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Learning Walks

Successful alter together with consistent improvement rely on many interconnected factors. I lift this, every bit it is of import to Federal Reserve notation that it isn’t i item activity or soul that ultimately moves an thought or maiden into something that positively impacts schoolhouse culture.  This applies to the success that my staff together with I were able to hold upwards a role of during our digital transformation a few years back.  The focus powerfulness get got been on digital, together with I was the initial catalyst that got the ball rolling, but it was the collective activity of my teachers, students, together with other administrators who embraced dissimilar together with ameliorate spell showing evidence of improvement that resulted inwards improved outcomes.  

What many people also don’t realize is that fifty-fifty though all eyes were on the digital aspects of our transformation, it was the continuous focus on improving teaching together with learning that ultimately led to results. I get got routinely written together with spoken nearly the concept of a Return on Instruction (ROI), which states that when integrating applied scientific discipline or implementing innovative ideas the resultant should hold upwards evidence of improved educatee learning outcomes. This makes sense on many fronts, every bit nosotros are accountable showtime together with first of all to our learners every bit good every bit our other stakeholders.  To assist gain an ROI nosotros increased the reveal of formal observations together with evaluations, collected learning artifacts (lesson plans, assessments, educatee work, etc.) together with had staff create portfolios to exhibit growth together with changes to practice.  Additionally, my admin squad together with I conducted learning walks every day.

The procedure of learning walks or walk-throughs every bit many schools refer to them is to acquire a glimpse of what is happening inwards classrooms to together with then render non-evaluative feedback for improvement.  They serve an integral role every bit “soft” accountability mechanisms to spark conversations together with reflections on practice.  The to a greater extent than nosotros notice together with beak nearly exercise the ameliorate equipped nosotros are to brand together with Pb change.  Another positive effect of learning walks is the edifice of ameliorate relationships since the non-evaluative nature of the procedure focuses on meaningful growth only about targeted facial expression fors. We developed facial expression fors that aligned to both our McREL observation/evaluation tool to gear upwards teachers for these inwards the time to come together with the purposeful utilization of applied scientific discipline to improve educatee learning. 



It’s been a few years forthwith since I left the principalship to pursue my novel career every bit a Digital Practice Assessment (DPA) process.   Our collective finish is to create an immersive sense that moves beyond the typical i together with done professional person development.

Under the leadership of Matt Friedman together with Jonathan Blow from Downingtown, coaching days amongst me were added thus that nosotros could all acquire into classrooms together with send learning walks.  The inherent value of this exercise was to notice together with collect evidence to decide instructional areas that needed the most focus.  After our showtime session, which was really successful based on the feedback received, they pushed me to think nearly targeted facial expression fors that could hold upwards integrated into our adjacent laid of learning walks to back upwards their digital transformation efforts across the district further.  Challenge accepted! 

Below are the facial expression fors I developed that would afterwards hold upwards integrated into a learning walk form:

  • Learning targets (objective/concept what are students expected to learn/do)
  • Standard alignment 
  • What are learners doing?
  • What is the instructor doing? (direct instruction, modeling, monitoring, facilitation, etc.)
  • Authentic context – Do the students know how their learning aligns to or how it tin displace hold upwards applied to a real-world context? Do they sympathize why they are learning what they are together with how they volition utilization it?
  • Level of questioning (Rigor Relevance Framework – creating, evaluating, analyzing, applying, understanding, remembering)
  • Means of assessment (formative, summative)
  • Reflection - Is at that spot an chance for students to reverberate on their learning at some point?
  • Rigor Relevance Quad alignment (Which quad does the lesson or activity align to?)
  • Device Use (passive or active learning) - Passive (note taking, digital worksheet, consuming content) vs. Active (creating, applying, collaborating, synthesizing, etc.)
  • Student agency (voice, choice, advocacy) – Are students empowered to ain their learning (blended/personalized/virtual learning options, they select tool to hold upwards used, etc.)
  • Use of classroom/school infinite (arrangement, furniture, choice, flexibility, comfort, lighting, temperature, mobility, acoustics, etc.) – Are desks inwards rows or arranged inwards a way to foster collaboration? Are at that spot flexible/comfortable seating options? Does the room offering an appropriate degree of stimulation? Would y'all desire to larn inwards this space?

After sharing the areas of focus above, Jonathan created a Google Form for the Downingtown leaders to utilization every bit nosotros all engaged inwards learning walks across the district.  You tin displace access together with download the shape HERE if y'all wish.  The grouping conversations together with reflection that ensued after the walks were conducted was terrific!  My role was to human activity every bit a facilitator to engage the grouping inwards critical discussions on what they saw. As y'all meet from the form, the primary focus is on learning, non technology.  The 2 elements should acquire mitt inwards hand, non treated every bit carve upwards entities.  It is also of import to Federal Reserve notation that non every lesson should or volition contain technology. 

With whatever learning walk shape or tool, at that spot has to hold upwards a bang-up bargain of flexibility regarding how y'all utilization it. You would hold upwards difficult pressed to meet all of the facial expression fors listed to a higher house every bit a learning walk is brief together with exclusively gives y'all a snapshot of what is (or isn’t) taking place. This is why I encouraged DASD leaders to convey pictures of learning artifacts together with inquire questions of both the students together with learners to educate a to a greater extent than holistic view.  Another way to utilization it would hold upwards to only focus on 3-4 facial expression fors during a walking cycle. However, the most critical aspect of the learning walk procedure is what is done afterward to improve practice.  Collaborative give-and-take every bit a leadership squad nearly what tin displace hold upwards improved every bit good every bit timely feedback to teachers is both crucial for success.  

If y'all get got whatever feedback on the facial expression fors or the learning walk shape delight portion inwards the comments below. 

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