text:
Bernhardt / Chapter 3
Chapter 3 of the text is an overview of the improvement process which involves collecting multiple forms of data to help understand how to move a school "forward." Discuss your efforts at "comprehensive data analysis" work (based on last week's data assignment. Answer the following questions:
1. How do you know if what you are doing is making a difference in student learning?
2. Is your approach to school improvement a "systems approach" as Bernhardt recommends?
3. What is currently "working "in your system?
4. What are your particular challenges?
5. Is your school improvement "random acts of improvement, or "focused" improvement that improves learning for all students?
I think I am learning a few more things about my school than I knew in the past. Sorry my answers are so long….
1. How do you know if what you are doing is making a difference in student learning?
At my current position there are systems in place that mirror what Bernhardt discusses but because this is South Korea and I work at a private academy things are a bit different.
Referring to Figure 2.1 in Ch. 1 that shows the Multiple Measures of Data, my English language academy does a great job of handling the information of school processes because we have a very set curriculum that is mapped out to the minute. Since they set this, everyone knows what is being done in class.
They also collect perceptional data from parents through phone calls. Unfortunately, student perceptions are neglected and because of this many students can be negative about learning. (I posted in Ch. 2 about the unhappiness of students in Korea…)
Students take weekly tests and their scores are recorded but this is nothing like a state assessment. The weekly test is vocabulary or sentences for that given week's material. Therefore, my school lacks a strong progress data set. They need something that shows how much progress a student has made over time. Because of the lack of assessment testing, it is really hard to say how much certain students have improved. This coupled with that fact that many students are shy to speak in a group makes it really hard. I think because of the way the school is, a private academy that lives off of the tuition of its students, testing like the state assessment would never be done because it could affect business. Then the test becomes a focus point.
Demographics is still a factor even though all the kids are Korean. Different branches of our organization are in different areas. Each area has a varying level of $$$$. I hate to say it but kids in the richer areas seem to have less behavioral issues from my experiences. This data is not collected so much as it is known that certain areas have qualities to them that is assumed to be based on how much money their family has. On a management level, they share experiences and knowledge about these areas when a manager transfers.
Back to the original question….. Since there is no real assessment to measure the student's progress over time the only way to know improvement is to see it. I will teach a student, they rotate out of my class, and then when we meet again I notice changes. Students begin using more complex words and phrases. Some who didn't say a word the first time I met them, come back to my class and suddenly they are the most outgoing talkative kids in the class!!!
Thus, the only thing I have to know I am making a difference are interactions with students. On a given day it can change since so much is based on confidence, how comfortable they are with you, etc.
2. Is your approach to school improvement a "systems approach" as Bernhardt recommends?
I think my school has a systems approach. However, it is not the exact same systems approach Bernhardt talks about.
In Bernhardt's model, we…
collect data >> analyze >> change the systems that cause that data
She mentions trying to really understand the system and its inner workings. In this way we can make focused changes to the system given the output, instead of random acts of improvement.
My academy does not collect any data over time and there is no "state assessment" so that is neglected. However, the weekly tests provide input. Certainly there have been times when many students failed the test and they revamped the test due to this or changed class curriculum.
On a broader level, I feel like many of the changes that take place at my academy are the result of observations rather than numbers.
My manager observes all the teachers in the system two times as part of their yearly contract. In doing so she can see the effects the curriculum has on students.
My Korean partner teachers speak with parents and get feedback from them.
All of this is kind of mixed together, and then decisions are made.
In a sense this approach offers some good things but without some kind of formal assessment every few months I feel that a lot is lost. Also, who is to say whether an observation on a given day will yield true results. My students certainly act differently with someone in the room observing.
I think to better fit into Bernhardt's model my school would need to incorporate some kind of testing to establish another piece of data to make decisions off of. As it is now, much of the decisions about students and the school are based on individual opinions formed from observation.
3. What is currently "working "in your system?
As discussed above, I feel that the control our system has over curriculum ensures we know what lessons are delivered. Also, the observational data is great in the sense that it is being tested and the much of the results can be seen in the classroom. However, it needs some kind of quantitative test to support those opinions.
4. What are your particular challenges?
My particular challenges are not data related. I have no say in the matter. I am challenged to motivate and make a friendly engaging environment. My observations become part of the collection of opinions that ultimately push students through our leveled system. Sometimes my opinions are not taken into consideration. Biggest challenge in Korea is balancing the fact that the school is a business and trying to keep it as much like a school as you can. Business can be ugly but I want my classroom to offer wonder and excitement. Cutting through the negatives and staying positive for the greater good is the biggest challenge.
5. Is your school improvement "random acts of improvement, or "focused" improvement that improves learning for all students?
Like mentioned above… I don't feel that my school is completely random in its approach since we do weekly testing and observations BUT since there is no assessment for overall progress a lot of opinion is thrown into decision making.
Also, often decisions are not the result of a roundtable discussion but rather one person's opinion.
Thus, there are times when a decision is made which seems right to the opinion of the manager BUT it seems very random to others. Decisions could be more focused if discussed more with all the staff and more quantitative data over time was kept.
As part of my ongoing pursuit of a masters in ed with an ESL focus I will be posting my reflections from assignments I am doing.
Currently I we are discussing data analysis as part of our Data Analysis and Assessment course
We are using a book called "Using Data to Improve Student Learning in School Districts" by Victoria L. Bernhardt ISBN = 1-59667-029-0


