The role of data at Hope

Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning and requires teachers to use different assessment strategies to equip learners with a variety of knowledge and skills that will enable them to engage in problem solving, thinking, and reasoning.

Assessment data has to be used for accountability and the promotion of high

standards, to measure school effectiveness through learner performance. It is the heart of reform efforts in education (Earl, 2005).

At the beginning of interviews teachers where asked what changes they have

experienced in their classrooms since they started teaching. This question was asked in order to discover whether teachers are aware of educational developments that require changes in teaching practices. Some of the responses focused on what worked well and what made teachers’ work difficult, as well as what they would love to see happen. Some of the responses indicated challenges that focused on poor learner and parent involvement, which they regard as a cause for poor achievement among learners.

167 Responses from teacher interviews confirm what the principal mentioned in the questionnaire: her school does not use data to improve teaching practice, but only to improve learner performance. However, most of the responses did not indicate that teachers thoughtfully examined data with deeper knowledge about the nature of learner problems (Boudett, City, & Murnane, 2008). For example, the response from one of the teachers in the language focus groups indicates that teachers find the benchmark ANA tests disruptive and frightening.

Actually like we are saddened by the performance, and it’s not easy for us to sit down and discuss ANA as teachers. Because you know, it came as a…it didn’t come in the right way, it came as a monster. Like let me give an example, this year they said, last year we prepared learners for writing ANA in December time, but they said, no, there’s no ANA. Then all of a sudden, February came, and then learners have to write ANA. We have to go back, Grade 4s have to write, Grade 3 work, and we all stressed to say,and we needed to go back to say, ok, let me go back to the previous class and teach everything. That’s time wasting. Let me go back to my Grade 5 learners, teach them language, maybe they’ve forgot. Let me go back to my Grade 6 learners, they’re in Grade 7 now. [Sometime we don’t have enough time to do that. (Language FG, T1)

This response indicates that the teacher may prefer an uninterrupted, structured system, as a routine, to avoid losing track of what needs to be done. In order to understand the experiences that challenge teachers, a question was asked about

changes that teachers experience to improve teaching. A maths focus group member’s response is that,

I can say, that since we started, we used to assess learners on our own,

marking their work and giving them marks. Now assessment is the learner has to assess himself, and the group has to assess themselves, and you as a

teacher has to assess a group, a learner, so I think it’s like a lot of work for a teacher. Since assessment is a long process, it is not like in the olden days. (Maths FG, T3)

168 This indicates a lack of current knowledge and access to research that would enable teachers to find ways to improve teaching practice, and make it possible to promote effective learning. Some of the teachers at this school seem to spend a good deal of time engaging in blaming. There was not a culture of reflecting on one’s own work. When teachers were asked if they used assessment data to reflect on their teaching practice, another Language teacher blames poor learner performance on social issues as well as lack of parental support.

All I can say, maybe we should come together as numeracy teachers, come up with a strategy how to help the learners. Maybe we might go extra mile, like maybe giving then a lot of homework. Another thing that kills us is homework. Parents don’t assist us.

Another teacher says:

No, like in this case, you don’t, if there’s one thing about the learners, you don’t blame it on the learners in the way that…before you assess…ok, you teach and then you come back and then before you know it, you look at the pattern on which this learner is performing, and then you sit down and ask the learner what are the issues? Sometimes you find that some of these learners carry these things from home and then they bring them to school, and before you know it, you play the role of a social worker, you play the role of a remedial teacher. (Language FG, T3)

These responses indicate that teachers want to see improvements in learning, but without thinking or reflecting on teaching practice. Not much in the interview discussions reveals what they would do to improve their teaching practices.