My Summer Vacation

I spent the majority of my summer taking two online courses for my masters program.  The courses I took were EDL 7305:  Data Analysis and School Improvement and 7100:  Leadership Theory and Practice.  Both classes were good and I learned a lot.  I was very excited in the beginning of the semester to learn that the classes would take place entirely online.  I equated this to mean I would be able to work by the pool for some of the assignments.  Yay summer!  I did take my book to the pool once to read the assigned chapters, but that only happened once.

What I soon realized was that the summer semester is shorter than normal semesters, so 12-14 weeks of learning was shoved into 6.  Whoa!  That also meant that modules of learning that were separated into 8 sections had to be condensed to make sure everything was covered in the six weeks worth of classes.  And by condensed, I do not mean that things were eliminated.  Instead, two weeks worth of assignments sometimes were due in the course of one. I had one face-to-face session in each class where I met two really good professors that I would have enjoyed learning more from in a regular class setting.  Instead, I got to learn from narrated power points (which I was really thankful for), and a once a week online chat that was beneficial.  During those online chat sessions, while trying to get good information from the professor, I also got a lot of interesting noises provided by my classmates.  People were talking over each other, some were louder than others whether from being on the phone as a call-in student or from microphones turned up really loud.  I promise at one time I could have sworn I heard a toilet flush, too.  This could have been partly due to the online site that was used to conduct these meetings because I had another class where we participated in something similar, but it was better with buttons you could click that allowed you to indicate a raised hand for a question or a little bird indicated that you were away from the computer momentarily.  I believe that site was called Moodle.  I'll have to check it out to be sure.

Here's what I've learned from this experience and these courses:

1.  Summer vacation does not exist when taking grad courses.

2.  Data is a lot more interesting that I expected, and I am actually excited about collecting and analyzing (now that I know how) it in the upcoming school year.

3.  If I have good ideas and want them to be implemented at my school, I'd better become a principal and make those ideas a reality.

4.  Being a teacher leader is a huge responsibility with job descriptions in all kinds of areas.

5.  I learn much better in face-to-face classes than I do in online ones.

So here I am at the end of my summer classes.  I made it!  And, I still have 3 more weeks of summer (the only really good thing that came out of the Cobb County school year calendar being changed again). Yay summer! Plus, I am at the half-way point in attaining my master's degree in instructional technology.  Yay me!

You'll hear from me again during the fall semester as I embark on two more classes.  Until then, you'll find me by the pool.

Just Look at All This Data

Description: Compiled a Data Inventory Chart of all the data that is collected at school, in what grade levels, and in what areas of instruction.

Standards: PSC 2A,B,C; BOR I; NETS-A 4C,D
Semester: Summer 2011

Hours: 3.5 hours

Population: Principal and School Colleagues

Reflection: For the EDL 7305, I had to complete a Data Inventory Chart that tells about all the ways we collect data at our school.  It divides it into areas by grade and content area, as well.  During this field experience, I talked with my team about the assessments we give each year.  I reviewed the testing information with my assistant principal, I interviewed other grade-level teachers at my school for information regarding data collections, and I composed the Data Inventory based on the information I collected.

Data with a Plan

Description: I developed an action plan/timeline that will help my school build a Data Team and provide a program of understanding data through the Understanding Data Process (UDP).

Standards:TF-II.D (Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences)
                 TF-V.A,D (Productivity and Professional Practice)

Semester: Summer 2011

Hours: 4 hours

Population: Principal, Future use with School Colleagues

Reflection: The EDL 7305 class was focused on using data and analyzing it to format a plan of action based on student-learning needs.  The class used a process called the Understanding Data Process and went along with the text The Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for All Students.  I found this process to be one that my school can definitely benefit from, and think that developing an Action Plan that outlines a timeline of activities and resources would allow the teachers at my school to see the importance of data collections and analysis.  This course definitely changed my views on data.  It actually got me excited about the data and what I can learn from it.  More importantly, it will help me make changes in the way I teach so that my students can learn more.

Oh the Data!

Description: I analyzed data from our school's CRCT scores to use in a Data Overview presentation.

Standards:TF-II.A,B,C (Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences)
                 TF-IV.A,B (Assessment and Evaluation)
                 TF-V.A,C,D (Productivity and Professional Practice)

Semester: Summer 2011

Hours: 5 hours

Population: Grad School Colleagues, Principal, Future use with School Colleagues

Reflection: I learned so much in my EDL 3705 class with collecting and analyzing data.  This summer class was completely online which made it difficult at times to get field experience hours.  That being said, the professor was well aware of this fact and commented that field experience hours were going to have to include the research hours we spent on projects.  For the Data Overview presentation, I looked at and analyzed data from the 3^rd and 5^th grades at my school related to the CRCT.  Through the use of Microsoft Excel, I was able to compile the data and make visual charts that explained what the data showed.  Based on the charts and data, our school will be able to see that a 3^rd grade area of improvement is math.  We dipped in the amount of students at or above proficiency from 90 percent (2010) to 73 percent (2011).  While the 5^th graders were able to make awesome gains in math, the scores in social studies went from 85 percent (2010) at or above proficiency to 67 percent (2011).  We also have a learning gap between our Hispanic population and our African American and White population that will require us to dig deeper into the data and make strategic action plans.  I was able to speak with my principal about my findings and share my presentation.