1. St Peter’s School, Epping
Learning Walks…
St Peter’s School, Epping

2. What is a Learning Walk?
Learning Walks are a collegial activity where teams collect evidence of progress to determine a focus or improvement in learning and teaching.
They are intended to be constructive and help school communities better understand how teachers teach, learners learn and how best to progress learning. 

3. Rationale
Learning walks are part of our professional practice at St Peter's school. They are an essential component of our strategic plan that provides learning and professional growth for all teachers. Learning walks form a cycle of collaborative inquiry related to teaching and learning foci identified in our school Annual Action Plan. They provide an opportunity to gather data about teaching practice and student learning and are evidence based to allow for collegial conversations.
Learning walks allow for continuous improvement through feedback and therefore the school revisits previous foci, observations and wonderings
All teachers will have the opportunity to be walkers or hosts as we work towards our goal of improving learning outcomes for all students
The observations and wonderings in the feedback letter will inform the future direction in literacy learning to be developed at literacy PLTs with Literacy leaders, level planning and incorporated into the professional learning opportunities. Observations and wonderings from numeracy learning walks will form foci for numeracy staff meetings, level planning, PLTs and school closure days and facilitated by the numeracy and T&L coordinator.
Learning Walks have been developed in RE and Contemporary Learning.

4. Process
Learning walks are scheduled 2-3 times a term with the focus related to identified learning areas in the school’s Annual Action Plan.
Teachers are invited to host other teachers (walkers) to observe practice in the classroom related to a specific focus. There is a continuous cycle of teachers being either hosts or walkers.
After the learning walk is completed the lead walker writes the feedback letter and sends it to all staff members

5. Process (cont’d)
Feedback letter to all teachers. Leaders are to be familiar with the observations and wonderings and ensure these are understood and being actioned by class teachers.
Opportunities to implementation of wonderings- level planning, individual conversations/planning with teachers, induction of new teachers process, classroom walkthroughs, PLTs, WMH (observation sessions, goal setting), professional learning wheels.
Evidence of learning for continuous improvement and professional development will be through improvement in student learning outcomes as identified in data tracking, PATR and PATM testing, SINE screening tests and interviews, classroom teacher monitoring and peer observations, classroom programs, NAPLAN data, observations from related learning walks.

6. Learning Walks 2013 Term 1 Focus: Religious Education
 Date: Thursday 14 March, pm
 Focus of the observations: (Arising from wonderings in previous RE learning walk)
In what ways can we personalise learning for our students in Religious Education using the Contemporary Learning Schema to support, enable and engage our students’ Catholic identity within an evolving globalised world?
 Links to AAP
To engage all students in contemporary learning.
Professional learning for all teachers in engaging, contemporary learning opportunities in Religious Education (St Peter’s is part of professional learning in CEOM initiative- ‘Learning and Teaching in a Contemporary Catholic School’
Enhance Religious Education using Contemporary Learning Framework
Teachers’ capacity to plan, implement and assess RE will be expanded.
Ensure assessment for learning opportunities aimed at developing students’ understandings of our Catholic faith story are part of the planning cycle in RE
Walkers: Teresa, Emily, Alison H, Olivia
Hosts: Sarah P, Maj, Narelle, Chris

7. Learning Walk Term 2 Focus: Oral Language/ Listening and Speaking
Date: Day 1: Monday 3 June Prep- Year 2
Day 2: Tuesday 4 June: Years 3-6
Focus of the observations for this walk:
How do we ensure the engagement of all students through powerful teaching and learning opportunities that incorporate contemporary tools, technology and developmental thinking strategies in authentic and purposeful oral language/ speaking and listening experiences that support reading comprehension?
 Links to AAP:
Develop teachers’ understandings of instructional strategies in literacy with a particular emphasis on Reading
Provide a broad range of developmental listening and speaking activities
Develop teachers’ capacity to provide students with opportunities for differentiated learning by rigorous analysis of data
students in Years 3-6 learning tracked using AUSVELs learning focus as basis of developing foci
Pat R online formative assessment analysed at PLTs and used to set foci and matched learning experiences.
Data tracking wall P-2 in reading to ensure student progress.
Learning walks focused on contemporary literacies in reading

8. Learning Walk- Term 3 Date: Day 1- Tuesday 6 August
Day 2- Wednesday 7 August
Focus of the observations:
How do we effectively use contemporary learning opportunities to differentiate the learning for students in Maths by effectively tracking, recording, monitoring and using student learning to direct and inform future teaching and learning?
Rationale- Links to Annual Action Plan:
Develop clear understanding of the curriculum demands across each year level from Prep to Year 6 to direct our planning
SINE data, PatM online and assessment schedule tasks as a means of being evidence informed about students’ learning
Data tracking in numeracy using visual model.
Whole school mathematics approach is implemented.
Learning walks P-6 to continue supporting peer observation and goal setting from wonderings.
Contemporary units of work include directed, real life problems, games, structured activities and open ended problems

9. Learning Walk-Term 4 Contemporary Learning: Pedagogy vs Practice
Date: Wednesday 30 October, 2013
Focus of the observations:
What evidence do we have that the Contemporary Learning Framework is supporting and enabling students in powerful teaching and learning within a flexible learning environment?
Rationale- links to AAP and CL wonderings:
To explore pedagogy within the context of the Contemporary Learning Framework
To observe and identify elements of the Contemporary Learning Schema within everyday practice
To discuss how learning experiences are optimised through the use of technology within the flexible learning spaces.
To further develop teacher knowledge and expertise so that they are confident users of contemporary tools.
To promote opportunities that allow student voice to personalise learning.
To utilise iPad minis to capture vision and audio during the walk  

10. Where does it fit?
Learning walks are used at St Peter’s to monitor our Annual Action Plan and to ensure improved student outcomes in all areas.
They are focused on a range of areas and a range of year levels (at some stage all teachers will have the opportunity to be involved as both a walker and a host).
Each walk will lead us on to another focus… the wonderings become the focus.

11. What is it really like?
What was it like when the walkers were in your room?
How did you find the feedback session?
Did the feedback letter give you future directions or get you thinking about your teaching and learning in your classroom?
Was the process a positive and worthwhile experience?

12. INSIGHTS
Ver
Very focused with a strong evidence base that provides future direction in teaching and learning. It is an affirming experience that promotes collegiality
WOW! A positive experience where I learnt so much from what others are doing in their classrooms!
Being a walker first helped me feel comfortable with being a host!
I was nervous at first about being a host but the feedback was so positive. I felt supported by my peers in what I am doing with my students.
The strong protocols made it a safe experience for me.

13. Protocols and Anti Harassment
Thoughts, Feelings, Wonderings?
Protocols and Anti Harassment