Under the Hood of a 5-Star Classroom

“Under the Hood of a Five‐Star Data-Driven Classroom”

When peaking under the hood of a highly effective data-driven classroom, there are usually five key elements that become evident.

The five key elements work together to drive the engine of the student improvement process. Among the five elements are formal and informal assessment data, differentiated center rotations, classroom data walls, student data talks, and home‐learning intervention libraries. Together, these five elements govern the improvement process for all learners in the classroom.

Key Element 1 – Formal and Informal Assessment Data Reading the dashboard regularly is a critical factor in ensuring that any engine is functioning at its greatest capacity. Successful classrooms use data to determine if students are at mastery and whether or not they are maintaining the skills previously learned. Collecting and analyzing assessment data is the first step in an effective teaching cycle. These metrics are key and dictate the necessary instructional strategies for interventions and/or enrichments.

Key Element 2 – Differentiated Center Rotations Highly effective data-driven classrooms use small group interventions at least once per week. The small group lessons are always differentiated based on data with the knowledge that this effort can ignite a student's engine. By providing the specific basic skills, strategies, and practice opportunities within a student’s learning style, the teachers within these classrooms greatly improve the overall mastery level of students.

Small group centers in these classrooms are crafted to improve the learner’s knowledge of the targeted benchmark. The centers usually include a combination of hands‐on experiences, visual and verbal experiences, buddy‐pairing, learning through game challenges, and computer‐based learning. Learners are only assigned to visit the centers that support their individual needs.

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Key Element 3 – Classroom Data Walls Data walls are designed to promote self‐reflection by both, teacher and student. The data walls present in five‐star classrooms, although anonymous for each student, serves as a visual representation of data that displays performance over time. At a student level, the data wall acts as a charging system to encourage higher performance, competition, and accountability for one's own learning. For teachers in these classrooms, the data wall acts as a regulator for instructional decision‐making.

The data wall provides quick access to students requiring intervention and ultimately promotes precision in teaching. Furthermore, it is a great communication tool between teacher and student and is often used as a key part of the monthly or quarterly data talks.

Key Element 4 – Student Data Talks The formal data talks in a five‐star classroom can be witnessed monthly or at least quarterly. These data talks are critical because if students know that they are in need of improvement in specific areas, they tend to participate greater in the process of self‐ promotion.

The data talks should include past performance data, present data, and goal setting. For students falling below mastery, it is imperative that we remember that how you say something is just as important as what we say. The ultimate goal is to help the student develop a vision and begin new habits. One approach that works well is to lead in with the student’s strengths. This method calms and serves as a cooling system for anxiety and builds a sense of trust. Using the data collected, the teacher should then describe the need for improvement tying it back to the ability to do great things as found in their strengths. The teachers in these classrooms foster a culture of eager learners and help them to plan out a course of action within the classroom and at home.

Key Element 5 – Home Learning Intervention Library When a parent is told by a teacher, “your child has failed to meet grade‐level expectations”, the thought process for the parent can race from shock, to blame, to shame, to disappointment, to panic, and finally a brainstorm frenzy on how to correct the issue.

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Many parents are capable and willing to get their children the assistance they need, but just do not understand exactly how to get it accomplished. Some parents feel comfortable tutoring the child themselves or having an older sibling, relative, or family friend assist. Other parents prefer to hire a qualified tutor. In either case, the underlying problem is often the ineffectiveness of the content and strategies utilized during the tutoring sessions.

A five‐star data-driven classroom provides a resource library of home learning activities and strategies for each benchmark. This library is pre‐designed to provide a quick pick as student weaknesses are discovered. When this key element is structured properly, it can help the parent, tutor, and the teacher bridge the learning gap, powering the student's engine far faster than many classroom interventions.

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