On Track

I think there is something in the water.

Why?

Because we've all begun to "track."

Here's a Reader's Digest version of tracking: we keep real-time data on basically everything that our kids can do, number crunch it, and decide how they can become better and master the concept.

So, let's be completely honest. Tracking takes a LONG ASS TIME. You spend a lot of time entering numbers into a color-coded spreadsheet. (Some of us are better than others. MathinAZ is one of the best color-coder/spreadsheet maker I have ever met. I dream about being as good as she is.) Then, after you color code, you have to USE the data to decide how to drive your instruction.

True tracking is not for the weak at heart. To truly track, you have to really choose to drive your instruction with data. Not "district" data or "AIMS" data, but data from everything that your kiddos do in class. This. shit. sucks.

But it really works. It motivates kids. It makes you realize EXACTLY what your kiddos can do (down to the "my babies have trouble with elapsed time questions that deal with ending time and duration, not with start time and duration or start and end time" data). It drives your instruction.

AND I FINALLY AM DOING IT. We have graphs on the wall of our reading and writing stamina. We took our diagnostics and tomorrow will set our individual goals for math and graph our class results and goals on the wall. We began tracking our math fluency with graphs. All of these are in our tracking folder.

WHAT? WHO THE FUCK AM I?

But not only am I doing it, everyone around me is doing it. My co-teacher. My planning partner. My favorite math teacher and past door buddy (I miss you. Tons.).

Hello, tracking. I've finally invited you into my life.