School Stories: When a Soccer Ball Tells You More Than a Spreadsheet - Ep 12
🎙️ Who's on the Mic?
This week, I was joined by the incredible Emma Dukhovny. With over 25 years in the New York City Department of Education, Emma is a seasoned English Language Learner (ELL) teacher, data specialist, and professional developer. As an immigrant and an English language learner herself, she brings a deeply personal and powerful perspective to the table. She's the brilliant mind behind the Teachers of ELLs Facebook group and is all about making data work smarter, not harder.
💬 Episode Snapshot
Emma and I dove headfirst into the all-too-common feeling of data dread. You know the one, where you're handed a stack of spreadsheets that looks more like the Matrix than helpful information, and you're told to "plan with data in mind." (I’ve been there, it’s not cute.)
We talked about transforming that fear into confidence by using a strategy that sounds way more complicated than it is: triangulation. It’s not a scary geometry term; it’s about looking at the whole kid. We unpacked a powerful story about how a seasoned teacher’s "bad data" was completely reframed by understanding her students’ backgrounds, and another about how the key to unlocking a group of boys’ reading skills was found not in a phonics assessment, but on the soccer field. The big takeaway? Data should be about starting conversations, not ending them.
💡 Key Takeaways
Data Fear is Universal (and Valid!): Emma shared her story of being a brand-new teacher, totally petrified by the data thrown at her. The pressure to be "data-driven" without the proper training is a real problem. If you’ve ever felt that pit in your stomach, you’re not alone. It’s not a you problem; it’s a system problem.
Triangulation = Seeing the Whole Picture: Triangulation just means looking at multiple sources of information to get a clearer picture. It’s about pairing the “hard data” (like state test scores or diagnostics) with “soft data” (like student surveys, observations, and conversations). The goal is to connect the dots between what the numbers say and who the student is.
Your Team’s Collective Brain is Your Best Asset: The story of the seasoned teacher who received a negative review wasn't solved by making her look at more spreadsheets. It was solved by collaboration. By bringing in ELL specialists and other experts, the school was able to see the full context: she was working with newcomer students who needed foundational language support. One person’s lens is never enough.
Find the "Hook" in the Data: Emma's story about the boys who were disengaged in reading but came alive when playing soccer was a perfect example of this. The data didn't just say "they're bad at reading." The data, when combined with observation, said "they're not interested in the current reading material." By creating a classroom library around famous soccer players, they hooked the students and everything changed.
🎬 Actionable Insights
Bring a "Human Data Point" to Your Next Meeting: The next time your team meets to discuss student data, have everyone bring one non-academic piece of information about a focus student. What do they love? What are they good at outside of class? Who are their friends? Start there.
Invite an Unexpected Guest: Remember how the gym teacher’s insight was the key in Emma’s story? Invite the art teacher, librarian, or music teacher to your next data chat. They see a completely different side of your students and their perspective can be the missing piece of the puzzle.
Ask "Why?" Five Times: When you see a data point you don’t understand (e.g., "Johnny’s reading scores dropped"), don't stop at the first answer. Ask "why" at least five times to get to the root cause.
Why did his scores drop? He didn't finish the test.
Why didn't he finish? He seemed distracted.
Why was he distracted? He was upset about something.
Why was he upset? He had an argument with a friend at recess.
Why did they argue? They were arguing about the rules of soccer. (It always comes back to something real.)
In this episode of Data in Education, I was joined by the incredible Emma Dukhovny. With over 25 years in the New York City Department of Education, Emma is a seasoned English Language Learner (ELL) teacher, data specialist, and professional developer. As an immigrant and an English language learner herself, she brings a deeply personal and powerful perspective to the table. She's the brilliant mind behind the Teachers of ELLs Facebook group and is all about making data work smarter, not harder.
Learn more about Emma Dukhovny in her facebook group for teachers of ELLs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/124682274864590
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Connect with Emma Dukhovny
Email: emma4teachersofells@gmail.com
X: Emma Dukhovny
Facebook: Emma Dukhovny (personal) and Teachers of ELLs (group Admin)
TikTok: Emma Dukhovny and Teachers_of_ELLs
