Transformative
Pathways:
STEAM, Data,
Differentiation, & GTN
Yvonne-Nicole Maisel de St. Croix
Governor’s Teachers Network
March 2015
Purpose of Session
The purpose of this session is to support
and motivate educators in the
incorporation and implementation of
effective and purposeful data-driven
differentiation practices.
We are the champions
Championship, leadership
Some of the verbiage it takes
to become a champion:
Research Action Garden
Essential Questions
1.How is student data currently being
utilized to direct differentiation in
student instruction?
2.What data sets are most effective in
regard to educators designing
differentiated student instruction?
Essential Questions
3. In what ways may person
knowledge, task knowledge, and
strategy knowledge be applied in
the content area classroom to
demonstrate effective delivery of
data-driven instruction by
educators?
Essential Questions
4. Can methods of instructional
delivery based on relevant data
impact student learning in a
positive, productive way? How may
these results be measured?
Action Research Plan
Pre-assessment
Meet with educators collectively to
discuss term differentiation,
evidence of differentiation, and
obstacles to differentiation
Educator Surveys
How differentiation is currently being
used to guide instruction
How data is currently being used to guide
instruction
Educator Survey Example
Variables regarding the use of data to driven
differentiation to instruction include:
Teacher-readiness
Teacher-openness to differentiate curriculum
Student-readiness
Classroom management
Administrative support
Teacher collaboration
Time management by educators
Misconceptions regarding differentiation
How do we know the readiness
level of our educators?
Data-driven Differentiation Session
Topics Survey
Data-driven instruction
beginning of year evaluation
-
types of data being used to design instruction
how data is gathered at the start of the year
how data is interpreted by educators
how data can be applied to differentiation in
regard to objectives (per unit of study,
yearlong)
GTN Action Research Findings
GTN Action Research Findings
Objective 1
Participants will analyze how
multiple data sets can be effectively
used to strengthen classroom
instruction.
Formative Assessments and
Summative Assessments
These findings led me to consider:
1. The use of summative data should be
integrated into the practice of flexible
grouping.
2. Summative data should be evaluated
and pre-assessments of student
learning should be occurring to
mitigate the time-consuming practice
of re-teaching concepts.
Objective 2
Participants will synthesize data into
creative curriculum approaches.
Crafting Purposeful, Differentiated
Instruction
Data should be employed and
referenced in both the design and
implementation of assessment, and
those data sources should be
reviewed and analyzed for validity
and reliability.
There must be purposeful design on the
part of the educator that supports the
practicality of assignments, but also a
relevance that recognizes studentcentered, differentiated assessment
practices.
Data-driven instruction
development
Design Common Core and/ or state standards
aligned lesson plan based on current
instruction that has been modified to
demonstrated data-driven differentiated
practices
Instructional Elements
1. the educator’s pre-conceived ideas of how the
lesson will go upon delivery with differentiated
modifications
2. relevant CCSS or state standards alignment
3. evidence of differentiated instruction
4. sequenced steps in the lesson plan
5. teacher generated materials and materials list
6. formative samples of student work
7. educator’s reflection of content delivery
Ongoing Professional
Development
1.
2.
3.
4.
Formative and Summative Assessments
Tiered Questioning
Higher-level Questioning Skills
Cluster grouping
Objective 3
Participants will evaluate how STEAM
integrates into classroom practices.
Writing Heartbeat
Sample Writing Heartbeat Survey Results
For individual students,
standardized test results can:
• Initially identify various needs of exceptional
students;
• Pinpoint specific problems of learning and
development; and,
• Provide a useful supplement to the
classroom teacher’s measures of academic
progress.
For individual students,
standardized test results can:
• Efficiently describe an individual’s learning
abilities and levels of achievement;
• Guide modifications or adaptions of
instruction to meet individual needs;
• Identify general areas of strengths and
weaknesses;
For groups of students,
standardized test results can:
•Provide a good indication of
general ability levels prior to
instruction;
•Be used to establish reasonable
classroom goals;
For groups of students,
standardized test results can:
• Help shape the nature of instruction and
supplemental instructional materials;
• Identify areas of instructional strengths and
weaknesses across classes, grade levels, or
school buildings; and,
• Provide one source of data about the
effectiveness of instruction
(Mertler, 2007).
Authentically Facilitating
Student Engagement
1. Give up absolute control of the
lesson content
Authentically Facilitating
Student Engagement
2. Valuing student engagement
over convenience
Authentically Facilitating
Student Engagement
3. Respecting indivudal student
interests through flexibility,
resourcefulness, sensitivity to
student needs, and a deep
understanding of content
Authentically Facilitating
Student Engagement
4. Admitting you do not have the
market cornered on knowledge
Authentically Facilitating
Student Engagement
5. Develop healthy relationships
with learners
Source: Powell, M. (2013). 5 Ways to Make Your Classroom Student-Centered. Retrieved from
http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2013/12/24/ctq_powell_strengths.html
Action Research Conclusions
Research supports professional development that:
• Provides opportunities for active, hands-on
learning.
• Enables teachers to acquire new knowledge, apply
it to practice, and reflect on results with colleagues.
• Is collaborative and collegial.
• Is intensive and sustained over time.
Source: Darling-Hammond, L. & Richardson, N. (2009). Teacher Learning: What Matters?
Educational Leadership, 66(5), 46-53
Educators can and should be the
architects of their own professional
development.
That being said, educational leaders need
to demonstrate transformational
leadership by pre-assessing the
individual and collective needs of an
educational organization.
Next Steps:
Develop professional developments
incorporating active, data-driven
authentic learning experiences from
local best practices
Next Steps:
Facilitate crosswalk conversations
among grade levels involving
multiple stakeholders to produce
targeted objectives
Next Steps:
Encourage and incorporate
educators from outside core
content areas in crucial
conversations regarding best
differentiation practices and data
usage
Resources for principals:
• Using Student Achievement Data to Support
Instructional Decision Making
• Principal's view of data driven instruction
• Schoolwide Enrichment
Thank you for your time and
consideration!
Yvonne de St. Croix
Governor’s Teacher Network
http://gtnpd160.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/District+or+State-Level+Presentation
References
Darling-Hammond, L. & Richardson, N. (2009). Teacher
Learning: What Matters? Educational Leadership, 66(5),
46-53
Mertler, C. A. (2007). Interpreting standardized test scores.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing.
Powell, M. (2013). 5 Ways to Make Your Classroom StudentCentered. Retrieved from
http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2013/12/24/ctq_powell_s
trengths.html