Learning Walk

High Levels of Learning for All Students

Quality Instruction in Every Classroom
Skillful Leadership Throughout the School and District

Why have Learning Walks?

Reinforces attention to an instructional focus on teaching and

learning.
Gather data about instructional practice and students learning to
supplement other data about school and student performance.
Stimulate collegial conversation about teaching and learning
through asking questions about what evidence is and isnt
observed.
Learn from other participants through their observations,
questions, experiences, and perspectives.
Deepen understanding and practices by continuous feedback and
monitoring of school growth.
Deepen understandings and practices related to continuous
improvement.
Focuses the schools work on school learning goals, instructional
practices, and students learning.
Provides feedback to the schools stakeholders and helps
maintain momentum and focus on teaching and learning.

Who Conducts a Learning Walk?

A Learning Walk is conducted by a
group of people who are both
external and internal eyes of a
building. A team consists of 3-4
teachers who rotate on and off the
team, working with the principal and
external observers.

Determining a Focus

The school determines the focus of the Learning

Walk. It could be around a hidden skill such as
Vocabulary, writing explanations, or around
strategies for learning.

A school that wants to conduct a Learning Walk,

should have deep conversations about what
teachers will do to improve student achievement.
In those discussions, teachers must be clear
about what is expected of them, what is expected
to happen in each classroom, and principals need
to ensure that teachers are provided with
professional learning opportunities to help them
make necessary changes.

Preparation
Time: 30 Minutes

Assemble members of the learning walk .

The principal and learning team identifies the
Learning Focus for the Walk, classrooms which
will be visited, and why these classrooms have
been selected.
The principal or teacher leader guides the
discussion to identify the evidence needed to
support the focus. One member records look
fors on chart paper.
Team members determine who will look for each
type of evidence.

Learning Walk
Time: 50 minutes
5 X 10 for ten minutes
5 classrooms

Team members (working in teams of two) enter the

classroom at the same time. Team members do
not speak to each other during the classroom visit.
Team members remain unobtrusive unless
directed to speak with students directly or to
examine student work.
Team members make notes about their focus or
assigned look fors.
At the end of ten minutes, team members leave the
classroom and meet together for a short
debriefing.

Debriefing- Outside the Classroom

Time:

5 minutes
Team members move down the hallway
and away from the observed classroom.
Team members quickly share their
observations, remember to keep their
voices down as classes are in session.
Team members proceed to the next
classroom.

DebriefingFinal
Time: 45 minutes

Team assembles in a quiet meeting place.

Each visitor shares his/her observations providing
evidence collected and an overview of what they saw.
The team identifies trends, patterns, areas of strength and
areas for growth.
The principal makes notes on the discussion and collects
feedback.
The team offers recommended next steps for the school.
The principal and teachers involved present the findings to
the school staff for discussion and together the school
determines next steps in meeting school learning goals

How often should I conduct a

Learning Walk?
Formal

Learning Walks should be

held at least once a month; however,
the principal within the building
should conduct informal learning
walks or 5 x10s every week. That is
to say a principal within the building
should visit 5 classrooms for ten
minutes every week to keep a pulse
on the schools growth and progress.

Learning Walks are NOT Evaluative

Many teachers are reluctant to have any visitors in their

classroom, therefore it is important for the administration
to lay the foundation and establish a clear purpose of the
learning walks. The learning walks are not evaluative and
the focus is on monitoring school goals, not individuals. It
is important to keep teachers well informed about the
overall focus of the school and the goals the school is
working on. The staff should understand the learning
walks are part of the school improvement efforts and part
of staff development. The learning walk it not intended to
be gotchas. Because they are brief, the learning walks
are designed to gain and overview of the overall schools
performance in working toward school improvement goals.