Howdy! Guess who is on Fall Break for TWO WHOLE WEEKS?! This guy!!
I want to share another post in the ongoing series of posts on my routines and procedures. Today I want to share how I collect data on my ‘staches and how I use that data to drive instruction. I also use my data to have data chats with my ‘staches. Yep. We have data chats with five year olds!
I use a single data notebook for all of my assessments for all of my students. I prefer this single notebook method to a book per child because it’s so much more convenient than having 15-20 notebooks. I love having all of my data and assessments in one place. If I need to check some data quickly or if I have a meeting on a student I can just grab my data notebook.
My data notebook contains the following:
A section where I keep all of my assessment sheets such as letter naming, sounds, numbers, shapes, and sight words.
Following the assessment sheets is a section for each child. I use numbered tabs to divide the section and place a class list in the front of the notebook so I can easily remember which student is what number.
Now the meat of the notebook…THE DATA! Now, I am not a data geek…but I do love having data on my ‘staches so I can tailor my teaching to their needs. You can’t do this if you don’t know where they are!
In each student section I place an assessment grid and a data graph for the skills that I will assess all year. Each section includes: letter naming, letter sounds, sight words, counting, numbers, shapes and DIBELS information. Each skill sheet is color coded. Letter naming is purple, letter sounds are yellow, sight words are green and so on.
Each student as a checklist like this page for each skill. These came from an assessment pack from my amazing friend Jenifer at Simply Kinder. Now, you know I don’t always follow directions (I’m a teacher after all…we’re the worst at following directions…you know it’s truth!) the pack is designed for these sheets to be used 1 per class. I use 1 per student and write the assessment dates in the far left column. When I assess a student, I write the date of the assessment. Then I mark the letters they know. I like having it all on one page because it shows me at a glance if we’re progressing and any patterns in what we are or are not getting!
Next is the data graph. This data graph is completed by the student. Prior to assessing, we have a brief data chat. I show them their graph for the particular skill and I challenge them to make their graph go higher by doing their best.
After assessing a skill, I ask them if they think they beat their goal. Here’s the key: THEY GET SO EXCITED to see if they’ve improved! I love that these simple graphs are so motivating for my students. I draw a box on the graph that shows their data and then we celebrate our growth. The ‘stache then colors the box and graphs their data.
After we graph, we discuss how we can make our graph go higher the next time!
I also keep a section of personalized (yes…I have personalized) notebook paper. Would you expect anything less?! I use this notebook paper to jot down any observations or notes during meetings.
I also keep a section for our other mandated assessments such as DIBELS, DEA testing, Common Formative Assessments (CFA) and the such. This means I have all of my data in one spot!
And that is how we do data and track our common core progress in the kindergarten smorgasboard!
If you’re interested in the assessment pack, it is available from Simply Kinder.
Those amazing circle number labels are from my good pal, Mr. Magician!
And here are some freebies:
These are the data graphs I use for my student data.
Here are the number tabs I use for my student sections!
Click the picture to download your freebie!
If you would like the sight word assessment grid, you can CLICK HERE!
Click on the picture to download this list of sight words. I sent this home list with the ‘staches to practice!
Now….how about a give away?!?!?!?!?!
Jenifer from Simply Kinder ( I told you she is glitter-iffic and Greg-tacular…and you know I reserve that word for people who really deserve it…) is letting me do a give away!
One person will win the assessment checklist pack AND the alphabet hats (YES! Those hats…the one’s you see me wearing every Monday!)
To enter, leave a comment (and your email address) and tell us a trick or tip you use to keep data, assess or organize data!!
I will pick a winner tomorrow!