2012 is another
exciting year for me. It was my second year as a middle manager and the first
year as the professional developer and the cohort dean. This week I will like
to speak on my role of the cohort dean for the graduating classes – especially with
regards to the collection and interpretation of certain data and using the
information, moving towards a sensible course of action(s). As the cohort dean,
I believe that one of my roles is to recognize patterns based on evidence of
the student cohort that were readily available to me to help mobilized teachers
into action. I started off with the analysis of the 2011 academic results (SA2
L1B5 and L1B4), and my initial impression of my cohort of students was one of
somewhat self-satisfied complacency – but should the
academic result be the only source I should use to form my opinion regarding
the learning of my students? While academic result may be one of the narrowest
forms of indicators for my students’ learning, however, it is also one of the
important factors for enabling my students to further their learning.
Hence, with the purpose
of seeking more information so as to enable earlier preparation for the coming
national examination, I consider a variety of data sources and started to seek
information from students and teachers. As a newly appointed cohort dean, I had
to think about, and then to act on, the improved academic result of my
graduating students – and I knew that this was not just be the cohort dean’s responsibility,
but the entire teacher’s involvement was necessary for enhanced learning of
students to take place. After analyzing this year’s academic result (CA1 L1B5
and L1B4) of the cohort, I found that the results were generally good. However, I was concerned
about the new and repeated academic at risk students, hence, these students as
shown below were highlighted to both management (different subject IP heads) as
well as the teachers (form teachers, subject teachers). Additional information on
achievement such as the students’ mastery of the various content knowledge was
also provided.
The teachers believed that (from teachers’
feedback), although not perfect, things were pretty alright (some cited a
reduction in the number of at risk students in their class) as they went into
action, finding out why these students performed poorly in their CA1, and
lending whatever support(s) is needed for these students and this was to
be looped back through communication on the matters of students’ concern and
remedial actions to be taken. Through these conversations and feedback with
teachers and students, I could identify three distinct groups. The first group
is I described as “sixteen year old’s wanting to be twenty ones” seemed
disinterested in anything other than socialising “at this moment”. The second
group I call them the study “just before the actual exam” types. The
third group I thought were the “lost sheep”. For a variety of reasons (given to
their form teachers), these students seem to be floundering in their learning
and in their lives. Now what? Without some kind of helpful intervention, would
these students end up as academic failures? I know the genuine interest and
commitment on the part of my colleagues, but is there a need for change? Where
to begin?
I heard about
the issues they faced (the why) and see most are likely based entirely or in
part on factors related to motivation. What is the motivation I am referring
to? Well, the drive and the need to do well academically. Now I will try to
find experienced teachers who may reach out to them and speak to them on their
learning experiences – to know what support worked for them and what did not
(to understand how they learn and consequently what can help them to learn). I
will also continue to monitor the progress of these three distinct group of
students that I had identified now in term 3 and ensure collaborative
parent-school relationship and this is based on parents and teachers
understanding each other’s perspectives and realities. Hence, the importance
for the parents to have a clear understanding of their child’s school program
such as the Term 4 program, Night Study Program - all of which was communicated
to the parents during the parent teacher meeting. With these understandings and
a commitment to collaborate (to ensure that their child start preparation for
examinations NOW), parents and teachers can then work together to create a
positive and effective learning for our students. Having better understood the
characteristics of our at-risk students – the need to develop the drive to do
well academically, it became clear that our Sec 4E5N Term 4 program is
important and essential as “peaks of motivation – for persistence, active
choice and effort” in helping our students in the preparation for the coming
national examinations.
The actions
above showed my attempt as the cohort dean to be more evidence-informed so as how
best to develop and implement a process that actually provide useful
information that may influence the thinking and actions of teachers to enable genuine
improvement in learning of my students.
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