Who loves data?

I do! This has been one of my biggest goals this semester- keeping track of student progress. Not only am I nerd about making organized charts but I love seeing evidence that the students really are learning!

So far, I have a Guided Reading and a Guided Math data binder. I LOVE doing small groups because I feel the small group setting really helps me reach the students better compared to a whole group setting. I still do whole group activities, especially for the introduction of a topic, but then I pull small groups. When I am working with small groups the remaining students are doing Daily 5 during Guided Reading and Math Daily 5 during Guided Math.

I determine the groups for Guided Math based on a pre-assessment (given on Fridays to help me plan for the following week), and I also give exit tickets (formative assessment) throughout the week. For Guided Reading, the groups have been set-up by my Cooperating Teacher based off an assessment called PALs that we have in Virginia.

I still need to develop data sheets for Writers' Workshop so if you have any advice about that I'd love to hear it!

Guided Reading:
Jan Richardson's Next Step in Guided Reading and the two sisters' CAFE have been my bibles! They have given me great direction in what to look for when students are reading and how to help them. I copied a few of the resources from these two books to put in the front of my Guided Reading binder so I can easily refer to them if necessary during Guided Reading.

 Small Group Reading Sheet:

 

Two samples of how I've used the summary section:

Individual Student Reading Record:

In addition to the group data, I will pick one student during a session to record individual progress. This sheet is mostly comprised of a resource from The Next Step in Guided Reading  but I added the goal and strategy section, which I saw in CAFE. I've uploaded both of these reading group data records to Google Docs for you!


For Guided Math:
I keep a formative assessment record, which I have previously posted about. I also keep a small groups data sheet (similar to the reading groups sheet) where I record anecdotal notes and a brief summary of what the students and I did.

 Small Group Math Sheet:

Observation Tasks Record:

Next, I keep an observation task record with individual students' conference sheet. For the observation tasks, I meet with one student at a time for about 2 to 3 minutes and give them a short task do. I have them explain their thinking aloud and justify their answers (I record their responses and/or any notes that I want to remember on the conference sheet). This brief one on one time is very telling! Another great opportunity to clarify students' misconceptions.

 Sample observation task the students did with Judy Clocks:

 

Individual Math Conference Sheet:

 

Here are two samples of what I recorded for these two students' conference. I write a "p" if I prompted them.

I have uploaded the math small groups data record, the observation tasks record, and math conference record to Google Docs for you! Enjoy!