Gastonia, N.C. – A class of fifth grade students at Belmont Central Elementary created data notebooks to become accountable for their education. The data notebooks contain a student’s mission, goals and action plan to support classroom and personal learning and are tailored after Steven Covey’s “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.”

Principal Sara Moore first learned about data notebooks at two state conferences. “Teachers and administrators embrace our responsibility to ensure that students are learning 21st century skills,” explained Moore, who set up the program at Belmont Central. “Students must be able to use and manage information about their personal learning. Data notebooks enable students to become self-directed, responsible workers.”

Moore and Belmont Central teacher Bobbi Neely took 24 students to present data notebooks at the North Carolina Principal/Assistant Principal Association (NCPAPA) conference in Statesville on January 13.

“This was a wonderful learning experience,” said Neely, who was impressed to see how much knowledge her students have gained since beginning the program. “It made them stronger students and now they realize they have to think about being college and career ready.”

Chandler Adams said creating a data notebook helped him become a better student. “It taught me how to keep track of my grades, and to know what subjects I need to improve on.”

For Ashley Williams presenting a data notebook gave her the experience to speak in front of adults. “I enjoyed sharing my personal goals and how I used data charts to monitor my progress.”

Neely’s students will continue to track yearlong data. They will have an opportunity to teach other students the importance of creating a data notebook and how it will help them become better students.

To view a slide show of pictures from Belmont Central students presenting their data notebooks at a state conference, please click here.