Making Meaning of Results
Overview
Use these tools to help your teams make meaning from survey results.
The Groundwater Approach (developed by the Racial Equity Institute)
At YouthTruth, we believe in the power of data to drive meaningful change in schools. To truly understand and address the experiences of students, families, and staff, we need a framework that goes beyond individual challenges to examine the larger systems at play. That’s where the Groundwater Approach, developed by the Racial Equity Institute, comes in.
This framework uses a powerful metaphor—the fish and the pond—to help us shift our perspective. It reminds us that we can’t improve outcomes for individual students without addressing their environment. Check out this video for more info!
The 4D’s: Defensive, Dismissive, Dejected, and Downplay the Negative
Try this simple — but powerful — activity with your team before you review your YouthTruth data. Naming the 4D’s gives your team a shared vocabulary for recognizing four common reactions adults have to student perception feedback. Introducing the 4D’s can also help your team to adopt a listening-to-learn mindset. As you review your data, try pausing periodically to invite individuals to share if they are experiencing any of the 4D’s. We’ve provided notes in the following 4D’s slide show that we encourage you to adapt and make your own. You can also read more about using the 4D’s in this related backpack resource.
Data Gallery Walk Facilitation Guide
The Data Equity Walk toolkit from The Education Trust—West can be used to dive into your school or district’s data to explore gaps between how different groups experience school.
Big Picture Worksheet
Use this worksheet to do a Big Picture analysis of your reports focused on identifying celebrations and areas of growth in your Executive Summary.