Today’s tip: The SAM Pie Graph Secret.
Your TimeTrack has a lot of “hidden” data that can help you decide next steps with teacher and others you’d like to help improve their practice.
All SAM teams are familiar with the graph/chart that TimeTrack produces showing the leader’s time spend with an individual and usually start their reflective work by looking at what has been done and what has not. Then teams consider the impact of time spent and what should be done next.
Most SAM teams go the next step to look at frequency of interaction. They do this by clinking the Frequency button in the lower left corner. Teams can move their computer cursor over each color to see what was done each month. By clicking the date range, center top, they can pick shorter time frames to see what happened day to day.
Advanced SAM teams know the SAM pie graph secret. The pie graph compares the four kinds of “seeing instruction” with the three kinds of feedback. This is helpful when reflecting on how a leaders capitalizes on the time spent seeing a teacher work, observation, walkthrough, work with students and instructional student supervision. Is there enough feedback to get the change the leader seeks?
The “secret” is the second frequency button. This one is above the pie chart, upper right. It gives you access to information that may be the most valuable you consider. It shows all “seeing instruction” and Feedback by month. The four kinds of seeing instruction are in dark blue, the three kinds of feedback are in light blue. But, like all secrets, there’s more.
This secret is really cool. Click on any bar and you will see a day to day record of when “seeing instruction” occurred and if feedback followed.
So, in the chart above, the principal saw the teacher work September 6 and again September 19 and 21. The first feedback session was later I the day, September 21. This doesn’t suggest the principal was right or wrong. That’s not what TimeTrack does. Instead, it gets you to think about it.. .and, perhaps... ask questions like these:
1. Did the leader intend to wait ten school days before talking with the teacher?
2. Did the feedback work?
3. What additional support would the teacher want?
4. What improvement is the leader looking for?
5. Is the frequency of seeing the teacher work and the amount of feedback enough?
6. Is the principal using NoteTrack to keep a running narrative of the work completed with the teacher?
TimeTrack is a unique tool with a lot of hidden data “secrets”. The very best SAM teams use the secrets to help improve teaching and learning. Would you like to see a “how to” video on the SAM Pie Graph Secret? Here’s a link with NSIP Director Mark Shellinger:
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