Special Educators Resource Room

123. What If Progress Monitoring Took Less Than a Minute a Day?

• Jennifer DeBrosse

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Let’s talk data—but keep it simple. 💛

In this episode, I’m sharing three quick ways to track student progress without adding stress or paperwork to your day. No fancy spreadsheets required—just practical ideas you can actually use.

You’ll hear how to:

  • Use simple checklists you can grab and go
  • Snap quick photos for visual documentation
  • Jot down observations you’re already noticing

Plus, I’ll show you how to fit data collection into your routine, not add it on top.

Because the best system? Is the one you’ll actually use.

If you try one of these ideas, I’d love to hear! Tag me @PositivelyLearning and let me know what’s working for you. You’ve got this!

If you're a busy special education teacher looking for tips, tricks, and resources to save you precious time, I've got you covered! I'm here to help you regain your confidence in the classroom and feel calm and collected as a special educator.

Tune in every Friday for practical tips, tools, and the support you need to to THRIVE in the classroom.

Grab your FREE Special Educators Cheat Sheets at positivelylearningblog.com/free-resource-library/

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I'd love to hear what's working for you! Send me a message on Instagram @positivelylearning

Speaker 1:

Today we're digging into a topic that almost every educator I know has a complicated relationship with tracking student progress. Hey there, welcome back to Special Educators Resource Room. I'm Jennifer from Positively Learning. Now, before you hit the pause button and run the other way, let me say this I promise this episode is not going to be about color-coded spreadsheets or complex data apps. It's quarter four and and we're gonna be keeping it real. Hey, special educators, I'm Jennifer from Positively Learning. Welcome to the Special Educators Resource Room.

Speaker 1:

If you're like me, you're always looking for ways to save time and streamline your work. That's why this podcast was created to give you the systems and solutions you need to get your time back. Tune in for tips, tricks and tools that will help you manage your workload and make the most of your time. Whether you're brand new or experienced, all are welcome in the Special Educators Resource Room. You're already doing a lot, so this episode is not about adding more to your workload. It's about finding a simple, sustainable system that's going to work for you. It's going to give you clarity, especially when it's time for IEP meetings or parent meetings. So we're going to be talking about what data actually matters, how you're going to track it in a way that fits in to your existing day and, most importantly, how we're gonna do it without creating more stress or feeling guilt. So let's be honest Data tracking often feels like one more thing that's stacked onto a day that's already overflowing. But tracking student progress is not just about checking a compliance box. It's about helping you see the growth that we might otherwise miss, and in special education, those small gains are gold. So if you've ever gotten to the end of a quarter, you sat down to write a progress report and realized you were relying mostly on instinct, you're not alone. I think we've all been there. But the good news is you don't need to completely overhaul your entire system. We're just going to shift how you think about data. Here's the mindset shift. Data isn't about tracking everything. It's about tracking the right things in a way that's easy to maintain. So what works? Let's talk about simple, functional and fast. Let's break it down into three methods that I have used and I've worked with other teachers on, because when teachers say I need to track progress without getting completely buried asked. Let's break it down into three methods that I have used and I've worked with other teachers on, because when teachers say I need to track progress without getting completely buried. These are the go-tos.

Speaker 1:

Number one we're going to be using a simple checklist. We're going to start with something that takes less than 30 seconds to fill out. So here's the structure. You need the task or goal area and then the level of independence student working independently, needing a prompt or unable to complete and then you need the date. You can print a few copies for each student, stick them on a clipboard and grab them during independent work or small group time. If you're rotating tasks, weekly or bi-weekly, just keep one checklist per set of tasks. That way you're not guessing how they did last week. It's just right there. If you want to get fancy, you could always color code it by week or by subject area, but, honestly, pencil check marks work just as well. Extra tip add a notes column with room for a single sentence. That sentence could be used visual cue or rushed through or asked for help once. That's more than enough detail to give context later.

