com
What
Climate/Culture
All student learning is driven by a positive climate and culture.
Students are supported by…
All students are able to…
A respectful environment that recognizes and promotes each
student.
Share ideas, listen to ideas, ask
questions, listen to questions, answer
questions, listen to answers, and build
on other’s thinking because they
respect and support the learning
process for themselves and each other.
A cooperative environment that encourages academic
risk-taking.
Ask questions to clarify content or
process and offer answers to clarify
content or process because they are
comfortable pushing themselves
beyond their comfort zone and are
willing to make mistakes.
A collaborative environment that enhances student
productivity.
Work with the teacher and each other
to support content mastery and
process mastery because they
understand that all brains together are
smarter than one brain by itself.
“How Can We Collect Data on Best, First Instruction” Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved.
Elevated Achievement Group www.elevatedachievement.com
How
Designing a System for Observation Data Collection
Prior to beginning the observations:
• Each member should have a copy of the SLI rubric and data recording sheet
• Review the SLI rubric
• Determine who will be the primary data collector
• Create a master list of all classrooms to be observed
• If possible set up an observation schedule
During the observation:
• Data collector records all scores
• Data collector marks off each classroom observed on the master list
• Data collector reviews all scores with the team prior to the next observation to ensure accuracy and
agreement on scores
• Data collector cross-checks the count on the master list with the data scores throughout to ensure
accuracy in score count.
After the observation:
• Data collector does a final count on all data against master list to make certain of an accurate count.
“How Can We Collect Data on Best, First Instruction” Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved.
Elevated Achievement Group www.elevatedachievement.com
Report
Weighed Observation Trends
Weighed High to Low Scores
41
Curriculum
39
34
Instruction
6
Assessment
38
0
66
39
93
44
Climate/Culture
58
20
36
40
4-5 Score
60
2-3 Score
58
80
100
120
140
0-1 Score
“How Can We Collect Data on Best, First Instruction” Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved.
Elevated Achievement Group www.elevatedachievement.com
ELEVATED ACHIEVEMENT GROUP
EDUCATION BLOG
How to Develop Reflective, thus Effective Teachers
Aug 26, 2015
We are told that teachers should develop students that can evaluate their own learning. The thinking is
that this will make them active participants in their own education and guide them towards becoming
lifelong learners. We at Elevated Achievement Group wholeheartedly agree. However, we wonder, “Why
doesn’t the educational system place equal, if not more, emphasis on teachers being evaluators of their
own practice?”
Researcher John Hattie tells us that the most effective teachers are the most reflective teachers. He feels
that teachers who think about their practice, reflect on the impact of their practice, and evaluate their
practice in terms of student understanding are the most effective at getting students to learn. In fact, he
says, “Such passion for evaluating impact is the single most critical lever for instructional excellence—
accompanied by understanding this impact, and doing something in light of the evidence and
understanding.”
We know that self-evaluation has a positive impact on teaching and learning for students. What we now
need is a culture that promotes self-evaluation on teaching and learning as a support for teachers. A
culture that doesn’t just value self-evaluation, but develops and demands it. How can a school support
such a culture? There are three main steps in the process of developing reflective and effective selfevaluators.
“How Can We Collect Data on Best, First Instruction” Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved.
Elevated Achievement Group www.elevatedachievement.com
ELEVATED ACHIEVEMENT GROUP
EDUCATION BLOG
Step 1:
First, the school must determine which components directly affect student learning. These should be
what each teacher will reflect upon in order to self-evaluate. What are the most impactful student
supports that teachers should strive towards in every lesson? These supports need to be researchedbased, clearly defined and achievable by all. These supports also must be directly controlled by the
teacher and should fall into the areas of curriculum, instruction, assessment, and climate and culture of
the classroom.
These supports will ensure that:
All student learning is driven by standards and measurable and achievable objective(s).
All student learning is driven by research-based, highly effective and efficient instructional practices.
All student learning is driven by regular assessment which determines instructional modifications.
All student learning is driven by a positive climate and culture.
Everyone on site must agree with each support indicator and clarify why each support indicator is
important to student achievement.
Step 2:
Once there is an aligned understanding of these support indicators the second step begins. During this
step each teacher starts the practice of identifying his or her strengths and gaps. This is a where selfreflection truly begins as individual teachers measure themselves against the agreed upon support
indicators. Teachers must think about each support indicator and answer the questions, “How well do I
guarantee my students are provided with these supports?” and “Are there areas that I could improve on
and what do I need to make that improvement?”
“How Can We Collect Data on Best, First Instruction” Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved.
Elevated Achievement Group www.elevatedachievement.com
ELEVATED ACHIEVEMENT GROUP
EDUCATION BLOG
Step 3:
Finally, there needs to be an action plan. As educators develop and refine their teaching, grounded in the
most impactful practices, and as they develop a process for continuous self-evaluation of their growth,
they need to have a well-defined action plan. This plan should include the desired outcome and the
process for achieving the outcome. The plan must be steeped in opportunities for self-evaluation as well
as support and feedback from others. Basically each teacher must answer the question, “What will I do in
order to ensure these student supports are continually in place when I deliver instruction?”
Although self-evaluation implies an individual practice, this is a process that requires and deserves support
from the collective school community. This support includes providing opportunities for teachers to
implement practices specific to their identified areas of growth. It includes an environment that promotes
risk-taking, collaboration, and time for guided reflection. And it includes exemplar models of practice and
of self-evaluation to develop the mindful habit of continual self-reflection and improvement.
We strive to develop students that can evaluate their own learning and become lifelong learners. Don’t
we want to demand the same for our teachers? Don’t we want to demand a system that allows all
teachers to be active participants in and control more of their own learning? Shouldn’t we have a system
that allows all teachers to receive the support needed to be lifelong learners? We believe we not only
should, we must.
Jane Kennedy is the Chief Operations Officer at Elevated Achievement Group. Her role is to offer
organizational and structural support to our partners in the areas of curriculum, instruction, assessment,
climate/culture, and operations. In her 20 years of experience she knows that the most effective educators
have also been the most self-reflective.
“How Can We Collect Data on Best, First Instruction” Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved.
Elevated Achievement Group www.elevatedachievement.com