Data Folders

Okay, there just isn't a catchy title to go with this. Data folders (or notebooks) are utilitarian.

I've decided to keep things pared down to data folders. I want essential data collected and displayed in a way that the kids can figure out and follow. If it's complicated, then I have to do it, and then it won't get done consistently. Not a nice truth, but a truth nonetheless.

Poplin peeps, if you're interested in more all-inclusive data notebooks, talk to fifth grade. That's what they do.

Each reading and math PDSA cycle will begin with the kids and I, through conversation ( I'll detail that in a later post closer to the start of school.), will set the learning target for the week (or Plan) and outline what we'll Do to get there. I'm going to work with a form that looks like this:

This is what they would look like, all filled out after our meeting on Monday.

For reading:

... and here's what they'd look out after we finish the Study and Act parts of the cycle:

Here's reading again - this example shows a child who missed a goal:

and math: This one made it.

The math is reflective of a week from the beginning of last school year. Even though the pretend child met the goal, he or she could maintain and even improve this skill by teaching another student who hasn't yet met the goal and will retest next week and/or by continuing practice on a math-practice website.

These can then be sent home in the graded papers packet in the Wednesday folders and filed into the data folder when it comes back.

In each pocket, clipped together, are the weekly PDSA half-sheets. I'll also tuck in snapshot graphs of progress on math goals pulled from Classscape. In the center are the 'I Can' sheets for reading and math that have the CCSS goals written in English (as opposed to Bureaucratspeak). If you're interested in those, check this post here. You can also find the reading and math 'I Can' sheets that I put together and are for fourth grade in these Google docs - Reading and math.

I'd also like to put long-term goal setting sheets in the middle, but I haven't invented that yet.

So, my goals for today:

• Keep reading The Leader in Me. It's actually pretty good.
• Think about and, if possible, create long-term planning sheets for kids to use. At what point in the year would we work something like that? If I do it too soon, all I'll get is 'pass EOGs', if I wait too long, they won't have time to get them done.
• Get the kid to Tae Kwon Do, hit Target, Trader Joe's and Harris-Teeter. Yeah, it's one of those kinds of days. :S