Walk-Throughs: An Effective Strategy for Increasing Student Achievement Based on the work of Dr. Susan Villa, Carolyn J. Downey and Larry E. Frase Teacher Induction Program San Luis Obispo County Office of Education

Ultimate Goal: To Influence … Reflective, self-directed, self-analyzing interdependent teachers who examine their own practices ~ even those who initially are at the dependent level. Teachers who are continually willing to improve their teaching. Teachers who are committed to working for ever higher student achievement.

Purpose To provide advisors with strategies for using a structured walk-through approach and reflective feedback as a vehicle for maximizing student achievement.

Steps in Observation INSTRUCTION: Engagement of Students CURRICULUM: Determine curricular objectives and alignment to district curriculum and identify possible growth area(s) INSTRUCTION: Note instructional practices used and identify possible growth area(s)

Steps in Observation, continued WALK THE WALLS: for more curricular objectives and instructional practices (if time) SAFETY & FACILITIES: Happens naturally

Observation Structure: 5 Step Process ENGAGEMENT (Student time on task) CURRICULUM (content standards) TEACHING STRATEGIES WALK THE WALLS SAFETY

Step One: Student Engagement Determine student engagement the moment you walk into the room. Boston Scan: scan the room. Where are the students eyes? On the teacher, on work, on each other? Ballpark it ~ what percentage of students are engaged?

Step Two: Curriculum Focus Determine the curriculum objectives being taught Content ~ what students are learning Context ~ how are students learning Cognitive Level ~ i.e., Bloom’s taxonomy Compare curriculum objectives listed or stated with observed curriculum

Step Three: Instructional Strategies Determine generic teaching practices taking place Feedback, examples, student error, wait time, checking for understanding, prior knowledge Identify strategies being used with a specific district and/or school focus Process guided reading, writer’s workshop, reciprocal teaching, question-answer relationships

Step Four: Walk the Walls Specify other objectives and teaching practices observed Artifacts on walls, charts, student work, centers, white/chalk board, posters, etc. Use the walls to inform instruction

Step Five: Safety Identify any safety and/or facility issues

Keeping Track of Ideas Develop a very simple way of recording ideas. 3 x 5 card Do record enough of what happened when you are in the room to use when giving feedback. The notes are for you ~ not formal.

One Way ~ 3 x 5 Card Name of BT DateTime CURRICULUM Content: Context: Cognitive level: District check: Grade/subject INSTRUCTION 2 or 3 ideas

Ima Newby :35 CURRICULUM Content: Reasons why people left their homelands to come to the US Common experiences & hardships immigrants had to overcome while traveling to and upon arrival in US Context: Text book Oral student response Cognitive level: Knowledge District check: 9th INSTRUCTION Prior knowledge Wait time Prediction Primary source documents Posters of Ellis Island Pie Charts: Immigration patterns 9 th grade World Geography

CURRICULUM Content: Writing a 3 paragraph personal experience essay Pre-writing – organizing ideas Context: Prewriting worksheets Cognitive level: Application District check: 3rd INSTRUCTION Modeling Review Individual assistance Scoring guide ~ rubric Chart ~ Steps in the Writing Process :003 rd Grade Writing

Walk-Through Practice Watch the video. Follow the observation structure. Use a 3 x 5 card to record your information. Identify a topic for a reflective question.

Feedback and the Reflective Question What do we know about effective feedback? Discuss with a partner. Share with the group.

A Mentoring Conversation: A Protocol Assess the Beginning Teacher’s Needs by: Making connections and building trust Identifying successes and challenges Establish a Focus for Work by: Paraphrasing (In other words … So …) Clarifying (Tell me a little more about… It’d help me understand if you’d give me an example of …)

Stay Away From … Why did you do ….? Have you considered doing …? You might want to … How come you … How might you do it differently? What might you do differently next time? How did you decide? Do you think it would have been different if you..

Will these stems fit? Revise as needed. Tell me how you did that … What went on in your mind when …? When have you done something like this before? What would be your criteria for …? What do you think the problem is? How did you know …? What might you do next? What’s another way you might approach this?

Support the Teacher’s Movement Forward Direct teaching Collaborative problem solving Reflective questioning Promote Accountability by: Identifying specific next steps Agreeing to follow up

Listening Clarifying Encouraging Reflecting Presenting Problem Negotiating Directing Standardizing Reinforcing Solving Mentoring Strategies

Coaching Practice Prepare a conversation that is reflective in nature for this teacher in the video. Use the topic you identified earlier. Pair off in teams of two and orally rehearse the reflective conversation with one another. One person be the advisor and the other the teacher in the video. Change roles.

Reflection What are your thoughts about the experience you have just had with the walk- through observations and the reflective conversations?