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Data Driven Leader

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65 views

Data Driven Leader

Uploaded by

api-231945132
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Data-Driven Instructional Leader

A buildings vision, mission, and goals must be at the center of every instructional decision. In an educational setting the heart of that vision is student learning. A data-driven instructional leader must be able to demonstrate that students are learning and guide their staff in the process of making data-driven decisions. A data-driven leader knows there are barriers to using data, but they are able to overcome them in order to collect, review, and communicate that data in a comprehensible manner to all stakeholders, ultimately using that data to inform their decisions. There are many barriers that prohibit educators from being data-driven. Many educational leaders do not see themselves as data people and become too focused on the small picture. They spend their day putting out individual fires or working on a disarray of initiatives based on new trends. In addition to an administrative lack of data experience, many teachers lack training and professional development on why data is important and how to use it to make a difference in the classroom (Bernhardt p. 6). A data-driven leaders job is to understand personal and staff weaknesses and to provide the proper training so that all teachers are able to make research based instructional decisions. Appropriately using research based instructional strategies in the classroom will increase student learning and replace making decisions because of personal preference, hunches, or tradition (Bernhardt p. 3). Learning does not happen in isolation nor does it consist of one single life experience. It is cumulative and can occur at school, home, or in the community. Data therefore must also be collected using multiple measures on multiple occasions (Bernhardt p. 20). Data should be collected about demographics, perceptions, student learning, and school processes. These measures, reviewed over time, can help depict how the school is doing at fulfilling its purpose of helping all students learn. A data-driven leader must always keep in mind the focus of the data analysis: improving student learning. In reviewing the collected information, gaps in the schools

vision and goals and where the school actually is may become more evident. Based on those gaps a data-driven leader may begin to look at the root-causes of those differences. An understanding of the state of the school guides a data-driven leader to facilitate the necessary changes. In leading change, an administrator must engage others collaboratively to set change objectives, research possible solutions, and implement action plans. The final step is evaluating and reflecting on the plan and communicating the results. Because stakeholders experiences with data will vary it is part of the role of a data-driven instructional leader to convey the data in a comprehensible way. This includes appropriately presenting the data to different audiences such as staff, community leaders, parents, school board, and students. The data should clearly demonstrate the progress of the students in relation to the schools vision and goals. Then future instructional decisions can be made by the stakeholders. Understanding the barriers and cyclical process of using data are necessary strengths of a data-driven leader. Data must support what teachers are doing in the classroom and how the school is operating. A data-driven leader is able to guide their staff in understanding data and how to use it to make decisions that support improved student learning.

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