1. Dana Fulmer & Andrew Taylor Ulster BOCES
CLASSROOM WALK-THROUGHS
FOR TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
Dana Fulmer & Andrew Taylor Ulster BOCES

2. WORKSHOP PURPOSES
To provide principals, assistant principals, mentor teachers, and others who coach teachers strategies for using a:
Structured classroom observation Walk-Through approach for technology
Introduction to technology standards
Reflective Inquiry about technology as a vehicle for maximizing student achievement

3. ULTIMATE GOALS Teachers continually willing to improve their teaching
Teachers who are committed to integrating technology for ever higher student achievement
Reflective, self-directed, self-analytical, interdependent teachers who examine their own practices

4. BACKGROUND THEORY
Shift away from conventional or congenial supervision toward collegial supervision
Collegial rather than a hierarchical relationship between teachers and supervisors
Focus on teacher development rather than teacher conformity
Facilitation of teachers collaborating with each other in instructional improvement efforts
Teacher involvement in on-going Reflective Inquiry

5. WALKTHROUGH OVERVIEW Short 2-4 minute informal observations
Data/Observation,1-2 minutes
Primary focus
Curriculum decisions
Instructional decisions
Evidence of student learning, if accessible
Notes for possible follow-up conversation,1-2 minutes
Follow-up conversations, 5-10 minutes
Short one-on-on “reflective” opportunities

6. CHANGE
Most POWERFUL change strategy— short 2-3 minute interactions on a single topic
Reflective Question for staff to ponder
To move toward ongoing reflective practice
To steadily increase student achievement

7. WHY: Validity of frequent sampling
Frequency of follow-up conversations and influence on changed behavior
Often lowers apprehension over time making formal observations more effective
See more people more often and widen perspective & influence
Expand teacher and coach/mentor repertoire of strategy--sharing

8. WHY: Identify common staff development needs
Ongoing support of staff development implementation
Continuous message
Reinforces instructional leadership
Walk the talk of district values (symbolic)
Surfaces “Red Flags”-possible problems calling for more frequent formal and informal observations

9. BEFORE YOU BEGIN:
Specify the Walk-through classroom observation purpose.
Student engagement
Curricular decisions
Instructional decisions
Technology Integration
Other?

10. STEPS IN OBSERVATION:
Curriculum: Determine curricular objectives and alignment to district curriculum and identify possible decision points for reflection
Instruction: Note instructional practices used and identify possible Decision Points for reflection
Instruction: Orientation of student to the work
[IF TIME]: “Walk the Walls” for more curricular and instructional decisions
Safety and Facilities: Happens naturally

11. ORIENTATION & CURRICULUM:
STEP ONE: ORIENTATION
Specify orientation of students to their work when you walk in the room
STEP TWO: CURRICULUM DECISION POINTS
Derives the curriculum objectives content being taught (knowledge, skill, concept, process)
Compare observed curriculum objective to any objectives listed or stated curriculum for congruence, if present
Compare taught curriculum to district curriculum for alignment

12. INSTRUCTIONAL DECISIONS:
Observe for subject specific effective teaching practices
Identify strategies being used on specific school/district focus, differentiation, writing, inquiry
e.g. technology integration
Look for instructional decisions rather than a particular checklist of skills

13. FROM DECISION TO PRACTICE:
TEACHER DECISION
TEACHING PRACTICE
Volunteer participation
Strategies for calling on students
Students working in groups
How groups are formed, assignments

14. WALK THE WALLS:
Specify other curricular objectives and instructional teaching practices observed via artifacts on walls, charts, chalkboard, centers, portfolios, etc.
What do the walls say? Can you tell what is important in this classroom, what is being learned?

15. REMEMBER… Look for DECISION POINTS of the teacher
Select possible follow-up conversation areas that might stretch the teacher
Not strengths & weaknesses
Purpose—to start them on a journey, to plant a seed

16. WHAT ARE YOUR QUESTIONS & THOUGHTS?

17. REFLECTION
At table, select a classroom and select one of the decisions observed
Name the related teaching practice(s)
Record on chart paper the decision and then the teaching practice
Be prepared to report examples and what you learned