Bright splashes of paint, scraps of construction paper and bits of cardboard scattered across the floor — it might look like the aftermath of an art project. But step into Melissa Molde’s science classroom, and you’ll quickly realize this creative chaos is all part of her data-driven approach to teaching.
Molde’s students have been busy crafting arcade games inspired by the human body. Balancing data-driven instruction with the need for creativity, Molde, a seventh-grade teacher at Aubry Bend Middle, has crafted projects that keep students engaged while supporting their success in the classroom.
“As we grouped students, we looked at their mastery performance from their independent work to see where they could grow the most with a deeper dive through the project,” Molde said. “After the project wraps, we use post-assessment data for remedial learning.”
Assessments like these help Molde tailor her instruction, identify topics where students need additional support and gather data that shows an understanding of the material. Molde incorporates these elements seamlessly into her teaching through a “station rotation” approach. By guiding students through different stations and using data from the assignments collected, Molde effectively drives small-group remediation while allowing other students to progress independently through their stations.
“Kids in my class are used to a very ‘hands-on’ experience, and we switch their groups so frequently based on performance that they truly just think it’s part of how labs and stations work,” said Molde.
While Molde uses data to foster creativity and mastery in her classroom, the focus on data begins much earlier in students’ academic journeys.
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