Driven by data – first impressions
Driven by data – first impressions

Driven by data – first impressions

Driven by Data: A Practical Guide to Improve Instruction – Paul Bambrick-Santoyo

Paul Bambrick-Santoyo is the Managing Director of Uncommon Schools Newark, which is composed of seven North Star Academy schools. During Bambrick-Santoyo’s eight years at North Star, the schools have seen dramatic gains in student achievement. He is also the author of Driven by Data: A Practical Guide to Improve Instruction, this terms professional development read.

The first half of the book (it’s an easy read and very graphical) outlines the four foundations of effective data-driven instruction: assessment, analysis, action and a data-driven culture. There are gems hidden in and amongst the numerous case studies, however they are getting a little repetitive and the upward trend bar charts and line graphs a little predictable.

Predominantly, Bambrink-Santoyo is advocating a systems approach to school improvement, not too dissimilar to the system we have prepared to introduce at The Wellington Academy this academic year. A driven by data approach then, has all the hallmarks of assertive data leadership;

  • ASSESSMENTS – (Aligned, Interim, Reassess, Transparent)
  • ANALYSIS – (Quick, Bottom line, Teacher-owned, Test-in-hand, Deep)
  • ACTION – (Action Plan, Accountability, Engaged)
  • in a Data-driven CULTURE – (Vision, Leadership, Calendar, PD)

And yet, read on, and the additional front loaded focus on assessment, rather than analysis becomes apparent and indeed a distinguishing feature. The focus is very much on the integrity of the data, of the assessment, and then, what teachers do with the data after they interrogate it, right down to the question level and who taught it more effectively. Data analysis is simply an expectation of all teaching staff, rather than the dark art of the Data or Assessment Manager. The rigor is in ‘what’ data is collected, rather than after it has been collected.The thinking is in what and how to ask, rather than what to pivot or present.

Hence the post is categorised’ teaching, data for learning and leadership.

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