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See also...
The challenge of data collection
Using the Support Planner for planning support has been much easier for primary schools than for most secondary schools. Sometimes simplistic explanations are suggested but they are usually inadequate and have failed to suggest possible solutions ... until the first Mini-Conference 08 (July 08)!!
And even in many primary schools data collection has often been the constraint.
In these primary schools,
the Planner has simply been used for keeping records of incidents.
That is, in many schools the real challenge is a data collection
- what data to collect
- how to collect the data that is available
- how to collect data from many sources - this is a major challenge, particularly for (large) secondary schools.
Question: Have these schools been missing anything?
Answer: In most cases, these schools have not recognised the full potential of the Planner.
1. These schools usually see the Planner as a convenient record keeping device.
2. However, more successful users see the Planner as
- a way of creating an index of what there is to know about students
- a communication system connecting people supporting the students
3. In particular, limited users have rarely recognised the Planner's potential to be a useful tool for
- creating very simple and useful ISPs
- collecting data using the Weekly Checklist
Primary schools
The class teacher is a prime point of data collection for primary students who need to be monitored closely. Senior staff are the other point of data collection, especially in relation to significant incidents.
Using, incident cards, ISPs and the weekly checklist to collect the data is relatively simple in primary schools because
- primary schools are often smaller, hence,
- critical related conversations happen more naturally and frequently
- the class teacher can be a very fairly comprehensive point of data collection
But what about (large) secondary schools?
Secondary schools
In secondary schools there are so many so many possible sources of data (many data collection points) for any student, every day.
Collection from all these sources was identified as a major issue at Mini-Conference 08. Participants from Prospect, Lilydale, Scottsdale and Winnaleah are likely to investigate how to make data collection, and data processing, much more efficient in the secondary context.
One possibility for secondary schools is to make the student the point of data collection!!! This gives an additional meaning to 'student at the centre'
But, as Deming would ask, "By what method?".
By what method?!
Guess what!? The method already exists and is widely used with those students who are most in need of monitoring and support!!!
In most secondary schools, the method is called being on Daily Report (or similar).
So one possibility for students on daily report (those with high needs for monitoring and support) is to:
- Create an ISP, that is, establish a Goal and a three to five associated everyday support actions
- Use the ISP Weekly Checklist to record a summary (using the 1-4 ratings) of the daily report forms
- Coach the student around the Weekly Checklist and Daily Report forms (and file them)
- Enter this weekly summary into the Planner to more readily monitor progress (one entry per student at the end of each week)
It will be interesting to see how this develops. And he next upgrade of the Planner will include a Daily Report form that lists the ISP: goal and everyday support actions.
Feedback most welcome
All feedback is most welcome - your feedback will be used to shape the future development of the Planner.
Stay tuned!!
