Reflective Journal Project 2 Entry: Continuous Progress Monitoring and Data Analysis Helping Struggling Readers

Author: Yusun Y. Beck

Written For:
Old Dominion University
Language Acquisition and Diverse Learning Needs (TLED 568)

There are multiple ways that continuous progress monitoring and data analysis can be used to help struggling readers.  Proper assessment allows for an accurate evaluation of the students’ current abilities and their needs.  Having good skills in data analysis allows for the student performance to be accurately portrayed.  Continuous progress monitoring is very important and must go on because each day is a day to help the struggling student to learn and grow to become better readers.

In order to remedy a problem, we must know that one exists.   Data that is not gathered can not be analyzed as well.  Therefore, Evaluation is a very important part of progress monitoring and helping struggling readers.  Reading is very complicated and there could be decoding issues, missed cues, disabilities, or even nervousness.  This is just to name a few of the many problems that could exist.  Assessments are meant to be the beginning of evaluation.  Assessments should be both reliable (consistent) and valid (related to the materials taught).  Measuring progress accurately requires goals and standards for evaluation.  In perfect practice, good evaluation should determine if there is a legitimate problem for the student, gather good accurate data for analyzing, and keep the teacher and student on track in a specific direction.

Evaluation is good for getting raw data, but all collected data must be analyzed or the teacher could hone in on the wrong area.  Therefore, proper interpretation of the results from constant evaluation must be accomplished.  Teachers must understand Informal Reading Inventories (IRI), Running Record Calculations, and Cueing Systems.  Good data analysis simply finds where the confusion is.  For example, teachers must know the difference between visual, structure, and meaning cues to name a few.  These items aid in continuous progress monitoring.

Continuous progress monitoring includes detecting the problem (evaluation) and interpreting data collected through the evaluation process (data analysis).  However, it also includes action.  The teacher’s job is to identify, understand, and attempt to fix the problem.  Progress monitoring helps struggling readers because it allows for constant improvement which is continuously observed.   If there is a road bump that arises then it is handled immediately.

It is never good to wait to solve a problem.  Continuous progress monitoring involves evaluation, data analysis, and teacher student observation with problem solving skills.  It allows for constant and immediate detection and action.  Collected data from the evaluation can be interpreted properly.  Finally, a teacher can begin to work with the student to implement appropriate goals and standards.  The continuous progress monitoring also allows for flexibility to shift a focus on trouble areas and help the student improve faster in an ideal situation. 

Teacher Qualities

Author: Yusun Y. Beck

Activity

Create a list of 5-7 qualities that are most important you that a highly effective

teacher must possess and explain why using your opinion and personal

experiences.

There are several qualities that are most important for a highly effective teacher to possess.  These qualities are basic core values, wisdom, leadership ability, communication skills, balance, persistence, and resourcefulness.  These values should be ingrained in the very fibers of a high quality teacher.  However, they can be gained; of course, it must all start through building and maintaining a system of values.

Basic core values are morals and standards gained and developed which decipher right from wrong.  The most universal system that a lot of people (those who want to generally live right) strive to have involves integrity, service before self, and excellence in all that is done.   Sadly, a person’s system of values must be used to create inner change because not everyone agrees, yet many can respect an honest hard working quality person.  This is where wisdom comes in.

Wisdom is where a person must learn to accept what is done, and that individual attempts to make changes where it is needed.  One person can’t fix everything.  Fortunately, one person can always make a difference somewhere and wisdom guides the teacher to understand what must be done while pointing out where that difference can be made which brings us to leadership ability.

What person can teach without leadership ability?  Believe it or not, teaching is a form of leadership.  For example, police are considered a “city’s finest” because they set an example and teach others through example and proper guidance about the law while enforcing a standard.  Leadership is basically guidance.  Simply put, leadership is about gauging inclination and capability.  A person cannot teach any student without this ability.  Communication is needed to make proper breakthroughs and assessments in this area.

Communication is a key element!  It is a fundamental unit of education.  There are many different ways to communicate, and a teacher must be at least 90% effective in this realm, or fail to really reach the student being taught.  Without too much explanation, communication has three categories verbal, nonverbal, and no communication.  No communication is a bad area.  Some people become married and stop communicating both verbally and nonverbally.  I should know this from experience because I have seen it tear apart many relationships.  A teacher has a professional obligation to each student to maintain the lines of communication through verbal and nonverbal means which brings me to balance.

Balance is needed for every teacher to enrich their classroom.  Teachers are supposed to learn advanced thoughts and relay them to those who do not understand.  If someone thinks that learning basic English in preschool Language Arts is not advanced, then try to learn another language that is completely foreign to you.  Teachers must balance the lessons by trying different scientifically proven methods and taking a middle road of all of the theories without the minutia.  If the balanced approach is not considered, then consider this thought, “Not everyone learns the same, and benevolence is giving to each person what is needed by each person to learn.  This is a form of being fair, honest, and respectful.”  Meet the student where that student is and be persistent.

There is no real explanation needed for persistence.  It is simply being determined to meet a goal with relentless pursuit.  A teacher should never give up on a student.  Walking away is one thing, but a teacher should have the attitude that he/she is the only chance for a positive example to be set.  Teaching is a thankless job and it could take years for a student to finally grasp some major concepts.  Never give up, and keep striving for victory in each student’s life.  This requires resourcefulness.

Resourcefulness allows for a teacher to be persistent without harassing the student or demeaning any person.  It requires tact and etiquette.  Teachers must think outside the box.  If kids love video games, try to incorporate it.  Students like it when teachers try very hard and will sometimes give cues about what they like and don’t like.

Listening is very important for effective teaching.  The life blood of teaching can be said to revolve around various qualities which are basic core values, wisdom, leadership ability, communication, balance, persistence, and resourcefulness.  These values should be well engraved on the heart of all teachers.