8.1: Information About Students
When we talk about assessment in education, we are not only talking about achievement data, but collecting information from all available sources on our students to better direct their learning. As teachers, we are entrusted with, or at the very least privy to, either by access or encounter, an abundance of information about our students. From siblings to dating and from grades to interests and hobbies, this information also provides teachers who take the time to analyze and use it appropriately with the most insight into their students' performance and behavior, always aware that this sensitive information is not directly linked to a student's overall potential.
Academic information is the foremost type of information that we as teachers can access and the only one over which we have direct control. Grades can have a major impact on students' futures and self esteem. They should be assigned and protected responsibly. It should also be understood that with the increased accessibility of student grades based on the demands of our "online" culture, the information becomes even more sensitive. Parents are usually permitted direct and immediate access to their student's account, and both teachers and students are more accountable as a result. But carelessness on the part of any of these three groups can mistakenly grant access to any number of unauthorized viewers.
At my mentoring high school, the Skyward Gradebook was implemented township-side this year. It provides access to a student's record for the history of enrollment in Lawrence Township. Tracking attendance, special needs, discipline, schedules, performance opens up a "big picture" interpretation for a teacher to more effectively meet the needs of students.
Teachers should be able to differentiate between "assessment" and "evaluation," and further distinguish those from the finality of "grading" (see expectation 8.2: Evaluating Students' Learning). Teachers who are able to implement informal means of assessing students, not only academically but behaviorally as well, do so through observation, communication, rapport, peers or other teachers. Such insights help teachers direct learning and develop individualized assessments that address student interests. When students are given the opportunity to express their understanding by means that are more synchronized with their creative, mechanical, or other personal styles, they become more motivated and engaged. Deeper understanding results and stronger, more transferable, lasting and practical connections are made with the content.
Our expectations of students must not be the same across the board. I know it will be difficult for me as a teacher to see a student who is genuinely challenged by or apathetic toward math. Just as the learning styles of our students varies, so do they vary from our own. All students will not understand or perform math within the same framework as I best understand it, but they will know that I value it. These values are the cornerstone of academic accountability. Students must understand that all content has worth, and teachers must enthusiastically reinforce this. But all the while there is a critical balance to maintain between values and expectations about content and the rigid standards they are required to instruct.
I have been reviewing what I can find about standardized test results at my mentoring high school. I am trying to determine what the school's scores mean in comparison to all of the averages, but more importantly I am looking at the significance of one student's score. What does an individual score say about the student in comparison to all of the averages, standards and classroom assessments? So far, I am able to determine that, even in a resourceful and progressive public school such as Lawrence North, the law of averages still has them trapped. It appears we are not doing enough to break the mold as a stand-out school in mathematics or other areas. A school that welcomes diversity, builds character, and boasts about a desire to become learning-community-focused will require strong leadership and courageous teachers who are willing to reach out farther than ever to widen the gap between state and national standards (ISTEP results for Lawrence North, ISTEP Snapshot comparisons, state and national SAT comparisons).
But student records contain still more information than grades and tests. Recently my mentor teacher took me into the vault at the school. He had become concerned about a student's recent performance and had received communication from the student's mother. It was only the current grading period that she began to show signs of difficulty. Prior to responding to her mother's communication, we looked up her grades and standardized test scores to get a better idea of her overall math performance. Her file also included transfer records, old school photos and progress reports, health records, special needs, etc. Useful information to have access to as a teacher charged with keeping a student's best academic interest in mind. This depth of record-keeping coupled with open communication with parents and families combine for a powerful tool that can help teachers gain key insights into the history and trends of a student, establish accountability and family allies at home, resource prior teachers, and recognize patterns in both behavior and academic performance.
Some students do require special attention, even if it is only on a short-term basis. Physical, mental, and learning disabilities, as well as domestic or personal issues associated with adolescence or other hardships cause emotional barriers to learning. It is useful to be able to recognize the symptoms of these problems, whether through behavioral or performance patterns or symptomatic diagnosis of something more imperative that requires professional attention.
It should go without saying, the sensitivity of this information is private and personal. Only authorized persons should access or discuss it. As teachers, we must be cautious not to divulge information we uncover through professional means to those unrelated or unauthorized to access it. Information should always be viewed in the context of the situation and the individual student. Great care should also be taken to resist any false conclusions that may stem from stereotyping as well.
I look at this expectation through a business perspective, as I do many things. If the student is the target market, we would gather all of the information available about what makes the student most successful. We want to design and package a product that will maximize their success while causing the least disruption in the natural course of business by minimizing the following: 1) extra costs (tutoring and extra learning materials), 2) operational change (schedules, study habits), 3) personnel (family, friends) and 4) community impact (extra-curricular involvement). If we take the time to carefully cater to those needs and nurture the development of the whole student based upon all of his/her circumstances, we have served as more than teacher.
