Data On A Mission
By Michael Buehler
Teacher and Learning Coordinator
(3 Minute Read)
If you ask most seasoned veterans of the Doulos staff, they can easily recite the mission statement: “Educating and equipping servant leaders through Christian discipleship and expeditionary learning to impact the Dominican Republic.” But how do we know we are doing that to the best of our ability? Data!
Gathering data at Doulos involves student, parent, and staff surveys, interviews, analysis of student work and presentations, teacher and student observations, norms-based testing, and more. Our leadership team regularly analyzes this information to identify strengths and areas for growth.
An example is our recent focus on math instruction. Post-COVID testing data revealed inconsistencies in math skill growth across grades, with slower progress compared to similar private schools worldwide.
Creating a Plan - Our academic leadership team examined the issue, identifying causes and developing a plan to address the lag. This involved adopting a new K-11 math curriculum, organizing manipulatives, and providing additional training and coaching.
Preparing Well - The 22-23 school year focused on selecting a viable curriculum, ensuring it addressed our needs, and preparing teacher training for confident implementation.
Implementation - This school year, we rolled out the new math curriculum for K-11. Despite challenges and adaptations, our students and staff showed resilience. Extensive observations and coaching led to excellent results.
All 10 assessed grades demonstrated higher growth rates than previous years. Compared to other Christian schools internationally, our growth was 1.5 times higher than the average.
Celebrating, but not Resting - It’s wonderful to see our plan in action, using data to identify needs, create a solid plan, and achieve excellent results. We continue to dream and work towards equipping our students academically and spiritually.
Our academic team will keep monitoring our math progress to ensure continued above-average growth. We've also identified new areas to focus on for the upcoming year, with plans for school-wide initiatives and individual student growth. At Doulos, we strive to model God’s continuous shaping and molding in our efforts to help our students reach their full potential in Christ.