Data, data everywhere, but what do we do with it all?

So, you've developed your common targets, and your kids have turned in their easy-to-manage common formative assessment...now what??

It's kind of like going home after trick-or-treating - you spread out all your candy on the table and see what 'cha got!

Once in your team, do a little sorting first - here are some options:

• three piles: "Got it, " kind of got it," "nothing close" (or whatever titles you give them!)
• Sort by similar mistakes
• others?
• Be sure to go beyond simple correct/incorrect - look for breakdowns or gaps in thinking/knowledge.

Next, look at the WHAT and then the WHY - in that order. Make objective observations first - this is critical! 
Questions to consider when looking at results:

WHAT?

• What do they know/what can they do now?
• In what areas do you see success?
• What patterns in student mistakes do you see?

Our tendency is to gloss over this step and jump to the why - I can almost promise it will happen. Take the advice of Axl Rose and have a little Patience. You'll overlook important details if you jump too soon.

WHY?

• Where are the possible places their thinking broke down?
• Two students can get a question/problem wrong but for very different reasons. Group common mistakes together. 
• What could be the root cause of each mistake?