It Takes a Team to Teach a Child

Instructional Learning Walks

The ‘A’ TeamSteps toward Refining our Learning Community

Oxon Hill Middle School2007 - 08Principal: Dr. Byron N. Williams

… Ummmm….

…’A’ TEAM WALKS_________________________________ Routine Informal non-evaluative visits

through a school’s learning areas 15 - 20 minutes Twice a month

GOAL

Develop a team-based approach to Instructional Leadership

Benefits

Provides Self-study

Snapshot of teaching learning

Opportunities for dialogue about day – to – day curriculum and instruction

Improves … Instruction

Classroom management

Discipline based on data collection, reflective thinking, and feedback

The ‘A’ Team Walk Cycle

1Identify Team

2Define Focus

Checklist

3Conduct

Walk

4 Analyze &

Summarize Data

5Discuss ReflectAdjust

The Team_________________________________ A school based team comprised of :

specialist

Reading Math Data Coach Special Education Coordinator

administrators Region 1 Specialist

Developing the Checklist

Expertise and Knowledge of Research-Based Procedures

School Achievement data

Standards for Excellence in Teaching

Curriculum Framework

CLEAR EXPECTATOINS

ACCOUNTABLE TALK

RIGOR IN THE CLASSROOM

STUDENT DATA (ARTIFACTS)

Scheduling the ‘A’ Team Walk Principal records on Outlook Calendar

Specialist observes 1 classroom on a specific grade-level Reading Math

DEBRIEFING

HELD ON SAME DAYS AS ‘A’ TEAM WALK OR CLOSE TO THE DAY

TEACHER’S BRING SAMPLES OF STUDENT WORK

Maintaining Data

Store all records of the debriefing discussion in a notebook

Data Collection_________________________________

A Team Walks School: Oxon Hill Middle School Date: _____________________ Team Member: _________________________ Time: ________AM _______PM RELA ______ Math ______

Clear Expectations T 1 T 2 T 3 Comments

1. Diff erentiated I nstruction: Encourages students to construct meaning through ongoing dialogue and collaborative inquiry (accountable talk). I ndicator: Students exchanged ideas with peers and teacher to construct meaning (reciprocal teaching, cooperative groups, think- pair-share, strategic thinking, etc.).

2. Students use manipulatives I ndicator: I ndividual teaching aids added variety and novelty to the lesson, i.e., calculators, post-it notes, charts, non-linguistic representation (graphic organizers).

any hands-on objects students used to construct meaning.

3. Clear Expectations: Rubrics I ndicator: Rubrics are displayed and students are consciously working toward meeting the expectation.

The Comer Way

No Fault observations

Collaboration next steps Consensus

Reporting the Data_________________________________

The data will be reported in a cumulative anonymous data sheet

During a staff meeting

Reflections _________________________________

““Unlike a classroom Unlike a classroom observation, which observation, which provides a view of a provides a view of a single classroom, a single classroom, a learning walk creates a learning walk creates a school wide picture school wide picture made up of many small made up of many small snapshots.”snapshots.”