Chapter 4

“There is a striking parallel between good teaching and good leadership: purpose.”

The Learning Walkthrough

Purpose: for individual and collective learning.

Intended outcomes: develop a shared vision for high quality teaching. calibrate understanding of the framework calibrate understanding of best practices provide principals/teachers with tool to access their own classroom against the

emerging vision of instruction to begin to use framework language to communicate learning to staff to develop a school and district culture of public practice to gather data to identify relevant problems of leadership practice

Walkthrough purpose is guided by the theory that… if leaders spend time in classrooms they will develop a common vision and shared

understanding of high quality instruction if leaders spend time in classrooms they will have a deeper understanding of high

quality instruction to support teacher improvement if we are open and transparent about our own learning we will be able to engage in a

model of reflective thought.

Other tips for success… Communicate with staff about the walkthrough (there is a great example of a letter

that a principal sent to her staff) Model what it means to be a learner Highlight and celebrate what you want to reinforce Strategically plant seeds for future dialogue and reflection Articulate vision for teaching and learning

The Goal Setting and Implementation WalkthroughPurpose and outcomes guide the goal-setting and implementation walkthrough.  Purposes for Goal Setting:

1. Know the level of implementation and what is needed (think PD) to implement curriculum with fidelity.  

2. Determine how new learnings are being implemented.3. Determine what else is needed to implement _______4. Helps set SIP goals5. Discover patterns throughout the school, grade level, and/or subject.  6. ID teacher goals and support.7. Monitor student progress.8. ID problems in leadership practice.

What makes goal setting and implementation walkthroughs different from learning walkthroughs?Intentional connection to teacher's professional learning.

Need to monitor level of implementation of new curriculum in order to measure the implementation.

ID the level to bring differentiated support when necc. Leaders need to monitor themselves in order to establish app. improvement goals for

other areas of school, etc. along with PD to help meet goals.  Keep in mind:  this is SUPPORT for teachers.  Remember:

Communicate with Staff about walkthroughs!!!   Celebrate successes and communicate new expectations based on walkthroughs. Build collective learning through teacher and principal expertise. Modify PD Consider new/additional supports as needed (small groups, coaching, etc.) ARTICULATE YOUR VISION for teaching and learning!!!!! Provide ways for feedback and conversation to take place, promoting more learning.

The Supervisory Walkthrough

Intended to provide feedback and constructive advice to school administrators and leaders.

Builds opportunities for administrators to develop and pursue focused, meaningful goals.

Deals with relevant student data to measure and monitor student progress Identifies specific leadership actions needed to support improvement of teaching

practice Holds leaders accountable for agreed-upon actions

This supervisory function is characterized by a sustained focus on the school’s mission, goals, and core values. Thus, the work done pertains directly to realizing those critical concepts.

The supervisory walkthrough’s theoretical foundation can be narrowed down to two critical assumptions:

1. If we carefully examine and monitor student performance data and the quality of teaching and learning in light of our deepened understanding of powerful instruction, then we will be able to identify specific leadership actions necessary to improve practice

2. If we carefully monitor and examine the extent to which agreed-upon leadership actions are executed, then we can hold leaders accountable for teaching and learning

Steps:1. Formulation of the a problem of practice

1. Based on principles of school improvement plan, current data that concerns the staff, and school-based theory of action focused on all students accessing and engaging with content and tasks that demand critical thinking.

2. We focus on the three aforementioned principles in building the problem of practice, because it ensures an efficient, effective use of time.

3. This occurs during a separate meeting with the person(s) being observed.

2. The Visit1. Presentation of problem of practice

1. Based on the work and discussion done in step 12. Brainstorming of evidence and indicators

1. What will we focus on to indicate the specifics of this problem?3. Observations

1. classroom visits, look at student work, student interviews, analyzing student data.

2. Method of observation depends on the nature of the problem 4. Debrief

1. Discussion of what was observed during the observation phase of step 2

2. What resonates? What are the implications? What are some potential next steps?

5. Reflection

3. The Summary1. Summarize what was observed, discussed, and done in the previous steps

4. Visit Calibration1. Set the expectations and norms for all participants in the observation.

1. Host Principal2. Visitors

Possible School Leadership Actions that are parallel and intended to support reciprocal accountability between school and district:

1. Communicate with staff about the walkthrough2. Highlight and celebrate what should be enforced3. Create and communicate new expectations4. Provide new and additional supports5. Articulate vision for teaching and learning6. Hold leaders accountable for agreed-upon actions7. Assess the implementation of agreed-upon actions on student learning