Data Analysis
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University of West Alabama *
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572
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Mathematics
Date
Feb 20, 2024
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docx
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Uploaded by kmatthews89
Signature Project Part 1: Data Gathering and Analysis- Teaching Strategies in Math
Kadra Matthews
University of West Alabama
November 5, 2023
Dr. Matt Johnson
Running Head: Data Gathering 2
At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, the administration conducted a meeting between elementary and secondary teachers. This meeting stemmed from a dialogue held over the summer between the administrators and their superiors, focusing on a matter of utmost importance: accountability in our school's instructional practices. Specifically, the lens turned towards examining our 2022-2023 progress notes, which are routinely sent to parents every nine weeks. These progress reports unveiled a concerning trend – many students struggled to master their Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals, particularly in mathematics. This realization
prompted an in-depth conversation between the assistant principal and me, leading to a critical revelation. According to the assistant principal's observations of several classrooms, the primary factor contributing to this lack of progress in math was the utilization of teaching techniques that failed to resonate with our diverse student body. He discovered teachers employed the same instructional strategies throughout the school year despite clear indications that these methods were not effectively conveying academic content. This conversation led me to dive into our mathematical data and teachers' strategies.
In my pursuit to be sure the identified weaknesses of our school held merit, a survey was distributed through email to a cohort of 10 teachers, spanning both elementary and secondary education. This survey aimed to glean insights into teachers' mathematical instruction. After demographic questions, three fundamental questions were posed: 1. How many minutes do you allocate to teaching mathematics each week? 2. How frequently do you engage in the assessment
and reevaluation of your teaching strategies? 3. What instructional methods are you currently use
for your mathematics lessons? While awaiting the survey results, I convened with the assistant principal to delve into the progress reports from the 2022-2023 academic year. The data from this
review painted a compelling picture – a staggering 90% of teachers reported that their students
Running Head: Data Gathering 3
had not achieved mastery of their Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals in mathematics. Notably, the 10% who did achieve their goals were comprised of graduating seniors and a select few students in the autism unit. Furthermore, our discussion extended to analyzing the ACAP results, particularly in mathematics. The data displayed an alarming trend, with 95% of students scoring in level 1, indicative of a minimal understanding of grade-level standards. Only 5% attain level 2, signifying partial comprehension of these standards. Lastly, I probed the teachers for access to their mathematics data for the current school year, seeking a more comprehensive understanding of the ongoing educational trend we might face this school year.
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Running Head: Data Gathering 4
Upon analyzing the data collected from individual teachers, a revelation emerged. A striking 97% of our students have not met their initial benchmark for their mathematical goals, as
stipulated in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The expectations set by these IEPS were clear – students were to achieve their goals with a 50% accuracy rate. This assessment spanned the timeframe from May 2023 to October 2023. The data presented in Figure 1 further underscores the gravity of the situation. It delineates the percentage of students who have managed to meet their benchmarks within specific grade ranges: - In K-2, a mere 3% of students are capable of accurately performing their IEP goals with 50% accuracy. - In grades 3-6, this figure only marginally improves to 5%. - Similarly, in grades 6-8 and 9-12, the numbers remain alarmingly low at 5% and 7%, respectively. This stark disparity between the desired benchmarks and student performance projects a distressing picture. It suggests that most of our students may not be on track to master their IEP goals by the time of their annual IEP meetings. This
Running Head: Data Gathering 5
necessitates immediate attention and action to address the underlying causes and develop strategies to support our students in achieving their mathematical objectives.
The analysis extended to the survey data, offering valuable insights into the instructional strategies employed by our educators. The survey was distributed to a diverse group of teachers, comprising four from the elementary level and six from the secondary level. Their collective teaching experience spanned a broad spectrum, ranging from 5 to 25 years, reflecting a rich pool of expertise. What became evident from the survey was the personalized nature of instructional approaches taken by our teachers, which were specialized to fit the unique needs and characteristics of their students. The key findings were as follows: Figure 1
Running Head: Data Gathering 6
1. **Elementary Teachers: ** Notably, 100% of elementary teachers reported employing hand-over-hand teaching strategies, prompting, and matching as integral components of their instruction. 2. **Secondary Teachers: ** Within the secondary level, the strategies varied, with 33% of teachers using eye gaze and yes/no buttons. In comparison, 67% embraced modeling, hand-
over-hand, and prompting as their primary instructional methods. An intriguing pattern emerged in this data as teachers tailored their strategies to suit the specific needs of their students. Notably, teachers with more autistic students leaned more toward
modeling instruction. In contrast, those with a more significant number of students with Intellectual Disabilities were inclined towards hand-over-hand instruction. This adaptive approach mirrors the dedication and commitment of our educators to provide the most effective teaching methods for the diverse populations they serve, underscoring the importance of individualized instruction in addressing the unique needs of our students. Data also showed no correlation between racial background and goal achievement.
Figure 2
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