Learning Forward
Equity and excellence in teaching and learning.
FEATURE ARTICLE
Wrestling With Data
Learning Network Grapples With How to Gather And Analyze Valuable Information
By Learning Forward
October 2012
Vol. 33 No. 5
As facilitator, I noted some trepidation in the room as the eight secondary principals from Eugene (Ore.) School District 4J quietly discussed questions that surfaced through their hopes and fears exercise. Could the practice of visiting classrooms together help them to better lead instruction in their buildings? Would this process stir up controversy with the teachers union? How did they feel about including teachers in a practice they did not yet understand? Could the time they spend together affect student learning, helping to close a nagging and persistent achievement gap? In a district with a strong, sometimes challenging union presence and a history of highly prized independent practice, there were significant implications to the decision at hand: Should they implement instructional rounds, and, if so, why?
Read the remaining content with membership access. Join or log in below to continue.
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.
Sample Headlines: From Student Interview Data
- Curiosity is heightened by newness and application to real-world or new settings.
- Student engagement is a balance of intellectual struggle and understanding.
- Motivation plays a role in student engagement.
References
City, E.A., Elmore, R.F., Fiarman, S.E., & Teitel, L. (2009). Instructional rounds: A network approach to improving teaching and learning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
Glaser, B.G. & Strauss, A.L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory. Piscataway, NJ: Aldine Transaction.
Learning Forward is the only professional association devoted exclusively to those who work in educator professional development. We help our members plan, implement, and measure high-quality professional learning so they can achieve success with their systems, schools, and students.
CURRENT ISSUE
Subscribe
Recent Issues
LEARNING TO PIVOT
August 2024
Sometimes new information and situations call for major change. This issue...
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
June 2024
What does professional learning look like around the world? This issue...
WHERE TECHNOLOGY CAN TAKE US
April 2024
Technology is both a topic and a tool for professional learning. This...
EVALUATING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
February 2024
How do you know your professional learning is working? This issue digs...
