Science Data

Today's Science lesson had to do with the data that Scientist take and how they do multiple trials to make sure they are right.  Each partner group was given ten 3-oz. Solo cups.  They were given a data sheet and told to count the cups four times and record the number of cups that they counted.  When we first decided to do this, I have to admit that I missed the point.  I figured they would count the ten cups correctly each time.  After all, these are first graders and they have pretty good number sense for numbers 1-10.  However, I was wrong!

Much to my surprise only 14 of our 35 students counted ten cups on each of the four trials!  As the data sheets were posted, there was a great discussion on why there were discrepancies and why it is so important for Scientist to do experiments many times.  Great lesson!

Taking a Look at the Data

We are so fortunate in Duval County to have Early Release Wednesdays every other Wednesday of the month.  These days give us an extra hour and a half for professional development every other week.  Usually we spend the time with our grade level and work on the work, but this past Wednesday the entire school worked on data.  The county has finally figured out a way to give us data that is user friendly.  Of course for 3-4-5, it's based on benchmarks that, in my opinion, are still questionable.  I would hate to see us put ALL of our faith in those tests but at least it's a starting point.  

In K-1-2 we had state-wide FAIR data to peruse. This past Wednesday we looked at the data against our lists of free and reduced lunch, lists of second language children, Hispanic students (which will probably be a high stakes assessment sub group or us for the first time this year) and other identifiers.  

So what did I learn?  Of course I know who my strugglers are by now (it's the end of the first nine weeks!) and I already had small groups and specific interventions in place.  I did notice that a much higher percentage of my strugglers are also on free and reduced lunch.  That has long been a trend but it just means that I have to work harder to make sure that they catch up in these early years.  It means that many of them are in homes where they are in survival mode and the children don't have the same type of support as their more financially comfortable peers have day in and day out.  That group continues to grow as our economy struggles and I want to give each child a fighting chance. 

I also identified which of my strugglers that I can touch at our tutoring center and want to make sure to  target those children and get them there for the extra service after school every week.  I also realize that I have a pocket of my Special Education students that have strong academic skills and will need to continue to be challenged at a more advanced level! Nice problem to have.  There is a responsibility to make sure that they continue to grow even though they are working above the aim line.  All in all it was a good reflection time - something that all teachers need on a regular basis.

The Assessment Period

This is our second week in school. We are busy assessing our first graders. In my classroom we have just finished giving the DRA2 so that we have a reading level for each child. The children chose books today for their individual reading bins - 6 that are "just right" books, 2 that are challenge bocks and 2 that are "easy cheesy" and will begin Monday taking one of the books home to read each night for homework. Tomorrow we will begin the state's F.A.I.R. testing that is on-line and will also begin some of our "home grown" assessment that includes additional testing in fluency, phonics and vocabulary. We have also completed our "home grown" Math Diagnostic which took several days of Math time. All this assessment will help us work with children exactly where they are so that we don't loose valuable instructional time.

As a school we are doing the same kind of assessment. Our Leadership Team has met each week and today our Curriculum Leadership Council (picture to the left) met for the first time this year, which includes a teacher representing each grade level in each academic discipline. We discussed roles and responsibilities and reviewed data from last year. We discussed the work to be done as we decide on our goals for our School Improvement Plan. It's a year full of hope and excitement. Looks like a good crop this year!

State Of the School

Today, as is the tradition, Susan Phillips, Principal of Chets Creek, delivered her "State of the School" address. Each year the principal goes through several slides that show the faculty where each grade level is at this time of year based on the "Chets Creek Diagnostic." These K-5 assessments in Reading and Math (and 5th Grade Science) were written by Chets Creek teachers and have been edited and revised over the years. Each assessment is given three times a year. We use this data to analyze where we are compared to previous years and to predict how we will do on our state mandated test, the FCAT. Because we have historical data, we are able to predict our success within a few percentage points! This data also helps us identify and target the "bubble" kids that can go either way and that will need that extra push of intervention in these last few weeks.

Our principal reminds us of our targets - not as a scare tactic, but as a reality check. Can we really improve on 97% of our bottom quartile kids making gains? She emphasizes how important K-2 teachers are to this process, even though they are not part of the state's test. She realizes that our 3rd - 4th - and 5th grade scores stand on the shoulders of the strength of our primary school. She also reminds us again today that it is about relationships. "If you can't relate to a particular child, then find someone who can. It might be a kindergarten teacher, a teacher assistant, someone from the office, one of the custodians, but find someone that will care and hold that child accountable." We know, from research and from our experiences, that children that feel like someone cares will work harder and will want to succeed, not only on a test, but in life.

The principal ends her speech today by asking each of us to take out our dream journals and to respond to several statements, including, "Within our reach lies every path we have ever dreamed of taking. Reflect on the path that you need to take in these next few weeks to prepare your students for our state assessment." And finally, "What is the gift that you can bring to your neediest children right now?" Dreaming is how we get there, but life is the path that we take.

The Data

As the first half of the first nine weeks comes to a close, it is time to take a look at the data and make decisions that will drive instruction. Data at this time of year includes teacher generated testing that mirrors the state mandated FCAT in 3rd-5th grades. In 2nd grade, the bridge year, we look at the DIBELS and also an FCAT-type assessment administered to each student. In K-1, data includes  teacher designed testing. Analyzing the data begins at the Leadership table. The Leadership Team (as seen above) drills down to each individual student as they make decisions on how to help each struggler. As always most of the students in grades 1-5 that are at-risk are students who are new to Chets Creek!

At a teacher meeting the grade level looks at its own data, each teacher comparing her class against the other classes on the grade level and the previous year's data at this same time of year. Below is an example of a profile sheet (except teacher's names are on our summaries). It is always interesting to hear kindergarten teachers as they analyze why certain classes begin with more at-risk students and others with less. Because most of these teachers have done this for many years now, they know their own profiles and their own strengths and weaknesses. They often identify areas that they will need to work on to pull their particular group up to grade level. Conversation also surrounds those students who top our data and how we are going to meet their unique needs. We drill down again to the individual student level so that teachers leave these meetings with a plan for each individual child. Conversation from this meeting drives the demonstration lessons that will be planned in the upcoming professional development. Data is the cornerstone of our work.