The End of Year Data Handover

“And then she went to the porridge of the Little Wee Bear, and tasted it, and that was neither too hot nor too cold, but just right, and she liked it so well that she ate it all up, every bit!” — Goldilocks and the Three Bears

For many of us, the sun is shining and we are in the mad dash of wrapping things up before escaping for a well deserved summer. I suspect it would be an easy task if wrapping up was all we had to do, but of course it’s never that simple in a school. We don’t just pack up our class, we need to hand them over to next year’s division and teachers, and get ready to receive our next batch. The data handover is enormous, and figuring out the what and how requires a “Goldilocks” attitude - we’ve got to get it just right.

Quantity: Sharing enough to inform, but not so much that it will overwhelm next year’s teachers.

Ingredients: Not sharing just numbers, but also anecdotal records and holistic data that will help teachers know students better and sooner.

Temperature: Data that is too hot is loaded with bias and preconceptions. Data that is too cold lacks context. Our goal is data that is warm and kind.

Delivery: How and when do we pass the data on? Shared docs and cumulative files are fast but can be impersonal; data meetings to discuss every child can be slow and inefficient.

How does end of year data handover work at your school? And how might a data platform support you to create a process that’s just right? I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

Comments

From Mission to Metrics

Last week a new LAC school presented me with an interesting question: “ How do we know we’re meeting our mission? ”. It’s the kind of question that we often ask ourselves at accreditation season, but how many schools can truly answer with confidence and evidence? The more I thought about it, the more I realised that unpacking this question is no different to any other data dive we might do. It requires us to understand what we’re measuring, to find a range of data to analyse, and then to use all that evidence to gain a deeper and more holistic understanding of our current situation and future goals. Step 1: Translating values into visible behaviours What does our mission look like in action? When we are living our mission, our values align with our actions. Let’s take “lifelong learning” as an example phrase we often see in mission statements. Schools that value lifelong learning will likely have administrators that promote and encourage staff professional development...

Using Social and Emotional Data to Promote a Positive School Culture

I came across this great article on Edutopia by Victoria Curry and Mike Setaro on how school leaders can combine traditional data with social and emotional data to get a full picture of the school experience of students and staff. It’s centered around Warm data that gives both dimension and measure to an individual’s and group’s social and emotional status. Opposite to Cool data points, that are a series of structural data sets such as enrollment, attendance, and academic proficiency that typically are the bedrock of school-based analytics. They talk about various examples of Warm data points among them on a matrix with different degrees of pleasantness and energy before engaging in learning (inspired by Mark Brackett’s work). These points can and should be captured, measured and visualized. The insights from this data should be of utmost importance for leaders to find strategies that capture and leverage information related to SEL and interpersonal skills. Harnessing this level of und...

Nurturing Holistic Growth: The Role of Data Analytics in International Schools with a Focus on Social-Emotional Wellbeing

In the dynamic realm of education, international schools are increasingly leveraging data analytics not only to optimize academic outcomes but also to enhance the social-emotional wellbeing of their students. The integration of data analytics into educational frameworks enables institutions to glean insights that extend beyond traditional academic performance, fostering a holistic approach to student development. One of the pivotal aspects of data analytics in international schools is its application in the analysis of social-emotional wellbeing data. By examining factors such as student engagement, behavioral patterns, and emotional states, schools can gain a deeper understanding of the non-academic aspects of student life. This information is instrumental in tailoring support mechanisms to address the unique socio-emotional needs of each student, ultimately contributing to a more nurturing and inclusive learning environment. Data analytics proves particularly beneficial in identifyin...

Learning Analytics Collaborative

Search This Blog