Edupreneur Spotlight: Amirah Williams

The Data Shift in the Midst of a Pandemic

 
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Let’s face it. The idea of traditional schooling has taken on an entire new medium: increasing the use of technology by a hundredfold, relying daily on stable internet connections and efficient power, and even the new reality of the exhaustion associated with sitting in front of a computer screen for hours. 

Within this new realm of schooling, there has been a major data shift that not too many are talking about; a shift in role and responsibility, a shift in orientation, a shift of ownership. There used to be a mad race to outperform every teacher, every content, every school building. There used to be a huge distaste and knot in a teacher’s stomach when an administrator even mentioned the “D” word, d-a-t-a. There USED to be a tremendous power associated with the numerical digits next to a teacher or school leaders name. The shift should have occurred years ago, and in our educational landscape we are long overdue. 

Prior to the pandemic, majority of the data in schools focused on how WELL the class was performing or how PERFECT the teacher taught the lesson or implemented the ideal “teacher moves” SINCE, you know, the well taught lesson was believed to result in the highest set of test scores. BUT what happens when there are no more perfect teacher moves? Or when your well taught lesson physically has now shifted completely online? What happens to your data? 

WE ADAPT. WE SHIFT. WE MOVE IN THE INTERESTS OF OUR SCHOLARS. 

If there is one notion that COVID has taught us, it’s that the data is and should have always been SCHOLAR CENTERED. With this sudden shift and new reality we have quickly learned that no matter how good or great your lesson was taught, our scholars will always determine the trajectory of their data. It took a pandemic to teach us how to slow down and move with the pace of our scholars. It took a pandemic for us educators to speak in large numbers in unison and strongly against standardized testing. It took a pandemic for us to fully understand that we should find a way to reach scholars exactly where there are and implement creative and innovative ways for them to fall back in love with learning, now behind a computer screen.

Now, just how do we normalize this data shift? Here are three simple ways to ensure you are implementing SCHOLAR centered data in your virtual classrooms/buildings: 

  1. Conduct CFUs (Check for Understandings) constantly throughout your virtual lessons. Since we no longer have the luxury of walking down the aisles  of our classrooms or randomly calling on a student to demonstrate what they know to the board, poll students (Zoom Polls, NearPod or PearDeck embedded questions or Google Slides Questions) in the middle of your lessons. With polling, you can capture a quick temperature check of your scholars' understanding of your content. 

  2. Scholar Data Reflection Forms: After every quiz or assessment, have your scholars reflect on their work. I often ask three simple questions. With these three easy and simple questions, scholars will be honest about their performance and you’ll be able to have a better understanding of how to reteach or review parts of your content that they didn’t understand. 

    • What was your score?

    • What did you do well on your quiz/assessment?

    • What do you need further help with from your teacher?

  3. Show and Extend Grace: Let your scholars retake the quiz or test multiple times. Don’t be afraid to extend the time it takes to teach the lesson to another day or three. Read the “Zoom” room constantly. Change the lesson when you can tell they aren’t following your understanding. And be patient with the process.

Yes, Data DRIVES how we move forward and directs the route in which the institution takes in order to create change.  Without it, there is no institution. Just like without it, we wouldn’t have much to show in regards to how we are MOVING our scholars to soaring heights. But for TODAY’s scholars, we must effectively use data as a tool to not only change but improve their trajectory. “Data” is NOT a curse word. Let’s just ensure we set them up for success; scholar centered.

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