There’s a Heartbeat Behind the Data

Late-Lee, I’ve been thinking a lot about the resistance some teachers still have when it comes to using data. I’ve heard all the arguments—kids aren’t numbers, we teach humans not test scores, this data doesn’t tell the whole story. And I completely agree. But here’s the thing: using data doesn’t mean you’ve forgotten the heartbeat behind it. Data isn’t one of those four letter words. 

My last post, Play the Right Words, emphasized the need for leaders and teams to analyze data in order to take action. The other side of this story is how teachers should also analyze data daily.

When I go to the doctor and say something doesn’t feel right, the conversation doesn’t stop there. The doctor starts collecting information. He/she asks questions, takes vitals, checks my ears, listens to my lungs, maybe even orders labs or a scan. It’s all data. Why? Because they can’t treat what they don’t understand. They need evidence to make the right call.

That same logic applies in classrooms.

If a student isn’t performing well on a diagnostic test, that’s just the beginning. It raises a red flag indicating we need to look into it and not simply accept the score. We need to observe the student during lessons (data), take note of how they interact with peers (data), and offer smaller, more targeted assessments to figure out what’s really going on (you guessed it…data).  When we start digging deeper we find nuggets of opportunities.

And then? Just like in medicine, a prescription may be written. Maybe it’s instruction in a small group, a scaffolded lesson, a graphic organizer, a specific reading strategy. Maybe it’s all of those. But no good doctor (or teacher) just sends the patient off without a follow-up. They continue to collect data to see if the intervention is working.

The data doesn’t replace the heartbeat. It honors it. It says, “I see you. I want to help. And I’m going to make sure what I’m doing actually works.”

So maybe the problem isn’t the data. Maybe the problem is how it’s been framed. As leaders, we need to ask ourselves to reflect on this practice. In what ways do we need to own some of this? Did we communicate in such a way that made teachers feel like data was the most important thing rather than a piece of the story about the most important thing…the student? 

So how do we change this mindset? I urge teachers to ask for guidance if you aren’t sure how to collect the right data, triangulate the data, and determine actionable next steps. Maybe leaders have assumed you know. But, I’ve worked with many leaders who struggle with that too and it’s okay. We all have the ability to learn. 

Data isn’t the enemy of heart. It’s the tool that helps us respond to it.