Using Data in the Classroom ... Part 3

And finally, part 3 to the Data in the Classroom mini-series.   Again, I have chosen this year's professional learning objective to be documenting our learning across the curriculum.  This series has shown how that looks in our classroom. I would love to hear how you manage it in your classroom as well -- who knows, that may be where we head next quarter!

This post involves special events.   How many times do we have assemblies or field trips or little aha moments that are easily forgotten within a few days, definitely after a few months?  Way too many I say.  We've been able to use our camera to document those moments and help solidify the learning we did.  Typically these events are also recorded in the student learning lots (read more about that here) but we document via photographs as well.  So here's to Part 3!

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Group Posters.  One boy noticed utility flags sticking up outta the ground near the school a few weeks back. So we stopped and did some detective work to figure out what the flags might be for.  Some still think that it's directions for how to build a roller coaster but for the most part, we decided that under the dirt was a big pipe with electricity and the flags tell construction workers where to not dig (we are getting ready to start construction in the spring. )  As we walked on inside, they noticed a bunch more different colored flags.  Well that prompted an investigation.  We took pics, we discussed, we googled.  One boy went home and asked his dad for info.   We now have a "Whats Going On" poster where we have documented those flags and we're watching daily for any changes to the grounds to see what's going on.  And that dad has come in and talked to us about utility flags and their importance!
You can read about that here and here.

Special Calendar.  I'm excited for this one. Maybe that's why the kids are too, haha.  Our classroom reporter gets the job to help take pictures for special events as well as record them on our special calendar.  It has events on it like birthdays, grandparents day, field trips, the day we all got shoes (Thanks to One Sole Purpose) and guest speakers.  

Accompanying pictures sit underneath the calendar until the month is over and we'll move it all up on the way so we can document those special events throughout the year.  I've noticed a few kiddos looking up at the current poster and then discussing some of their observations or checking out past months.   I can't wait to see these posters at the end of the year -- what a visual way to show all that we've done!

Again, I do believe I'm a believer of data and documenting throughout the year.  Hopefully this mini-series has given a well enough peak into our classroom and possibly inspired someone out there.  I am VERY interested though in what data looks like in your room or how you use it!

Using Data in the Classroom...Part 2

So last Wednesday I posted part 1 to this mini-series (go check it out here).   This week I'm posting more about how we use data in the classroom.  I'm not talking about the data we collect as professionals that drive our instruction but instead focusing on the real meat of data and how it's impacting my students.  My goal this year was documenting. Documenting our learning. Documenting the processes. Documenting our achievements.  And that's the data I'm talking about...the data that shows progress and failures, excitement and hardship, the data that is owned by the students. THAT's the data I'm writing about.  And that's the data I love!

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Two other ways that we are documenting through data are through our classroom blog and student learning logs, both new additions to our classroom. Each one carries it's own challenges but the rewards are plentiful!

Classroom blog. Lord help me when I first sent the link to the parents I knew it was a commitment that I had better keep up with! Eeeeek.

It started off pretty bare bones but has quickly grown. I suppose that synonymous to our classroom -- bare bones at the beginning of the year but then as learning starts to take place the room fills up with anchor charts and posters and writing samples. Just the same with the blog.   Right now we've been doing about 2 posts a week.  Eventually I'd love to have the kiddos take charge of what goes on the blog but as it is, I am typing up the blog posts mainly as a way to document what we're doing and share it with the parents and community.  We read through the posts every week or so just so they can see what's being put out there too!  I really wish we were getting more feedback as the kids have loved the TWO comments we've had.  But, at least I'm getting it out there and it seem that we're getting a lot of "views" but no comments (hint hint....come comment on our posts!). Our posts range from pictures they took in the classroom of what they thought was important to their learning to field trips, to exploring dirt.  If we've done it, it's been blogged about!  Go check us out (and leave comments) "Cantrell's Classroom".

