Working on WalkthroughsAnother Tool to Gather Evidence !

Barbara L. BarthelStark County Educational Service Center

2013

Are now a requirement of the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System OTES requires walkthroughs of each teacher in

the evaluation process. The term is plural; thus, according to OTES,

this means at least two walkthroughs per teacher per year.

The district determines the number and the specifics.

ODE provides some limited guidance in the OTES Training Workbook.

Walkthroughs

Ask some of your teachers to “allow you to practice” walkthroughs before the end of the school year or before you start the required process.

The more you walk-through, the better you will be at gathering evidence.

PRACTICE WALKTHROUGHS

Before you begin walkthroughs on a regular basis, teach your teachers the process.

This powerpoint is available to you and on the Stark County ESC website, Curriculum and Instruction, Building Leadership.

Let some of your staff try walk-throughs with you!

Partner up with another administrator to help process the strategy.

TRAIN YOUR TEACHERS!

The more structured your walkthrough, the less threatening your walkthrough!

The more structured your walkthrough, the easier your walkthrough.

The more structured your walkthrough, the better your walkthrough.

You and your district determine the structure.

BOTTOM LINE: Walkthroughs help an administrator to discover evidence!

From the point of view of OTES (ODE)

The Basics of Walkthroughs

Minimum TWO walkthroughs per teacher per year: Number beyond two is determined by the district.

Walkthroughs are under thirty minutes. (Observations are thirty minutes or more.)

ODE: Ohio Teacher Evaluatiaon System (OTES)

OTES Resources

Tool to informProcess for targeted evidence-based feedbackMeans to visit classrooms more frequently

OTES RESOURCES

Not a “gotcha!”Not a formal observation!Not an isolated event!Not a shortcut for the evaluation!

Informally observe all teachers. Informally observe as often as you can. Focus on one or two areas. (Structure) Make time to follow up. Ask for teacher input (on time and focus). Gather qualitative and quantitative data.

Guidance from OTES

From the point of view of others Researchers Publishers Other administrators ETC.

The Basics of Walkthroughs

CWTs help determine the effectiveness of curriculum implementation.

CWTs provide a way to talk with teachers about improvement in teaching and learning.

CWTs provide a way to better align curriculum and instruction on a day-to-day basis.

CWTs provide a way to “inspect what you expect.”

CWTs provide a tool to enhance classroom visits.

Research and Practice Backs Classroom Walkthroughs!

LOTS OF MODELSManage-ment by Walking Around

24/7

Three-MinuteWalk-through

LearningRounds

Higher student achievement across social-economic and cultural lines (Andrews, Solder, and Jacoby, 1986; Heck, 1991, 1992; and more . . . .)

Improved classroom instruction (Teddlie, Kirby, and Springfield, 1989)

Improved student discipline (Blasé, 1987; Blasé, 1991)

Schools where the tenets of walkthroughs are practiced have

A focused classroom visit for a brief period of time followed by reflection

What is a Classroom Walkthrough?

More visibility of the principal in the classroom.

More evidence of the principal as the “lead learner.”

Identification of best practices. Evidence of effective teaching. Evidence of student learning and

achievement. A school-wide reflective practice.

What are the goals?

One CWT should take no more

than two to four minutes!

Classroom Walkthrough

Step 1: Snapshot of Teaching and Learning

Step 2: Identification of Instructional Learning

Step 3: Assessment of Learner Engagement

Step 4: Survey of Learning Environment

After the Walk . . .Step 5: Analysis of Information CollectedStep 6: Reflection with Teacher

T1 Teaching objective and learning expectation

T2 Target

T3 Taxonomy

T4 Text and/or materials T

T1What was the objective of the lesson? How did you know?

T2 What is the grade level/course level?

How did you determine this?

T3 Bloom’s? What verbs?

T4 Text/Materials?

List observable instructional strategies.

IS What strategies? High Yield?

Look for student engagement in the learning process:Is it authentic, ritual,

passive? High, medium, low?

LE Learner

engagement cues?

“Walk the walls”

. . . and the desks, tables, floors,

resources, technology

SLE What stood out? Grade-level work?

CheckAlignment of the 4 T’s

ReviewInstructional StrategyLearner EngagementLearning Environment

What is one new learning or realization from the walk-

through?

“. . . the ability to look back and make sense of what happened and what you learned. But it’s also the ability to look forward, to anticipate what’s coming up and what you need to do to prepare.”

Sommers, 2001

“Adults do not learn from experience, they learn from processing

experience.”Arin-Krupp as cited in Garmston and Wellman, 1997, p.1

Continuous learning and improvement requires

embedding the norm of reflective practice in

your work.Reflective Practice to Improve SchoolsYourk-Barr, Sommers, Chere, Montie

A deliberate pause A purposeful time for a close look A willingness to be open to other points of

view Consciously processing your thoughts Gaining new insights and understanding ACTION with what has been learned

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE STAGES OF IMPLEMENTATION

IndividualReflection

Partner and Small Group Reflection

Schoolwide Reflection

Adapted from Reflective Practice to Improve Schools, Yourk-Barr, Sommers, Chere, Montie

Reflective Feedback

Within 24 hoursNo longer than 4

minutes

Compare the OTES rubric with these walkthrough steps?

What is the same? What is different? Do you see the benefits?

Align to OTES???

TAILOR TO YOUR NEEDS! What are you focusing on?

Content area reading strategies?

Differentiated activities? Cooperative learning

opportunities? Writing across the

curriculum?

You can focus your walkthroughs to suit your needs!

Check out the various apps and software programs that can easily manage your walkthroughs.

Check with other districts and schools to see their progress and what they are using. Learn from each other!

Inform your teachers! The more they know, the more they will accept the change; in fact, some may beg you to stop by and see the good things going on!

Paper/Pencil? Technology?