Starting the School Year with Progress Monitoring
We all know that if we don’t start the year with it, we aren’t going to do it.
So this year, let’s start with progress monitoring so that we can be confident in what we do all year long.
Getting our progress monitoring under control early on is important, because we know that progress monitoring closes achievement gaps. Our students have a lot of gaps in their learning right now. Filling those gaps now makes life easier later.
Step 1: Check into your school or district’s progress monitoring or MTSS manuals or resources
Many schools have a guide or manual about what the expectations are for progress monitoring and interventions. These manuals sometimes have lists of resources available or what forms are needed. Go ahead and grab those items now and get them ready so that you don’t have to search for them later when you really start with progress monitoring.
Step 2: Set up your data collection
You will want one place to hold all of your progress monitoring data. I always liked keeping my information in binders, but when I had a LOT of students, I used a file drawer instead.
Whatever organizational system you want, get it set up now and prepare to stick with it for the year. Don’t be like me and change your organization system half-way through the year. I promise you will regret it. I wasted so much time changing around how I organized stuff. This just took away from planning intervention materials.
Make sure that you don’t waste time reorganizing your data system when you start with progress monitoring this year.
For help getting this set up, click HERE, or on the image. I’ve made some easy data collection charts and things to get you started with progress monitoring.
Step 3 Give some thought to what skill deficits you expect to see
If you have worked in the grade level before, you probably have some ideas for what skill deficits your new students may have. Do a brain dump of the most basic skills you think your students might need help with. Afterward, talk to other teachers on your grade level and see if you missed anything. Having an idea for what skills you might need to give interventions on sets you up to have materials ready when needed.
Step 4 Talk to the previous year teacher for your students
Talk to the teacher from last year to get good insight into what your students need moving forward. When you start with your progress monitoring, you will want to have an idea for what you might need to teach. While you wait for universal screening results to come in, it is a good idea to go ahead and review some of the skills the students were working on. This helps you hit the ground running when you start teaching. Also, it gives you a good idea for what materials you will need.
Step 5 Collect the materials you will need
Speaking to last year’s teacher and knowing what typically is needed in your grade level makes this step much easier.
Collect any resources that you think you may need to provide interventions. Go ahead and get them organized now so that when you need the materials, you have them.
Many schools and districts have intervention programs that teachers can use. Some of these programs have built in progress monitoring, but if not, check out my progress monitoring resources by clicking HERE, or the image. The data that you take is important, so whatever progress monitoring tools you choose to use should be geared to meet the goals you set for your students.
Step 6 Use universal screener information to make goals
Once you get your students in school, you will need universal screener information to help you set goals for your students. Before you start with progress monitoring, set goals that are attainable in the next 6 to 9 weeks. Using universal screener data to make goals helps set you and your students up for success. Make sure you check out the blog post (or podcast episode) on how to make these goals because it is really helpful.
The universal screener information is your baseline, which you can jump off of to make big gains for your students!
No matter what, when you start with progress monitoring, remember that it is a marathon, not a race. You and yours students will see big results, as long as you keep working towards the goals you set!