Speaker 1:

Number two easy, favorite way to collect data Take a photo. This one might be my favorite, especially if you're working with early learners or non-writers. Anytime a student completes a task with a visible outcome, whether they're sorting, matching, cutting life skills. You can take a picture instead of writing a full paragraph, because photos are going to show the accuracy, the neatness, the independence level, especially if you're catching them mid-task. So create a data album on your phone and create it by student name or by date. If you're catching them mid-task, so create a data album on your phone and create it by student name or by date. If you're allowed to use personal devices in your setting, this is going to be incredibly efficient. If not, we can keep a digital camera or a tablet nearby. Extra tip set a reminder in your phone once a week to scroll photos. You're going to thank yourself when it's time to write reports and don't worry about taking pictures every time.

Speaker 1:

No-transcript, we're already up to the third tip. That's how easy these are, and this one really worked for me. It's to keep a running notes page. Now, this is a low effort, high reward method. I had success just adding a sticky note on the inside cover of a student binder or in the section of a teacher planner. I like to put it right into a lesson plan if you have one nearby, or you could tape an index card and put it on the back of a task box. So what you're going to write is very simple Think, needed a verbal cue to start. Completed entire task independently first time, frustrated halfway through, needed redirection. This is the kind of stuff you've mentally been noticing anyway. This just gives you a spot to put it and if it's already part of your system, like on your lesson plan page or your clipboard or in a drawer, you're more likely to do it. Here's your extra tip Choose one time of day Maybe it's during transitions or maybe it's right after students are wrapping up independent work centers and jot down two to three observations. Set a timer if needed.

Speaker 1:

Now a quick data story from my own experience. Let me tell you about one of my students. We'll call her Zara. Zara was working on basic sequencing skills, so every Thursday during her independent work time she'd pull out the same three-step card activity Maybe it's brushing teeth, putting on socks, making cereal and every Thursday I'd think to myself she's getting better at this. I'll remember how she did Fast forward to progress report time. I had nothing, just a general sense that she was probably doing okay. So I started keeping a clipboard right next to the independent work area and I created a checklist with three tasks and every time she completed one, I'd quickly note independent one visual prompt. That's it One, two, maybe three words in my notes. So when it came down to sit down with the team, I had five weeks of consistent data and I could confidently say not only what she was doing but how she was doing it and how that changed over time. And the best part, it took maybe 45 seconds per week.

Speaker 1:

If that timeframe sounds good to you, let's see where we can begin. So here's a few questions you can reflect on. What kind of data actually helps you write progress reports, not what you think you should be collecting, but what do you actually use and what do you naturally notice during the day? Are you already mentally tracking engagement tracking, task completion or prompt level? And then, what's something that you can record in less than 30 seconds? Whatever your answers are, that's where you're going to begin.

Speaker 1:

We're going to be using your strengths to guide the system and here's a bonus tip we're going to build data collection into your routine. In other words, we're going to stop treating data collection like a separate task. So instead we're going to look for places in your day where you're already observing student performance. Is this during independent work time, during morning arrival routines, while transitioning, you're looking for one time in your schedule that feels calm or calm-ish, and you're going to keep your data tool there. Maybe it's a clipboard, a sticky notepad.

Speaker 1:

Whatever you're using, let it live. In that moment You're going to start building muscle memory and it's going to feel like second nature instead of something that you are chasing all week. And finally let me say this clearly because I know someone's going to need to hear it we're going to let go of the guilt. You're not behind, you're not doing it wrong. You're not a bad teacher because your data doesn't live in a laminated binder with themed dividers and a glitter pen. You're a good teacher because you care about your students' progress, and that starts with noticing. So give yourself permission to simplify. Progress monitoring doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to work for you. Progress monitoring doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to work for you.

Speaker 1:

I hope this episode gave you not only some ideas, but also a little breathing room to create a data system that's going to work for you in your real life classroom. And if the messaging in this episode resonates with you but you're still looking for some more information, let me know. I'd love to continue the conversation. If you try out any of these ideas, you can always send me a message or tag me on social at Positively Learning. I seriously geek out over simple, powerful systems. Thanks so much for being here. Thanks for all that you do and, as always, I'll catch you next time in the Special Educators Resource Room dot com. See you next week for more special education solutions.