Responding to Observations

Occasional visits to classrooms with suggestions does little to increase quality of instruction.

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Visits should be used to provide useful data about the state of teaching and learning in the building and this data needs to be used to provide opportunities for teacher growth.

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Instructional leaders hold the tension b/w communicating and acting on the urgent, maintaining and checking relationships while maintaining a connection with the community.

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Many times observations with feedback become times to try to impose 'our' teaching styles and beliefs onto the teacher instead of hearing their perspective. To avoid this we must separate observation and interpretation.

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-Ponder instead of assume

Observations, Interpretations and Feedback

Teachers are not the object of change-they are a part of the creation of improvement.

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Classroom Observations and Honest Conversations

The Instructional Leadership Through-Line

Vision for Student Learning

School Improvement Agenda

Professional Learning Needs

Classroom Observations

Sense of anxiety of finding something positive 1.Reliance on sentence stems or prompts (try positive/negative/positive)

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Thinking something different than what we actually say3.Using instructional framework to guide our observations instead of knowing how to us the information from the observation in conversation.

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Use authentic inquiry. Warning signs are:

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How well do you know your staff as instructors?Perform daily visits to understand the story line of the instruction•If we know the story line we are able to give feedback that is meaningful and useful

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Walkthroughs are used for collecting evidence of implementation trends•Classroom visits do NOT occur if they are not scheduled•Walkthroughs need to become a habit•

Classroom Walkthroughs

Getting everyone on the same pageUnderstand what is being taught across grade levels•Know how teachers engage their students•Understanding the role students play in their own learning•

Developing a Shared Vision

Build a leadership team that will go out and become leaders, hone their own skills, and have conversations that would leverage improvement efforts.

Having a different kind of conversationUse guiding questions to bridge what is observed with emerging analysis•Learn to talk with teachers in a way that influences teachers' practices•and supports the instructional practices

Foster a Focused Conversation

Use walkthroughs to cultivate a common vision, provide actual data, and develop practices that influence the system as a whole.

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To cultivate a common vision and shared understanding•

To provide leaders with actual data from classrooms in order to ground subsequent conversations.

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To develop the practices that could influence the system as a whole.

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*These practices include getting into the classroom on a regular basis*

Using Walkthroughs with Intentionality Exhibit 5.2:

Begin with district's vision, what learning is occurring, and wonderings•

Assistant Superintendent Letter to District Teachers

Shared Whys:Describes to teachers why the walk throughs or learning walks are occurring. Gives the purpose: To build effective instructional leaders across the district, allow leaders and administrators to practice and hone their skills of observation, learn how to collect data without interpreting or judging the information. When sharing information, it is general, not teacher specific. It is not a time to single a teacher out when looking for school trends.

Positives:Give the positives first. For example, 'Student learn in a very respectful environment and teachers are working hard to adapt their instruction .

Wonders:General questions for all to think about. Example: "How can students e nurtured toward independence in their learning?" "How do students who what they are thinking and understanding? How do we know?"

Share Next Steps

By participating in regular classroom walkthroughs, administration and teacher leaders can learn the art of observing without judging, and therefore grow their own capacity. They can see what trends are occurring and design PD to reflect those trends, creating sophisticated and targeted PD.

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Classroom Visits and PD (pg 142)

How do I determine what is important to highlight with a teacher after an observation that is not an evaluation?

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Goal is to push teachers' practice and develop trust•

Questions include rigor, urgency of why, repertoire of strategies used, etc.

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Refer to pages 144-146 for two column classroom observation notes

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Format includes: Noticing, wondering, Analysis, Developing a Theory to test, Questions I might ask.

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Use notices as the foundation for your thinking. This process allows for the engagement of co-inquiry

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Organizing Thinking: Questions to Ponder

First example explained how to use walkthroughs to align with an instructional framework. It allowed for calibration of their understating of student engagement and to develop ways to work together.

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Second example provided a way in which an administrator could organize his thinking in response to an observation.

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Should take into account short and long range goals, cultivate school culture and continued respect for each other.

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Vision for learning & teaching practices - observations - PD -Culture of honesty

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Conclusion:

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