Diligently Driving Towards Data Walls

        Less than two weeks before I officially have to return to work.  Every other year, I spend days or even weeks (if you add up all the scattered days) preparing my classroom.  Alright, not all the time is spent on true work in room 12.  Some of that time is spent wandering the halls, happening upon someone to catch up with, and chatting.  Some of that time is spent moving things around, and then moving them back to their original spot.  And a lot of time is spent piddling...wandering around my room, thinking, but not accomplishing too much.

      I am vacillating.  I am torn between going in some time in the next week and a half, to get a headstart, and selfishly savoring the last of my days off.  (After all, there will be some long, marathon sessions anyway, right?)

       Doing some reading and research at home bridges across my indecisiveness.  I can get on my laptop, while listening to trashy TV (still in my jammies), and get some things cemented in my head.

        I read this article on data walls, and found it helpful.  It stresses how simple it should be, and advocates that the classroom teachers take ownership.

         Anyone who has other resources they'd like to send my way, I'd appreciate it...

article on data walls

Reflective Teaching (or DUID)

        Half of the summer is over already.  I've spent the last few weeks vegetating---padding around in my pajamas all day, watching junky television, and inhaling a pile of books.  Beginning this next week, I am going to have to think about the work at hand...

     One book I definitely recommend is Niffenegger's Her Fearful Symmetry.  It's the story of two mirror-image twins, is set in London, and is just as thought-provoking as her earlier novel The Time Traveler's Wife.

      Another story I thoroughly enjoyed was Jodi Piccoult's Handle with Care.  The research that the author always does in writing her books is clearly evident.  Certainly not a "happily ever after" story (what realistic tale is ?), the surprising twists (even at the very end) make it a heartwrenching story that causes the reader to wonder, 'What would I do under the same circumstances?'

       This past year, my district began having teachers look seriously at data, stdent by student.  Too often, educators have such a packed day; there is no time to be reflective.  However,  this next year we are going to be examining student data in a very methodical way.  Pretests, interventive strategies, and posttests...making lists of proficient students and those who fall short of the mark...carving out time to assist struggling learners in creative ways...I am truly looking forward to DUID (Driving Under the Influence of Data).

          Carefully looking at student progress in the classroom and with colleagues, as well as having students graph their data, is empowering.

      Earlier this spring I attended the National Writing Project's Urban Site conference in Portland, Oregon. It was an incredible conference.  We visited one elementary school which does amazing things with very little technology.  (They do more with post-it notes and a chalkboard than many teachers do with a Smartboard!)  Their teacher's lounge was wall-to-wall data.

        Also during the spring I went to the NEA conference in St. Louis.  A workshop on "data dens" was led by a St. Charles district (Francis Howell or Fort Zumwalt).  Unfortunately, I was not able to attend that session, but my colleague did, and she was quite energized about it.

        In the next month, I will be setting up my third grade class.  I will be helping my principal set up our own "data den." And I'll be doing a lot of thinking about what I can do to best facilitate learning in my classroom...

         Anyone who has suggestions (or even photos of their data walls), I would appreciate if you would send them my way. And for those who still have some summer left, enjoy!

France...A Small Digression

For my next post, I will write about how cool data can be (yes, that phrase dates me; I could have called data "groovy" but I resisted). However, I wanted to explain the photo. Southern France. At foot of the Pyrenees Mountains. After eating a casserole of potatoes, cheese, cream and onion (and of course, wine) we continued down the path toward the circle of mountains.

The southern part of France is my favorite spot on Earth. The habit of savoring every taste, every conversation, every experience...it's relaxing and delightful. Last summer I stayed for a few weeks near Pau, and the memories are still vivid a year later.

Okay, back to data. Enough of "off road" thoughts. I have been reading about data, and studying how to make decisions that are informed because of data; I found a couple of articles I'd like you to check out.

One is found at www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=7041

The other is www.microsoft.com/education/ThoughtLeadersDDDM.mspx

During this last month of my summer break, I am going to be working on mapping out my classroom and my thinking, so the students can take ownership of their data. I also want the data to work for me, with a minimum of extra time and a maximum of results. If anyone has any ideas to help me out, please add your comment. Teaching----in a room, alone with just the teacher and the students---is a private endeavor. When others (like you) are welcomed into a colleague's classroom (via your comments and suggestions), powerful collaboration is inevitable. And all of a sudden, I feel rejuvenated and jazzed about the work I do...

Have a great evening!

A Teacher's Summer

People who bemoan teachers' three months off drive me crazy, and make me want to go straight for their jugular. The span of summer (a scant two months) is taken up with reading (for pleasure as well as "work" reading), doing as few home projects as I can get by with, and engaging in those little pleasures that I don't have the energy for during the school year.

For instance, I hope to get together with my book group. The last book we read and discussed was Same Kind of Different as Me--a great memoir. I just finished Mary Karr's Lit. She's the author of two other marvelous memoirs. Her perspective is unflinching...The women in our group are spirited and passionate, and sharp-witted. The barbs fly---all in fun---over a great discussion and tasty food.

Jodi Piccoult is an author I have been digging into for the last year or so. It amazes me, but with every one of her books, I read the inside blurb, it doesn't blow me away, but I succumb (because this happens every time)and the plot, the research, the emotional tugging does blow me away. The latest one I read was about a family dealing with a child born with fragile bones. Even on the last page, her characteristic twists kept me guessing. (If you are in the habit like I am sometimes, of reading the first few lines and then turning to the end and reading it, with this book, don't. The end is heartbreakingly surprising.)

That is the sort of fun fare that keeps me occupied this summer as far as reading. I am also engaged in becoming more data driven as a teacher. On my next blog, I'll note some stuff about data and pre-tests and post-tests, how being reflective is crucial, and also, how documentation can help protect educators...