Week 7 Discussion 2 - Douglass Street Case Study-Motivation

What went wrong, in your opinion?  

I am not sure that anything truly went wrong.  The principal aimed high for the first interim assessment and did not have the results that she hoped for.  Sometimes, a situation such as this is good to establish where students, teachers, and the school itself is.  In other words, it gives a clear picture as to the state of affairs and what there is to work with.

What could Principal Brown have done differently?

The differences in staff buy in before and after the first assessment is an important aspect to note.  First, it is interesting to see how engaged many staff members became as soon as the results of the first assessment became available.  Perhaps a field or mock test prior to the first assessment would have caused this action to occur earlier.  Faculty and staff buy in may have increased in August, especially if they knew that the next results would count.

· What part do you think teacher attitude played in the disappointing results?

Teacher attitude makes the difference in many things.  No matter how great or well meaning a principal may be, if the teachers in the school fail to catch the vision, very little will happen.  There have been many times that I have disagreed with the principal's approach to a situation.  However, it is my job as a teacher to do all I can to implement his or her ideas.  

· How will you handle disappointing results in using data to drive instruction?

I think it is always important to keep things in perspective.  Although the results may not be what was worked or hoped for, any improvement or growth is good.  Keeping all things in proper perspective is important and realizing that, as principal, I will not always be successful.  Understanding that my success in many ways depends upon others may help in this understanding.

· How will you modify what Principal Brown did when you conduct your first data meeting?

I would always focus on the positive aspects first.  Congratulate successes at the beginning and then begin discussing ways to improve.