Learning Walks
USING THE 5 DIMENSIONS OF
TEACHING AND LEARNING
LEARNING TO SEE,
UNLEARNING TO JUDGE
DR. MARCI SHEPARD
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Developing Expertise to Improve Instruction:
A Two-Part Equation
 1. Developing a common language and
shared vision for high quality instruction –
the better we see, the better we are able to
lead.
 2. Developing greater expertise in leading
for instructional improvement – the better
we lead, the better we are able to improve
teaching practice and thus learning for all
students.
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Purpose for the Day
Learning Target:
We are developing a common
understanding of the 5 Dimensions of
Teaching and Learning (5D), with a focus on
student engagement, and using our shared
understanding of effective instruction to
analyze classroom practice.
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Your Picture of an Effective Classroom
 Imagine you just walked into what you
consider to be an effective classroom in a
school.
 In words and/or pictures, illustrate what you
are seeing and/or hearing that makes you
believe it is an effective learning culture.
Chart  Post  Share
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
5D Overview: Jigsaw
5D Guide and Key Elements handout
 Break up into 4 groups
 Each group is assigned one dimension
 Read about your assigned dimension.
Capture the main ideas and share out.
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Student Engagement
High level intellectual work
• Reflects thinking and work of the discipline
• Student-owned
Engagement strategies and structures
• Support equitable access and expectation that
all participate
Talk (substance)
• Opportunities for students to develop, test,
and refine their thinking
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Your Picture of an Effective Classroom
Connect/Extend/Challenge
• Connect: What connections did you see or
hear between your description of an effective
classroom and the brief description of the
5Ds?
• Extend: What extended your
thinking?
• Challenge: What challenged
your thinking?
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Digging into Engagement
When we examine student engagement
using the 5D, we consider:
What evidence do we have that
students are engaged in learning?
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Seeing Levels of Engagement
Read: How Students Respond to School Tasks
Discuss at your tables:
 In thinking about each level of engagement,
what are some of the hallmarks of student
behaviors?
 How do these levels of engagement reflect what
you see in your schools?
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Critical Elements of Student Engagement
• Circle 3-5 key words/a phrase from the
vision statements or guiding questions.
• Explain to a partner your rationale about
the selection of words/phrase.
• Agree on one set of words/phrase. Write
it on your paper with your justification.
• Post it on our Student Engagement
chart.
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Student Engagement:
What Do You Hope to See?
Thinking about the critical elements you
discussed and what you’ve learned, what
would you hope to see and hear if these
were present in a classroom?
Chart
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Learning to See,
Unlearning to Judge
COLLECT DESCRIPTIVE DATA
COLLECT DATA THAT IS:
•DESCRIPTIVE, NOT EVALUATIVE:
JUST THE FACTS!
•SPECIFIC
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Description with Judgment
• “The teacher read from a book that was
not at the appropriate level for the class”
• “There was too much time on discussion,
not enough time on work.”
• “The students conducted a sophisticated
lab experiment.”
What are the judgment words?
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Description without Judgment
• “Student 1 asked student 2: What are we
supposed to write down?” Student 2
said: I don’t know.
• Students looked at directions in the text
and then made circuit boards.
• Teacher introduced the concept of
fractions and students began a hands-on
activity.
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Specificity of Evidence
• “The teacher read a story to the children”
•
•
•
•
Vs.
T. read aloud using text Click, Clack, Moo
Sts. Sat on rug in front of rm.
T qs (ie “What do you think this book is
about?” & “Why did the chickens post notes
on the barn door?”)
T. around rm. To listen to the st. responses.
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Classroom Observation
Factual vs. Evaluative scripting
• Evidence:
• Describe
• Count
• Script
Be as specific as possible.
What are the teacher and students saying or doing?
Observation vs. Interpretation
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Observe
Observation Forms
http://www.successatthecore.com/teacher
_development_featured_video.aspx?v=33
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Reflection on Observation
• Highlight the key “noticings” related to the
dimension of engagement.
• Share 1-2 noticings with table group
• Based upon your noticings and what you
had hoped to see (charted information),
what are 1-2 “wonderings”?
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Pre-Briefing
PROBLEM OF PRACTICE &
KEY QUESTIONS
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Prepare for Learning Walk
•SCHEDULE
•OBSERVATION FORMS
•DIVIDE INTO 3 GROUPS (A,B&C)
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Recreate the Lessons:
Use Evidence
oFIRST PART
oSECOND PART
oTHIRD PART
Be as specific as possible.
What are the teacher and students saying or doing?
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Implications and Next Steps
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012
Reflect
WHAT WE LEARNED:
•IMPLICATIONS FOR MY OWN LEARNING
•IMPLICATIONS FOR SYSTEM LEARNING
HOW WE LEARNED:
•REFINING THE PROCESS FOR NEXT
TIME
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teaching, Learning & Assessment  2011-2012