text:
"Rock The Machine" from Lisa's album "Heard A Long Gone Song" out October 19th on River Lea, an imprint of Rough Trade Records. Pre-order available at Amazon & Rough Trade shops,
Between the 1960s and 1980s thousands of men lost their jobs as dockers in Dublin's docklands. Advanced machinery moved in and put an end to the need for manual labour. In Irish mythology, the Cormorant bird might appear to you in your dark hour with the purpose of taking your troubles away. I've spotted hundreds of Cormorants along the River Liffey. The recording was for an album called 'Starboard Home' in collaboration with Ireland's National Concert Hall. A special thanks to the dockers who appeared in this video: Declan Byrne, Alan Martin, Christy McDonnell, John 'Miley' Walsh, Paddy Daly, Mick Foran, Pat Behan and Paddy Nevins.
Lisa O'Neill's album went even further. Her resolutely unpretty, belly-deep Irish drawl hymned the decline of industry, depression, and the deaths of young children. Let it submerge you and a modern folk masterpiece emerges.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
CoatingsPro offers an in-depth look at coatings based on case studies, successful business operation, new products, industry news, and the safe and profitable use of coatings and equipment.
Issue link: https://coatingspromag.epubxp.com/i/977076
90 MAY 2018 COATINGSPROMAG.COM Industry Insight U ntil recently, engineer- ing education has been markedly lacking in one body of knowledge, namely the training in how to evalu- ate and maintain existing structures. Graduating engineers are exiting universities with the skills to design new structures, but they are often called upon for much more: to assess, inspect, evaluate, and design repairs, remediation, or upgrades to existing structures in their jobs. Such structures may carry highly flammable, corrosive, toxic, or reactive chemicals, gases, or liquids. e struc- tures could be pipelines, refineries, or tanks of various types, including fuels, water, or maybe food grade additives. ey could be bridges, buildings, sewers, or stadiums. e list goes on and on, and each item inspected has its own unique maintenance challenges. Now, the education gap is being filled by industr y associations such as NACE International (NACE), the Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC), the A merican Petroleum Institute (API), the A merican Welding Society (AWS), the A merican Concrete Institute (ACI), and others. T hese training and certification programs provide certifications to verif y that a certain level of knowledge is imparted to the student through testing, often both written and practical. One requirement of these programs is also verification of experience. Back when these programs started, completion of the first levels allowed increased employ ment opportunities. But the bar has risen. Over time, customers demanded higher certification levels in order for inspectors to be qualified to work on their projects. Additionally, many of the job demands require overlapping knowledge from these various training programs. For instance, as required by the Code of Federal Regulations, ever y time a gas line is exposed, it must be inspected by a qualified individual. T he assessment may require skills, including mechanical integrity, coatings inspection, and the ability to recognize abnormal operating conditions (aka unsafe conditions), in conjunction w ith a healthy dose of identif y ing signs of active cathodic protection (AC) interference. In short, multiple skills are needed to diagnose the problem. W hen is it enough? Lifelong Learning Learning is a lifelong endeavor. I had a supervisor once ask me, "Don't you have enough certifications?" and my polite response was, "Heck, no!" ere is always more to learn. One trend in the industry we are seeing is the requirement for inspec- tion personnel to be able to do multiple things. e coatings inspector does double duty as a weld inspector, the weld inspector covers as the safety person, and on and on. Customers are no longer willing to pay for two specialized inspec- tors; they are looking for persons with the diverse knowledge and skill sets to handle multiple things. Unfortunately, it may not pay you more, but that is the competitive race we are in. e key is that when it comes to increasing your skills, it is never enough. e trend is clear: Multifunction employees are here to stay. So how do you stay on top? A Fork in the Road W hen an opportunity arises to learn more, take it. And take it every chance you get. Lunch N' Learns are a beautiful thing. ey're not exactly free because you need to sit through the presenting companies' information on a product or service, but even then, there will be a nugget or sliver of information that makes you better in your methods, practices, routines, or business strat- egies. Don't think for a minute that these same presenters are not pitching to your competitors. Invite them in, come one, come all. e only thing it might hurt is your waistline. A hallmark of truly great compa- nies is that they promote learning, and they take it seriously. T he great ones make getting additional training part of the employee's annual evalu- ation. T he employee's bonus depends on development of additional skills. Global economies allow persons to compete w ith other qualified individu- als half a world away. Even if your company doesn't encourage a learning environment, you can take the lead for yourself. A lways remember: Knowledge is the one thing that you can always take with you. A lways sharpen the ax. CP Photo courtesy of the author By David Hunter, Senior Project Manager for Pond and Company Education and Minding the Gaps


text:
Please join us for a fun night filled with magic!
MLK Holiday Monday, January 18, 2016, 6:30PM at Hillel
The evening will start at 6:30 with open bar and appetizers while the incredible G.G. Green strolls around and performs magic.
He will take the stage at 7:30 for a live magic show you won't want to miss!
A delicious beef brisket dinner will be served following the performance at 8:00
We will also have a "split-the-pot" raffle! First Prize is 1/2 the amount collected up to $500. Second Prize is $100
Tickets are $10 each and can be ordered on the event registration website.
You may also purchase them at the door with cash or check
Please register no later than January 15th, as seats are limited.
Click to Register: http://cstl2016.eventbrite.com/
To volunteer, contact email@example.com


text: Nude Selfies Pictures and Amateur Porn Leaked nude selfies from Snapchat, Kik and other platforms. Free amateur porn videos. Mobile friendly, Strictly +18 only and use the forum to trade Snapchat/Kik girl usernames. Cute & Sexy Selfies. likes. Page dedicated to posting selfie pics of cute and/or sexy girls. Simple as that:)! © Amateur Selfies - Naked female selfshot, selfies and mirror photos from hacked accounts!