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?
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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.
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