Busy Week!

To piggyback off of last week's blog, here's an update of some of the challenges I have recently overcome in the classroom. Our class has been able to get into a more set routine, which also includes the appropriate protocol for behavior. It's not perfect, but we are getting there! Every day in the classroom is a new improvement and blessing. We are also continuing to look at data in order to adjust our instruction for this year. 

This week, I've determined that data interpreting is equally important to many other aspects to teaching. It allows teachers to see which students stand where in terms of achievement on several different levels of tests. With this data interpretation also comes a great deal of researching these tests. All of this is covered in NCPTS #5. The primary data that I've spent some time on is the School Report Card for my clinical site school. At face value, it looks a bit discouraging. However, the school has met grown requirements which is a good thing! 

I've been spending the majority of my time this week looking at the data, and seeing how it affects our students. While the data can give us so much intel about where our students are academically, there is no way that it can tell us that Johnny's parents were fighting all night before the test and, so, Johnny had other things on his mind. It can't tell us that Susie is a genius pianist and Gary defended another student after the top scoring student bullied him repeatedly. With that being said, I've found that it is important to take testing data at face value, and not allow it the privilege of making decisions for you. 

Having seen the data for my school, it was exactly that: discouraging. However, I know that my clinical site school is a wonderful school full of administration, staff and teachers who all care. That's also something that I have been talking with my clinical educator about. Being in a Title I school, many of the students come from a variety of backgrounds. Needless to say, you have to want to make an impact on these students in order to effectively teach and see positive improvements. You cannot come to a diverse classroom full of woes and expect it to be easy. This is NCPTS #2 at its finest! The kids are broken, and it is your job to help them put the puzzle pieces together. And while you do that, you will need to teach them a thing or two! 

I am both excited and nervous to embark on this new phase of data analysis, and hope to take what I've learned this week to improve my practice. I will be able to look at data without drawing conclusions about my students' capabilities whilst doing so. 

Have a great week!