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Below are listed the questions we generated through our Data Retreat on PVAAS on February 5, 2010. We decided at our meeting on March 3, to "play" with these questions so as to more effectively organize/categorize/sort/web in order to identify patterns. These patterns can help us to identify the research question we wish to examine.

You can manipulate them by cutting/pasting/highlighting with a different color, etc..... Just be sure to do so in a next section with your name.


 * Data Team Questions/Hypotheses/Wonderings/Considerations**

• Are we differentiating enough in our classrooms? • What can we do to make our Advanced and BB student achieve more growth? • Is Everyday Math geared towards which group more? Does it provide enough for advanced students? • Are our curricula correctly aligned and/or are they interesting and meaningful for all students? • Continuum of curriculum with special education • Do we have a formal curriculum to address these groups? • BB- who is working with our lowest kids? Reading Specialists vs. Aides • We need to work on how to push these kids.
 * Curriculum**

• How can upper grades use and understand the Dibels data or previous data on students to guide and assist them? • Are our interventions and instruction supporting the PVAAS data? Rigor? • What are acceptable levels of growth? Which measures (besides PVAAS) should be considered and what targets would they have? • What are we doing with data to direct instruction? Consistent assessment across special education to connect to general education. • DIBELS indicators of difficulty in 2nd and 3rd grade, in CF, students have not achieved subtests. • Is it possible for a student to max out in the advanced category? • Year’s worth of growth – percentage likely to achieve A, P or B. • Check that they align with our standards or state standards as applicable. • Is 4Sight serving us? • Dibels – upper grade level understand • How to find growth in K-3rd; not just achievement
 * Assessment/Data**

• Are we doing too much whole group instruction? • Are we implementing our materials with fidelity? • Core time and I/E time: is it helping? How are we grouping? How can we use PVAAS to help achieve proper/successful groupings? • Would accelerated math groups or more professional development improve advanced scores? • Where does the importance of Guided Reading fit into the process? • IST teachers to support/guide the DI so that it is scaffolded and general education can pick up more easily. • Math: teach for concepts and connections not procedures ex: teach problem solving basic fact knowledge will come in context. • Are we teaching to the middle? • Are advanced students being challenged enough? • Evaluate time in the program? • Teaching to the middle? How well? • High math class: what impact does it have? • Are we differentiating enough for the advanced students? • When did we stop sending kids to “High Math” class? • CORE – Fidelity? • CORE – whole group, how differentiating? • Should advanced students be seen daily to improve growth?
 * Instruction/DI**

• Having a reading coordinator/specialists clearly benefits our reading students and helps to ensure positive growth. Is there a benefit to having a math coordinator in a similar position? • Trust from district administration down and teachers to administration – feeling of collegiality?
 * Leadership**

• How can we become more united as a school? • How can we positively work together to achieve a shared vision? • Are we taking ownership of all our students or passing the buck? (IEP, Ed, etc.) • They are all our students. • Trust among everyone. • Collegiality? • Trust? Administration - teacher; teacher - teacher • We need to attempt to stop the negative tendencies of our culture in thinking that certain kids can’t show progress/growth. • IEP kids not my kids.
 * Culture/Climate**

• What about implementing data meetings in the HS and MS? • More PD needed in this area. • How can we educate the other teachers about PVAAS? Are we providing opportunities to extend their learning? How can we teach everyone how to use the PVAAS data? • Are our professional development strands providing teachers with enough training/info to keep students making yearly progress • Consistency of GGL strands (CGL?) Strands vs whole group PD • Teachers would need lots of PD to get a good understanding of what PVAAS can do for them. • PD on how to meet the advanced kids better • How does RtII fit in? • Will this influence I/E? How? More time to chat about our direction. Where are we going? • Strands do not build consistent growth towards common school goal or vision.
 * Professional Development**

• Gr 4 math females? IEP? • Gr 4 reading, ED kids? IEP?
 * Other**

One example Demko categories - click on link to Demko page. Lynn's Categorization:

• Are we differentiating enough in our classrooms? • What can we do to make our Advanced and BB student achieve more growth? • We need to work on how to push these kids. • Are our interventions and instruction supporting the PVAAS data? Rigor? • What are we doing with data to direct instruction? Consistent assessments across special education to connect to general education. • Are we doing too much whole group instruction? • Are we teaching to the middle? • Are advanced students being challenged enough? • Teaching to the middle? How well? • Are we differentiating enough for the advanced students?
 * Questions Speaking to DI/Instructional Considerations**

Are we implementing our materials with fidelity? • CORE – Fidelity? • Trust from district administration down and teachers to administration – feeling of collegiality? • How can we become more united as a school? • How can we positively work together to achieve a shared vision? • Are we taking ownership of all our students or passing the buck? (IEP, Ed, etc.) • They are all our students. • Trust among everyone. • Collegiality? • Trust? Administration - teacher; teacher - teacher • We need to attempt to stop the negative tendencies of our culture in thinking that certain kids can’t show progress/growth. • IEP kids not my kids.
 * Questions Speaking to Trust/Responsibility Considerations**