Why Do Amazing Educators Embrace Data for Success?

Data is not new to education, but its use has many iterations. What are connected educators saying about data best practices? Why do amazing educators embrace data? How is data currently used to improve performance? What words of caution do thought leaders provide?

How Do Your Teams Measure Success?

Goals and plans are useless without targets. I can have the best plan, but where is it taking me? How will I know when I get there? The same applies for schools. Data does nothing alone. It requires context, culture, and targets to take on meaning.

I Never Heard a Number Explain Itself

A bit of caution on measurement. There is always a story behind the numbers. Qualitative observations are essential. - Douglas Reeves @DouglasReeves

Contextual factors are always present within the classroom, the school, and the home. Those factors do impact numbers. We can change contextual factors, but it takes we.

When we ask why in response to data, it's easy to blame the only adult in the classroom. Instead of blame, inquire into the contextual factors. Find the story.

Here's a quick read on toxic and healthy uses of data: Data is Not the Solution for Teachers.

Data and Shared Mission

If we don't have a clear mission and a few well defined values - then we have a hard time with our "measurable." -Jeff Veal @heffrey

I love data. But I also respect student privacy and differential development. Data walls that shame are a shame. -Joe Jeffery @joejefferyCT 

Great use of data does not begin with numbers. It begins with people. Administrators, teachers, and community creating a shared sense of what they believe and where they are going.

Data without quality school culture will become toxic. It is only a matter of time.

Read this previous post on Creating a Culture is more than Curriculum and Instructional Expertise.

Measuring Growth

Sometimes we forget to focus on the "right now" data. The Final Four doesn't matter if we don't make it past the first round. -Steven Weber @curriculumblog

What data is your team using to measure small growth along the way? Are you using multiple points of data at the same time?

Imaging a pilot flying a 747 without an array of data on her dashboard. Imagine the pilot only using one data point, say the temperature. Not smart use of data.

Like the 747, our data talks should include an array. A single data point, like a passing rate on a test, is so insufficient for real analysis. Instead, find data to measure growth.

Know the difference between sensitive data and lethargic data. Have an array of both. Have an array of questions to inquire and discuss. Here are a few questions to consider:

1. What are we learning as professionals from our data? 
2. What did our students learn this period? What did they not learn? 
3. How are we going to support re-learning without supplanting current opportunity to learn? 
4. How can we scale up current successes?
5. How are we going to recognize each other's successes?

And a concluding thought from an amazing educator:

When learning becomes more passion driven than data driven, we will see kids who are prepared for college and careers. -Behtany Hill @bethhill2829

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