Going on a Walk…
A LEARNING WALK
with
Reflective Questioning
Presented by Kevin McCune
The Cliff Notes Version
Before we get started

Small learning groups by stickers

Introductions

Why are you in this session?

What are your expectations?
How Things Have Changed
Baby Boomers: Then and Now
• Then: Long hair
Now: Longing for hair
• Then: A KEG
Now: An EKG
• Then: Acid rock
Now: Acid reflux
• Then: Seeds and stems
Now: Roughage
• Then: A President's
struggle with Fidel
Now: A President's struggle
with fidelity
• Then: Getting out to a new,
hip joint
Now: Getting a new hip joint
• Then: Watching John Glenn's
historic flight with your
parents
Now: Watching John Glenn's
historic flight with your kids
• Then: Trying to look like
Marlon Brando or Elizabeth
Taylor
Now: Trying not to look like
Marlon Brando or Elizabeth
Taylor
• Then: Hoping for a BMW
Now: Hoping for a BM
Questions
• Is it difficult for secondary teachers to open
their doors and allow other teachers to see
what is happening? Discuss
• What will it take to get secondary teachers
to welcome the idea of planning and sharing
together?
• Why do we not have a common system in
place for teachers to observe, reflect and
discuss best practices? Or do we?
• What are some of the obstacles in our way
that prohibit us from establishing learning
communities in secondary?
If you could change one behavior
about your teachers, what would it
be?
What are Learning Walks?
• Learning Walks are organized visits to a school’s
learning areas to focus on:
– How teachers teach; and
– How students learn
• Learning Walks focus in on certain instructional
principles to improve teaching such as:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Questioning strategies
Classroom management
Differentiated instruction
Cooperative learning
Wait time
Classroom Ecology
• Learning Walks allow for Reflection
What is Reflective Questioning?
Reflective questioning allows for:
• A way to initiate dialogue about
improvement in teaching and learning;
• A way to look back at what happened;
• A way to look at what you learned; and
• A way to look forward and anticipate
what’s coming up
Reflective Practice
• A desirable outgrowth of reflection is
new or deeper understanding and
insights.
• Consideration for new forms of action.
• Easier to build bridges between theory
and practice.
• Personal responsibility for learning and
improvement.
Taken from Reflective Practice to Improve Schools: An Action Guide for Educators. YorkBarr, J., Sommers, W., Ghere,G. and Montie, J. (2001)
Agree or Disagree
“Adults do not learn
from experience, they
learn from processing
experience.”
Reflecting on Teaching
Why?
• Educators, as well as researchers,
recognize that the ability to reflect on
teaching is the mark of a true
professional.
• It is through critical reflection that
teachers are able to assess the
effectiveness of their work and take
steps to improve it.
What are the purposes of
Learning Walks?
• Learning Walks serve to:
– Develop a learning community
– Develop a deep understanding of teaching and
learning;
– Develop a shared vision of every child in every
classroom enabled to meet or exceed high
standards;
– Assist in “coaching” for improved practice;
– Reflect on professional practice; and
– Gain new insights and understanding.
Why do we advocate
Learning Walks and
Reflective Questioning?
•Gain a sense of the current state of instruction
and learning.
•Enable educators to share strategies with one
another
•Create a system of excellence in teaching and
learning
•Facilitates discussion and reflection on what is
working well
•Continuous learning and improvement
How do Learning Walks fit with
Professional Learning Communities?
Turn to your LG and discuss this question?
• Allows for deep introspection.
• Discussion of best practices.
• Implementation of effective strategies.
• Feedback
• Self motivated to learn more
Top 10 Thoughts to Ponder…
10. Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?
9. Why are there flotation devices under plane seats
instead of parachutes?
8. How does the guy who drives the snowplow get to
work in the mornings?
7. Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways?
6. You know that little indestructible black box that is
used on planes, why can't they make the whole plane
out of the same substance?
5. Why is it that when you're driving and looking for an
address, you turn down the volume on the radio?
4. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be
without sponges.
3. Experience is something you don't get until just after
you need it.
2. Ever wonder if illiterate people get the full effect of
alphabet soup?
The number 1 thought to ponder
• The statistics on sanity are that one out
of every four Americans is suffering from
some form of mental illness. Think of your
three best friends. If they are okay, then
it's you.
Learning Walks
Six Steps






Step 1- Observe teaching and learning
Step 2- Focus on instructional techniques
Step 3- Notice level of learner engagement
Step 4- Survey classroom ecology
Step 5- Analyze data collected
Step 6- Reflection
What groups may participate
in Learning Walks?
• Department Heads
• Teachers
• Curriculum and
Instructional
Specialists
• Content
Coordinators
Who is not included in this list?
Questions to ask before
a scheduled walk

How will you select the classrooms to
visit?
– Master teachers, veteran teachers, any teacher
who is a master of a particular focus area

Who will participate and why?
– Novice teachers, teachers in need of help,
teachers requested by principal, master
teachers, and veteran teachers
Questions to ask before
a scheduled walk

What will be the focus for the walk?
– One focus area such as questioning, or
engagement activities

What is the role of students and how
can they effectively be involved?
– Talk with students, ask questions, feel them out

How will teachers be notified?
– Classrooms to visit, focus areas addressed,
participants
How do we involve teachers in the
Learning Walk Process?


Small groups of teachers will accompany
the Curriculum Coordinator on a Learning
Walk during their conference period.
A “Learning Walk Data Collection Chart”
will be used to collect data.

