How do Bayfield school students feel about their learning environment and their teachers?
Education consultant Becky Smith presented results of a student perception survey to the school board on Feb. 23.
Smith, who lives in Bayfield, taught for many years in Ignacio and is a former president of the Bayfield School Board. More recently she worked for the Colorado Department of Education. In the past couple of years she has worked with the Bayfield district on educator effectiveness and improving instruction. The student survey, which has been given for three years, is part of that. Results from the 2015 survey were back in January.
The survey is given through a private vendor, Panorama Education. Students in third grade through high school are asked to rate 35 statements in four categories: classroom community, classroom management, student learning, and student-centered environment.
"Students can say this always happens, sometimes happens, never happens, or I don't know," Smith said. The last question is the student's chance to make constructive comments to their teacher(s).
Smith said the survey results give school and district-level data to show any trends. She and Superintendent Troy Zabel met last year with each of the student councils about the results, and they'll do that again, she said.
"What the kids said was powerful. We started at the high school. Those kids were all over it. Then the middle school, then the elementary, the fifth graders," Smith said. "The biggest, strongest message last year was 'You have to teach the standards, and we have to learn them.' (One responder) said 'We want teachers to provide different ways to show that we've learned it.'"
She continued, "The second message from the 5th graders was, 'We have to learn and achieve, but we want to be together and be a community.' They want an environment of just caring."
Responses were down a bit on the classroom community questions this year, Smith said, but there was huge growth on the classroom management questions, "that their classrooms are safe and a respectful learning environment."
Student learning survey results were flat over three years, but responses were much more positive this year on the student-centered environment questions. "The staff heard what the kids said," Smith said.
Six statements got the highest percentage of positive responses in the most recent survey:
. "My classroom is organized, and I know where to find what I need," 84 percent.
. "My teacher respects me as an individual," 82 percent.
. "My teacher cares about me," and "I ask for help when I need it," both 79 percent.
. "I feel like I do a good job in class," and "Students in this class treat the teacher with respect," both 78 percent.
"This was all grades, 3-12," Smith said. "When I take a look at this, I am incredibly proud. This is around 80 percent of students. Our kids enjoy coming into their classrooms is what it says."
Then she listed the questions with the lowest percentages of positive results:
. "My teacher would notice if something was bothering me," 59 percent.
. "My teacher knows the things that make me excited about learning," 48 percent.
. "My teacher writes notes on my work that helps me improve," and "My teacher knows what's important to me," both 47 percent.
. "When we study a topic, my teacher makes connections to other subjects or classes," 46 percent.
"We have to understand how these kids learn and what gets them excited," Smith said.
"The high school kids wrote essays this year," she continued. "Our staff take them to heart. Sometimes it's emotional, difficult." Anything foul is eliminated from those, as are student names. Principals don't see those messages.
"The staff member receives a list of all the questions and their rating on each one," she said. But there's no way to single out teachers who score low.
BHS Principal Leon Hanhardt added, "All I see is the building report."
Smith said there's one question the Bayfield district has repeatedly asked to be removed from the survey, without success: "That the teacher knows what my life is like outside of school. Some students don't want teachers to know. Some staff say they know things they are uncomfortable talking to the students about. Some students say 'We come to school to get away from things at home.'"
The next step, aside from meeting with the student councils, will be to survey teachers about their leadership, Smith said. Principals get anonymous results. The superintendent gets district results. "We take all this and go back and make change, through staff and leadership team meetings."
