LODDON MALLEE REGION LEARNING WALKS A Professional Learning Tool
IMPLEMENTATION SETTING UP A set focus for the Learning Walk must firstly be established. The focus should be clearly articulated and linked to professional learning and school priorities. Evidence of the focus must be observable in classrooms. A Walking Team should then be set-up. The Walking Team consists of 3-4 walkers with one designated Lead Walker. Any staff member can take part in Learning Walks but it is recommended that a leadership representative is involved. Next you need to select classrooms to visit. Remember that the Learning Walk obtains a snapshot of the learning at the school, so consider how many classrooms you can visit in the allocated time to gather enough evidence to reflect on. All staff are briefed on the process, purpose and protocols of a Learning Walk. Each staff member will be given a Learning Walk brochure and encouraged to ask and discuss any questions and concerns. A Learning Walk will take approximately 1hr 45min PRE WALK DISCUSSION- 15 minutes This should take place just prior to the classroom visits. All walkers involved should have a clear understanding of: Protocols and purpose Timetable Focus of the walk- brainstorming possible observations to link to focus Names of the walkers Classrooms to be visited Date and time of whole school reflection All walkers should be given a Learning Walk Handbook with appropriate templates for gathering evidence during the walk. CLASSROOM VISITS- 1 hour TIME 10 minutes in each classroom (4 classrooms) 5 minutes corridor talk in between each classroom PROCESS The walkers visit each classroom for 10 minutes. They look & listen to the learning and take notes on any evidence that links to the focus. Walkers may speak to students and teachers only if the learning allows for such interactions. Any discussion should be brief and unobtrusive. When walkers leave each classroom, they meet for 5 minutes outside of the classroom to share observations. The evidence that is cited must be specific to the focus. This is not a time for open discussion or judgements. POST WALK DISCUSSION- 30 minutes At the end of the classroom visits, all walkers convene for a debriefing session. They share the observations collected and identify any patterns which may have emerged. Wonderings may then be formulated based on the evidence. Conclusions are not formed. All evidence and wonderings are collated by the Lead Walker. VISITED TEACHERS REFLECTION- Optional Feedback may be shared with classroom teachers visited prior to whole staff reflection. These teachers are asked to read and discuss feedback as a team, identify trends to direct future development. WHOLE STAFF REFLECTION Within one week of the Learning Walk, the collated evidence and wonderings are shared with whole staff to identify trends and direct future development.
LEAD WALKER The Lead Walker s role is extremely important! THE LEAD WALKER SHOULD BE SKILLED IN: Distinguishing between cited evidence observed in the classroom and making unwarranted judgements or assumptions Crafting questions based on observations Managing time THE LEAD WALKER WILL ENSURE: All staff participate in the Pre-Walk Discussion All walkers are familiar with the focus of the walk and evidence to be collected All walkers have a copy of the handbook and observation templates All walkers are reminded of the protocols All walkers are on time and follow the correct process of a Learning Walk All discussions are based on evidence collected and are free of judgement and evaluation Collated feedback is shared with staff within one week of the walk WALKING TEAM THE WALKING TEAM WILL: Participate in Pre Walk Discussion Be familiar with the focus of the walk Have a copy of the handbook with observation templates Be mindful of the protocols Be mindful of time and process of Learning Walk Base discussions on evidence, free of judgement and evaluation May assist Lead Walker to share feedback with staff within one week of walk
GATHERING EVIDENCE The purpose of the classroom visit is to obtain a brief snapshot of the classroom in order to collect evidence based on the specific focus. Any observations that are documented should be free of any judgement. Learning Walks are a powerful tool to observe and develop common trends in classrooms. Evidence collected is determined by the focus and may include: The physical environment Student work examples Student discussions The classroom instruction and explicit focus Classroom organisation e.g. Management Boards Provision and use of resources Learning Tools Use of technology Assessment practices Student support displays e 5 domain/s PROTOCOLS A Lead Walker must be appointed to ensure all protocols are understood and time allocation is adhered to. Participating staff are involved in the Pre -Walk Discussion. Prior to the walk, teachers should explain to students that visitors will be entering the classroom. Walkers should wear nametags. Walkers must adhere to the focus of the walk. Walkers must refrain from making any judgemental comments. Walkers should not disrupt learning in the classroom. Walkers should not speak to one another whilst in the classroom. Individual observation templates must be shredded on completion of the Post Walk Discussion.
engage e 5 Learning Walk Template E5 Learning Walk Template The Teacher Do/Say/Make/Write Fosters positive relations with and between students Develops shared expectations for learning and interacting Stimulates interest and curiosity Promotes questioning Connects learning to real world experiences Structures tasks, elicits students prior knowledge and supports students to make connections to past learning experiences Presents a purpose for learning Determines challenging learning goals Makes assessment and performance requirements clear Assists students to consider and identify processes that will support the achievement of the learning goals STUDENT QUESTIONS Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 Are you interested in this task? Why/why not? How do you think this may help you in life? What is your goal for this task? What do you need to do to achieve this goal?
explore e 5 Learning Walk Template E5 Learning Walk Template The Teacher Do/Say/Make/Write Presents challenging tasks to support students to generate and investigate questions Gathers relevant information and develops ideas Provides tools and procedures for students to organise information and ideas Identifies students conceptions and challenges misconceptions Assists students to expand their perspectives and reflect on their learning STUDENT QUESTIONS Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 What are you learning today? How are you recording information? How are you going to reflect on this learning today?
explain e 5 Learning Walk Template E5 Learning Walk Template The Teacher Do/Say/Make/Write Provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their current level of understanding through verbal and non-verbal means Explicitly teaches relevant knowledge, concepts and skills Teaches the content in multiple ways Provides strategies to enable students to connect and organise new and existing knowledge Assist students to represent their ideas, using language and images to engage students in reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing Explicitly teaches the language of the discipline STUDENT QUESTIONS Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 What do you currently know and understand about what you are learning today? How are you going to explain your learning? How does this topic/goal connect to other things you have learnt? When do you think you will be able to practice this new learning again?
elaborate e 5 Learning Walk Template E5 Learning Walk Template The Teacher See/Do/Say/Make/Write Engages students in dialogue, continuously extending and refining students understanding Supports students to identify and define relationships between concepts and to generate principles or rules Selects contexts from familiar to unfamiliar, which progressively build the students ability to transfer and generalize their learning Supports students to create and test hypotheses and to make and justify decisions Monitor student understanding, providing feedback, and adjusting instruction accordingly STUDENT QUESTIONS Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 What are you learning today? How have you learnt this? What can you do to improve your learning? How will you know the learning is accurate?
evaluate e 5 Learning Walk Template E5 Learning Walk Template The Teacher Do/Say/Make/Write Supports students to continuously refine and improve their work using assessment criteria in preparation for a performance of understanding Formally records students progress against learning goals Provides feedback and assists students to evaluate their progress and achievements Supports students to reflect on their learning processes and the impact of effort on achievement Guides students to identify future learning goals STUDENT QUESTIONS Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 What have you learnt from this task? How do you know you have/or will be successful? What will you now do with this learning?
Acknowledgement to the many educators whose work we have drawn on. Loddon Mallee Region Literacy Improvement Team