An Early Recap of 2013-14: Classroom Walkthroughs

Digesting 716 Classroom Walkthroughs

Throughout the 2013-14 school year I have had the opportunity to report out how Waukesha North High School High School is progressing in the components 2e Organizing Physical Space, 3a Communicating with Students, 3b Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques, 3c Engaging Students in Learning, and 3d Using Assessment in Instruction.

This information collected is used as a formative tool with teachers and will assist our professional developmental needs going into the 2014-15 school year. It also helps guides conversations with individual teachers on how their instructional practices continue to evolve  to proficient and distinguished levels in the components. 

Celebrations

1.  As of May 19, 2014 Waukesha North had completed 716 classroom walkthroughs.  After each visit, evidence was shared with teachers  along with reflective feedback.  This allowed for ongoing feedback and reflection for teachers.

2.  Waukesha North teachers.  In my 6 years at North, it has been amazing to see the transformation that has taken place with teachers and their willingness to reflect and improve instructional practices on behalf of students.  Historically, Waukesha North has had a culture of staff members creating positive relationships with students.  Thankfully, that tradition has not changed.  Adding a layer of sound instructional practice and rigor have helped better prepare students to be both college and career ready.  North is well on its way to move from "Good to Great."

3. On-going walkthroughs have allowed for purposeful dialogue between the teacher and effectiveness coach and/or evaluator.  Using the Danielson framework as our guide has helped transform instructional practices as classroom walkthroughs have become part of the fabric at Waukesha North.  Gone are the days in which a visit to a classroom would solicit a surprised look from the teacher.  

4.  3A:  Communication with students.  This is clearly a strength at North in which 73% of the walkthroughs were scored as proficient or distinguished.  This is certainly something to build on as teachers strive to be proficient in all of the observable components (domains 2 and 3).

                                                                                    Next Steps:

1.  Using Questioning and Discussion techniques (3B) will be made a priority going into next school year with targeted professional development with teachers.  While we had some encouraging results in individual classrooms, we had only 41% were rated as either proficient or distinguished.  The good news is that we have many classrooms who are moving in that direction with this component.    

2.  We need to continue to develop a collaborative culture at North.  The power of teachers getting into each other classrooms can not be denied.  This is such a powerful strategy that needs to be tapped into.

3.  During the 2014-15 school year, the School District of Waukesha will be using the reflect portion of Teachscape.   This platform will allow for on-going dialogue between teachers, effectiveness coaches and/or evaluators.  This will streamline the process of collecting evidence to use with teachers as a formative tool to improve practice in an efficient manner.

4. We need to continue to strength the structures  that support a model of providing teachers ongoing formative feedback.  In a nutshell, as leaders we need to make getting into classrooms the top priority.   Hopefully, we will be able to shatter the record of 716 in 2014-2015 school year!

Notes:

Framework for Teaching, Charlotte Danielson

The information in the bar graphs provides information on how our practices are moving towards proficient ("3") and distinguished ("4") levels in the classrooms  at Waukesha North High School as of May 29, 2014.