Pre-walk discussion for participants

Assign a focus when observing.
What protocols are followed?
 Orientation of staff
 Orientation of walkers
 Classroom visits for 10 minutes
 Examine artifacts and student work
 Hall talk
 Debriefing
 Written or verbal communication with
teachers
When we leave a classroom,
what do we talk about?
• We talk about:
– Evidence of Best Practices in:
•The lesson
•The student assignment
•Student work products
– What the students said in
response to questions about
their work and learning displays
When we leave a classroom,
what do we talk about?
-Level of questioning
-What the students were learning.
-How the teacher assists the
learning.
-What the students said in
response to questions.
-Ideas, strategies, and/or
techniques that were used
effectively.
What are the parameters of the
conversation that walkers engage in?


We do NOT:
 Make judgmental statements about what the teacher
was or was not doing.
 Make disparaging statements about the teacher, the
students or the classroom; and make comments which
could be interpreted as being critical of the school.
 Use the information for PDAS documentation purposes.
We Do:
 Observe and find strategies and techniques that walkers
can incorporate in their own class
 Reflect on best practices and how to incorporate them.
What occurs after a Learning Walk?
The observers will debrief immediately
after the classroom visit. The curriculum
specialist will lead a discussion while the
observer(s) complete the reflection form.
 Self reflection
 The observers should come away with
ideas, strategies, and/or techniques that
can be used effectively in the classroom
and a deeper understanding on how to
improve instruction.

WE ARE THERE
TO SUPPORT
TEACHING AND
LEARNING
Not to evaluate.
Step by Step
► Pre-walk
discussion
► Learning Walk in classrooms- 7-10 minutes
► Debrief in Hallway- 2 minutes
► Learning Walk in classrooms- 7-10 minutes
► Debrief in Hallway- 2 minutes
► Reflection for walkers- 15 minutes
► Reflective question for classroom teacher15 minutes
Reflective Question for
Classroom Teacher
► Ask
participants if they would like to ask the
classroom teacher a question.
► The Curriculum Coordinator will then write the
classroom teacher a reflective question. (see
handout)
► This is done in a non-judgmental or evaluative
manner.
► Avoid using the word “you” and “why” when framing
the question.
► Use open ended questions that allow for reflection in
the present tense.
Sample Question
► Teaching
Practice: strategies for
developing responsibility and accountability
RQ: When planning a daily lesson for students
with varying skill levels, what factors should
we consider when deciding on the strategies
needed to assist students in becoming
responsible and accountable in their work?
Pre-walk Discussion
• Each participant is given a Learning Walk Data
Collection Chart
• Discussion on the chart
• Protocol is discussed
• What we do and not do during a walk
• Possible scenarios are examined
• Discussion of “Look Fors”
Capturing Data
• Using the Learning Walk Data Chart,
walkers will collect data.
• To capture data, walkers will listen to the
teacher and students, observe actions of all
participants, and talk to students and
teacher when appropriate.
• Ask probing questions of students.
• Look at the classroom ecology.
Student Questions: What might you ask?
• When talking with a student during a
walk, what are some questions you might
ask?
• Your intention is to seek out if they
understand what the teacher is trying to
teach and communicate.
• Turn to your neighbor and discuss the
type of questions?
Possible Questions of Students
•
•
•
•
“What is the purpose of the lesson?”
“Why are you doing this assignment?”
“How is this lesson useful to you?”
“Can you explain what it is you are
working on?”
• “Can you tell me how you know if you are
correct?”
Debrief in Hallway
Ask each walker:
 Are you missing data?
 Did you see any Ah-Ahs?
 Are you ready to move on?
In LCISD before Learning Walks
 3 out of 8 secondary campuses had teachers
visit another class.
 Teachers go alone and observe
 After the visit, teachers would write a thank
you note and two positives observed to the
classroom teacher.
Is this a productive action?
 Discuss why the action of a teacher going
alone into a class to observe and not having
the opportunity to reflect and discuss, might
be counter-productive?
Redneck Medical Terms
• Benign >>>>>>
• Barium >>>>>>
• Post
Operative >>>
• Impotent >>>
• Nitrates >>>>
• Labor Pain >>>
• Duct Tape >>>
What you be after you be eight
What doctors do when patients die
A secret letter carrier
Distinguished, well known
Cheaper than day rates
Getting hurt at work
Suture on a roll
San Lorenzo HS
A Case Study

3 Big Areas of Focus
1. Clear Expectations
2. Academic Rigor in a Thinking Curriculum
3. Accountable Talk
Reflection

Take a few minutes to discuss with
your LG about how Learning Walks
might impact teaching and learning in
your district.
References
•
Danielson, Charlotte, (2007). Enhancing Professional Practice; A Framework for
Teaching. ASCD, Alexandria, VA.
•
Hill, Kristen & Mann, Jasbir (n.d.). Introducing Learning Walks.
•
National College for School Leadership, 2005. Networked Learning Walks tools and
templates. Located at www.ncsl.uk.
•
Richardson, Joan (2001). Tools for Schools. Seeing Through New Eyes.
•
San Lorenzo High School. Learning Walks. http://www.slvhs.slv.k12.ca.us/walks.htm.
•
Teachscape, 2006. Classroom Walkthroughs: With Reflective Practice. Found at
www.teachscape.com.
•
Wagner, Tony (2006). Education Week. Rigor on Trial.
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/clg/pdfs/rigorontrialedweek.pdf
http://networkedlearning.ncsl.org.uk/collections/nexus/issue-pnsln/nexus-se-pnslnintroducing-learning-walks.pdf
http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/tools/tools10-01rich.cfm
Any Questions?
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•
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Kevin McCune
Lamar CISD
832-223-0142
kmccune@lcisd.org