Student Engagement Rate

[Mountshasta]

Anyone interested in determining student engagement rate? SER is a data collection instrument which shows graphically what students are doing while teacher is teaching. A teacher can use it during direct instruction, seat work, transitions, or a combination. It can help to determine at what point/attribute/time during a lesson most kids were on task and off task. It can tell you who is socializing, waiting, uninvolved, and at what time during the class period. Several SERs collected over time can be used at conferences to show parents (objectively) exactly what name is doing during a typical lesson.

First time I was observed using SER I *thought* I was a pretty fair teacher in terms of lesson presentation. Data showed two of my best students (girls) were reading their library books during my whole lesson. I didn't have a clue. Anyway, from data I changed some seating arrangements plus changed my movement patterns.

[Progress]

Evaluation is one of the aspects that was fully stressed to us during our training days.

At times you get to school with all the zeal and enthusiasm,having a plan of execution.It then becomes your focus so much that you forget about the students simply because you want to execute your plan.

I would encourage all of us to evaluate,even veterans need this evaluation.

[Mountshasta]

Evaluation is one of the aspects that was fully stressed to us during our training days.

At times you get to school with all the zeal and enthusiasm,having a plan of execution.It then becomes your focus so much that you forget about the students simply because you want to execute your plan.

I would encourage all of us to evaluate,even veterans need this evaluation.

Exactly! I remember a quote from Madeline Hunter: "It's not that critical what a teacher puts in to students. The critical part is what a teacher gets out."

[MsCoffeeLover]

I have a question, and this may seem silly, but what would be the purpose of a separate data collection instrument? I am not trying to be difficult, but what can this instrument do that a teacher monitoring and observing can't?

Data for a seating chart? I let my kids sit where they want on the first few days of school because they always sit next to their friends, and then I move them. BAM! They fall for it every year. Sometimes I find out who they hate because I know they won't talk to them.

Students not working? That assignment is all of a sudden being collected for a grade if it hasn't already. They magically begin working.

No class participation, bring out the pop sickle sticks! They can volunteer information on their own and become engaged or I can call on them at random.

Staring into space? What? Your new seat is now next to Ms. Coffeelover. Sometimes I smile at you.

If you really think about it, the fun of teaching really is in the strategy that comes from daily observations.

Could this do anything more than taping a few of your lessons as well or did I just completely misunderstand what was going on here?

[Mountshasta]

I have a question, and this may seem silly, but what would be the purpose of a separate data collection instrument? I am not trying to be difficult, but what can this instrument do that a teacher monitoring and observing can't? ...

Some background.

Rationale behind student engagement rate (time on task) comes from at least two research findings. Far West Labs did a study in both urban and suburban schools. Their findings showed in every classroom there was one disruption per student per minute. Dr. Fred Jones found almost identical results in his research over a 15 year period. Disruptions broke down: 1) talking to neighbors 80% 2) out of seat 15% 3) others 5% (bugging, notes, pencils, chairs, etc.) He also documented in a typical non-problem classroom one-third of the students were goofing off during independent seat work. This rate doubled as soon as the teacher sat down. The Far West study showed the main variable in student performance was amount of time they are on task in the classroom.

My own involvement with engagement rate and other data collection instruments began some time ago when my district introduced a program, Collegial Observation Of Peers (COOP) and continued a while later in conjunction with the local university and our district's student teacher training center.

SER takes a little training, a willing colleague that you trust, and a principal willing to take your class while you are observing:

SER is objective. Data is collected by a colleague who comes into your room and does an "informal" observation according to the parameters set by the observee. It is essentially a seating chart prepared in advance with student names by the observee. Observation can be done any time, any subject, lesson, seat work, transitions, or anything observee wants as an objective independent look at what students are doing.

Typical observations last about 20-30 minutes. THEY ARE NOT FORMAL OBSERVATIONS AND IN NO WAY ARE USED TO JUDGE TEACHER DELIVERY, STYLE, MANAGEMENT ETC. Observer finds a place where he/she can see whole class - usually back of the room. At start observer writes time and a note what the activity is at that time in column on side of seating chart. Then observer notes student in first desk and makes a quick mark on seating chart what student is doing: S=socializing U=uninvolved W=waiting. A blank desk indicates student was ingaged in activity. Then observer moves to next desk in row and makes a note for that student. This procedure continues until all students are observered in a set pattern. This is called a SWEEP or SWEEP 1. Observer starts again with first desk and does another sweep. This (sweeps) continue until end of observation period and generally takes 5 minutes per sweep. At the end of observation observer leaves SER on teacher's desk without comment and leaves. The observee can do whatever with SER -- trash it, ask for a meeting to discuss it, keep it for documentation regarding student behavior with an independent witness.

I recall I had a difficult parent who wouldn't believe her child was not paying attention and trying and it must be the teacher until I presented her with three SERs collected over time with an independent observer in different subjects which showed graphically exactly what little love bug was doing during a typical lesson.

[MsCoffeeLover]

I respect your findings and supportive research, but how do these reports factor in the elements of the kids change in personality? We all know that many kids act differently when there is an observer in the room. The environment is never the same when you add a new variable into the mix.

It is one thing if you are tallying results from surveys with specific written data or reviewing test score results, but behaviors can be a little tricky. How do these observations differ than another teacher coming in to observe? The special ed teacher making a few observations while in the class? Administrators when evaluating? The classroom teacher who keeps records of specific behaviors when they become a pattern?

I realize this may be an additional documentation tool to help teachers, but I don't really see as much significance that outweighs the options that already exist for teachers.

[Mountshasta]

I respect your findings and supportive research, but how do these reports factor in the elements of the kids change in personality? We all know that many kids act differently when there is an observer in the room. The environment is never the same when you add a new variable into the mix.

It is one thing if you are tallying results from surveys with specific written data or reviewing test score results, but behaviors can be a little tricky. How do these observations differ than another teacher coming in to observe? The special ed teacher making a few observations while in the class? Administrators when evaluating? The classroom teacher who keeps records of specific behaviors when they become a pattern?

I realize this may be an additional documentation tool to help teachers, but I don't really see as much significance that outweighs the options that already exist for teachers.

Actually in practice and because the observer is trained kids acting differently rarely happens and is factored into results anyway.

I've been observed many times by colleagues, administrators, specialists, university staff and parents. Although I often receive results what I'm doing, what the class in general is doing, or what an individual student is doing I have never received specific information what each student is doing minute by minute from these types of observations.

I wanted to know at what point in my Lesson Design I had 'em and when I lost 'em. I wanted to know in what areas of the room I had 'em and where I lost 'em and where I was in the room when this happened. I wanted to know more than who was talking and what else each student was doing. I wanted to avoid the generic "That was a good lesson. Students seemed really involved."

Some things SER can show and help a teacher:
1. At what time in the lesson, activity, routine which students were engaged and not engaged
2. What activity the teacher was doing and which students were engaged and not engaged at the start, middle, end
3. What predetermined behavior each student is doing every 2, 3, or 5 minutes during agreed upon observation.
4. What area or furniture arrangement promotes engagement rate and which do not.
5. What kinds of behaviors are predominant for non engaged students

SER and similar data collection forms - Teacher Movement, Questioning Strategies, Who Gets Called On to name a few - are not for everyone. Some teachers feel uncomfortable with someone in the room observing. If you have a system that works for you by all means use it.