Triangulation of data is when data is collected by three different sources.

Data might be

collected from school-collected data, instructional strategies, student achievement on

assessments, demographic reports, attendance records, etc. The importance of triangulation lies

in its consistency and accuracy. If data is cross-referenced and is statistically similar across

multiple sources, then one can assume that such data is accurate and ready for analyzing.

Without triangulation, one is risking inaccurate data, leading to poorly informed decision

making.

School culture, according to Ainscow, Beresford, Harris, Hopkins, Southworth, and West

(2000), is a combination of school history and organization, as well as student and teacher

outcomes. It also includes priorities, strategy, and conditions. School culture helps determine

what needs to be assessed, how it will be assessed, and how such data will be analyzed. A school

that has a priority of full integration of special needs, for example, would be less concerned

about 100% student achievement on the national exams, comparing their school of inclusion to

another school without special needs. Rather, they might focus on collecting data with respect to

differentiation, perhaps even discussing how to collect data on student empathy and inclusion.

I believe the school culture must first be established, especially setting priorities and

values, before collecting data or even triangulation. A school must first decide what it means to

excel at their school before they can assess whether or not a student or a teacher is excelling.

The model of school improvement that would best fit how my brain solves problems

would be the critical development team, especially the book and research discussions. As an

educator, time is my most valuable resource, and thus I loathe anything that wastes my

classroom time. Before trying a new strategy, I want to know if it has been used before, how it

was used, and whether or not it was effective. I’d rather spend my spare time learning about a
new strategy and its level of effectiveness than to try something because it is a fad or I found it

on Pinterest.

In a school improvement plan, it would be important to collect previous state assessment

results on each student, in order to assess improvement over time. In addition, it would be

helpful to collect information on the demographic background of each student. Where are

students living? What is their family background? What level of education do their guardians

hold? As we’ve learned in previous courses, a student’s culture can dictate how they best learn.

If a teacher is using only individualistic learning strategies, he/she might not be reaching students

who come from a more communal culture who would benefit from collaborative learning

strategies.

The Jayhawkville school that is most similar to mine is Jayhawkville South High School.

Its attention to creativity and the arts reminds me of my current school. Both institutions seem to

value and inspire each student’s love for learning and curiosity. It’s the type of institution that I

believe best encourages person and collaborative growth, but I am not unaware of the flaws

within such systems. As the school’s culture and values focus on individualized instruction and

artistic creativity, there is often a neglection for excellence in traditional core subjects, especially

mathematics. Not surprisingly, the school goals for both Jayhawkville South and my current

school are almost identical: to improve proficiency in math and English. The main difference is

that my school is elementary, and Jayhawkville South is a high school.

 References

Ainscow, M., Beresford, J., Harris, A., Hopkins, D., Southworth, G., & West, M. (2000).

Creating the conditions for school improvement: A handbook of staff development

activities. London, England: David Fulton Publishers.