Collect THIS data

I got THAT email this morning when I arrived at school.

You know THAT one.

It said, "Let's get together after school and talk about how you are teaching skills in small group." This was from the literacy coach in our building.

And it doesn't matter how you try to spin it, there was no way this was a chance to get together and chat about how AWESOME I am and how she wants to videotape me so that ALL of the 5th grade teachers in our district can revel in and learn from my GLORY.

Nope. We don't do THAT. We only get together to talk when someone is unhappy with us.

After a day of churning stomach and anticipation, 3:30 arrives and she marches into my classroom.

her: "I've met with [the principal] and your name has come up a few times over the last few weeks. Let's talk a little bit about how you are teaching the current skill in your reading block."

So I proceed to explain to her that I do most of my skill work in whole group (stay with me - some of this is teacher talk) and that I know I could be doing more in small group but that we also have to discuss the plot of the book. We can hit multiple skills that way.

her: "You have to remember that the book is merely a VESSEL for teaching the skills." 

me: (in my head) THIS IS WHY KIDS HATE TO READ.

I could go on and on, but here is what I really want you to know. Our principal prides herself on being a "data driven" leader. She likes to gather and study data on students to make the best decisions for their education.

The data she has on how I am doing teaching the skills during small group reading? She has visited my classroom THREE TIMES over the course of ONE HUNDRED TWELVE DAYS, each time coming during the exact same group (my lowest group - the kids who don't talk and aren't proficient readers), sitting at the table while we talked about our book. THREE TIMES.

Is that fair? I mean, if you want to accuse me of being a bad reading teacher, that's FAIR, but only if you have actual data that makes sense, that comes from a variety of times during the block, over a significant amount of days. And I'm ALL about saying I'm not the best reading teacher and that I can certainly get better and use suggestions. But at least make them feel like they are based on fact and not a skewed opinion.

The other thing that really cracked me up? The rest of her data collection was based on what the other 5th grade teacher has posted around her classroom - posters and other work the kids have done on the skills. The assumption was made that, since I don't have the same things adorning the walls of my classroom, I am NOT doing them.

Sigh. Really?

Your data collection SUCKS.