“Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.”

~ Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973)

When I read this quote, I must admit I immediately thought of the recent push for ever more data. Data, data, data. I like the half-days of subbing that data meetings open up, but I wonder what return schools are receiving from those sprawling spreadsheets.

Here’s the thing: Before the spreadsheets, before the endless sharing of data, I knew which of my kids needed extra help. I was writing tests and quizzes that gave me that information. I was talking to those kids. When I had suspicions about reading skills, I was reading cumulative folders stored in the main office, and looking at tests and teacher remarks from past years.

Those spreadsheets are adding a great deal more work to teacher evenings and week-ends, as well as nifty 1/2 day subbing opportunities as teachers attend group spreadsheet-sharing meetings. I’ll admit the new spreadsheets are filled with answers. But are they telling us much — or sometimes even anything — that we don’t already know?