Learning Logs.  I'm super proud of these.
One assessment tool that our site does looks at teacher instruction as well as student response logs.  We didn't score very well on response logs, mainly because we weren't using them very much across the curriculum. GUILTY.  I began them this past month as we started up our Science unit on weather.
Let me tell you .... I LOVE THE LEARNING LOGS!  Seriously.  The work that the students are documenting is really impressive and they are internalizing it. I definitely see the students taking ownership of their learning in these logs.  We've used the logs to document our learnings from assemblies, field trips, special speakers and other aha moments.   I love that the kiddos can go back through their logs and remember what we've done this year.

So that's 2 more components to Data in the Classroom.  The next 2 revolve around special events and how we use those moments to document and enhance our learning.

Using Data in the Classroom...Part 1

One of my professional goals this year was to document our learning and time together this year.  I had a grant funded through DonorsChoose last year that provided classroom cameras.  My intentions were for us to document the things we were learning and important events.  Well, last year was a technology learning year for me and the kiddos just worked on how to use the cameras.
This year though...this year is different. WHOA nelly is it different.

We are documenting our learning in Every. Way. Possible.  We use our data binders, we now have learning logs, we do group posters about our learnings, we are implementing Continuous Classroom Improvement to the best of our abilitieswe're sharing, we have a Special Calendar that documents our events, and our classroom blog is finally up and going with student input!

I am loving the outcomes of each of theses components and so here is part one of three posts on Using Data in the Classroom.

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Data Binders. Yeah I said it....data binders.   That used to be a scary word.  After attending a Jim Shipley conference last year in February I decided to jump in and get them started when I got back.  Granted we only used them for 3 months, the resulting student knowledge of their learning was impressive.  So we started this year by first creating our professional goals and begun tracking our quarterly reading scores, our weekly spelling tests, and our monthly attendance.
We discuss how each of those scores helps us become closer to reaching our professional goals.  The kids know where they need to be at the end of the year as well as set a goal for the next quarter.    We just finished our first quarter assessments and got to update our reading, writing, and math data charts.  We noticed that as a class we had more student proficient across the board and we celebrated.  We also celebrated those that met their goals (we might like to celebrate a little bit).  I was soooo ecstatic to overhear one of my rowdy boys explain his binder to the principal a few weeks ago. He understood what he was talking about and was proud. PROUD. We also set goals for reading and writing.

Continuous Classroom Improvement (CCI).  This is where the data binders come from.  It follows the Baldrige business model in the Plan, Do, Study, Act process.
Each week or cycle we create a class goal or plan.  The students then come up with what they're going to do in order to be successful with that goal.  And then we work on it.  Typically our cycle lasts one week, sometimes longer depending on the skill or how many days we've been in school that week.  We record our progress during that cycle and then study it to see how we have done and what we did that lead to our success (or sometimes our failure).  One learning I've had this year is that our cycles don't have to be academic per se.  In the past, we've chosen a math goal and that's what we've focused on. Each week, choosing a new skill and then figuring out some way to incorporate that work/review into the week's lessons.  It was a chore.  And although I knew it was beneficial and supposed to show great success when used with fidelity.  But man it was a chore!  This year we're doing things a little differently.   I had the idea to use behaviors for the first few weeks. I confess it was just so I could figure out how exactly this was going to look in a split room.   But then I realized that these behaviors we were working on ultimately do affect our academics.  So while we are working on "not talking out" it's positively affecting their learning.  Just the same for "bringing back our daily folders" or "walking quietly in the hallway".   So that's what we're doing.   This year we're focusing each week/cycle on different behaviors.  And let me tell you, it is working!  Again, I am amazed at these kiddos and what they are capable of.  They even decided to use their data binders to track their own success on the cycle.  Genius!  And it was their own idea!

This year I feel I've gotten a great handle on the whole CCI/PDSA stuff and it's doing wonders in our classroom.  The kids are owning it and it's positively affecting their learning. I absolutely love it.

Stay tuned for the next posts on Using Data in the Classroom.  Until then, what's been your experience with student-kept data?