Eight Tips for Digging into Data, The Coaching Podcast, Ep. 8

First and foremost, you need to have a purpose for your data meeting. Purpose is what makes teachers feel like you haven’t just wasted their time. Trust me: you do not want to waste a teacher’s time! It is so precious!
Once you start digging into the data, take away the scapegoat by leaving names off of the test results. If you have “Dylan” on the top of the page, the teacher is going to tell you everything Dylan was doing wrong while testing. Take this excuse away and let teachers see the data for what it is: facts. Yes, Dylan’s behavior could absolutely influence his performance on a test, but sometimes having these personal feelings about students or their habits can get in the way of teachers noticing patterns across the class.
In order to be completely prepared, have your teachers bring in the actual tests the students took. With this, you can get more specific with areas of concern and areas that are mastered. In addition, you might find that the problem isn’t the content, but something different. Find out what that other problem might be by tuning into Episode 8 of Buzzing with Ms. B.
While teachers are bringing in the tests, have them throw in a blank copy so you can write down and discuss which concepts are golden and which ones may need some revisiting. By doing this, you are seeing what specifically needs to be worked on whole group and what needs to be worked on in smaller groups.
Data is such an important part of the coaching cycle. You want to make sure your data digs follow the four tips above, but there’s even more to think about than that! Tune into Buzzing with Ms. B Episode 8 to learn how to ensure teachers are walking away with a plan while using collaborative methods!
Ready to learn more?
Getting Started with Data
Four Things to Know About Data
The Instructional Coaching Binder MegaPack: data forms and more!
Thank you for listening to Buzzing with Ms. B: the Coaching Podcast. Want more coaching ideas? Check me out at buzzingwithmsb.com and on Instagram @buzzingwithmsb. If you love the show, share it with a coach who would love it too, or leave me a review! It’s free and it helps others find this show, too. Happy coaching!
Podcast produced by Fernie Ceniceros of Crowd & Town Creative