Overview

1. Cobb County Classroom Walk-Through Overview

2. Overview • The purpose of the walk-through process • The timeline for the walk-through process • The look-fors in the walk-through process

3. Purpose • The purpose of the Cobb County Classroom Walk Through is to monitor curriculum and instruction on a day-to-day basis.

4. Purpose • In order to collect data on curriculum and instruction, the building administrators will focus primarily on the learners in the classroom rather than the teachers.

5. With a focus on student learning . . . • Collect school wide data through frequent, brief classroom visits with a focus on specific student learning “look-fors.” • Share collected trend data with staff as a means of fostering collaboration and reflective dialogue. • Use the trend data to assist in making decisions regarding continuous school improvement.

6. Where the tenets of Classroom Walk Through are practiced, schools report: • Improved instructional practices • Fewer discipline referrals • Increased student achievement

7. Classroom Walk-Through • …does not take the place of, nor is it part of the teacher appraisal process

8. Classroom Walk-Through • …is NOT intended for evaluation purposes.

9. 3 Types of Classroom Visits • Visible presence • Teacher evaluation • Informal observation • Formal observation • Classroom Walk-Through

10. MBWA (Management By Wandering Around) • Practiced by David Packard • Co-Founder of Hewlett-Packard and Sam Walton, Founder of Wal-Mart • Two of the top 10 CEO’s of all time. • (Fortune Magazine, July, 2003) • Takes on a new focus in Cobb…

11. Classroom Walk-Through • A way to better align curriculum and instruction on a day-to-day basis • A tool to enhance classroom visits • A systemic method of collecting real-time student learning data to inform PLC’s about teaching and learning

12. What will it look like in my classroom? • Administrator will enter the classroom and stay for two to four minutes • Administrator may interact with students (if it is not obtrusive to the lesson) and ask questions of the learners • Note: Administrators and schools should come up with a visual signal that the visit is a walk through

13. When will the walk through take place? • Holidays. Mondays. Fridays. • Mornings. Afternoons. • During tests. • Special occasions. • ALL classrooms. • As the bell rings.

14. Classroom Walk-ThroughTraining • Will assist teachers in… • Reflecting on learning • Reflecting on teaching practice • Aligning instruction • Improving student achievement

15. The Timeline • Prior to September 20, all teachers will see the overview powerpoint as principals introduce the process

16. The Timeline • During the first quarter, administrators will practice by walking each classroom 3 times (2 times/six weeks) • Administrators will practice analyzing the data but will not share with faculty

17. The Timeline • Beginning with the second quarter, principals will make classroom visits 3 times/quarter or 2 times/six week to collect “real data”

18. The Timeline • By the end of the first semester, principals should share the initial CWT data with faculty

19. The Timeline • The process will continue during the third and fourth quarters • 3 times/quarter • 2 times/six weeks • Data shared with faculty at “natural” PLC sessions

20. The Timeline • With the implementation of the Georgia Performance Standards, the focus of the Cobb County Classroom Walk Through for the 2006-2007 school year shall be on guaranteed curriculum.

21. What will we be looking for? • Guaranteed Curriculum: • Objective • Performance Task • Thinking (optional for 2006-2007) • Georgia Performance Standard

22. What will we be looking for? • Objective: Is it clear and evident “what” students are expected to learn? Can students articulate what they are learning (rather than doing)? We’re doing math. We’re doing page 47. We’re learning how to graph the slope of an equation. Note: see continuum of behaviors

23. What will we be looking for? • Performance Task: What are students doing? Are students active in their participation with a performance task? Does the activity align with the GPS? What is the action verb from the task?

24. What will we be looking for? • Thinking*: At what level of Bloom’s Taxonomy are students working? Are students working at the comprehension level? How often are our students at the level of analysis? *The collection of data on Bloom’s taxonomy may begin during this school year or may begin during the 2007-2008 school year.

25. What will we be looking for? • GPS: What is the GPS? Are students working on a grade-level GPS? Is there a match in action verbs?

26. What will we be looking for? • *Student Engagement: At what level of engagement are the students working? Are students authentically engaged? Are students compliant in the activities? Are students off-task? *The collection of data on engagement may begin during this school year or may begin during the 2007-2008 school year.

27. FAQ’s • Q: What will principals use to collect the student learning data during their walk through? • A: The walk through data may be collected on short forms (see example). Some administrators may be using a palm or pda unit to record data.

28. FAQ’s • Q: What will principals to with the data after they leave my classroom? • A: The walk through data from each classroom visit will be compiled with all other visits to look at trend data within the school, or disciplines or grade levels.

29. FAQ’s • Q: Will I have a chance to see the data? • A: Absolutely. Remember that the process will be “practiced” at the beginning of the year, so no data will be shared until the collection process is solidified. After that, schools will analyze the collected data during faculty meetings and PLC sessions.

30. FAQ’s • Q: Will I have a chance to see myown data? Will anyone else have access to my data? • A: No. The power of trend data lies in the analysis by grade level, team, discipline, department and whole school groups. Individual data is not saved.

31. FAQ’s • Q: Will I receive feedback after each visit? • A: No. Since the focus is not on teachers, there will not be individual teacher feedback. We are collecting trend data on our learners.

32. FAQ’s • Q: What happens to the sheet of paper that the principal uses during the visit to my classroom? • A: After the data is transferred into the school profile, the individual recording document is discarded. It will not go into anyone’s file.

33. FAQ’s • Q: How will I know that the principal is making a walk through rather than a visit to talk to me or see a student? • A: The principal and faculty should have an established visual cueing system.

34. FAQ’s • Q: What keeps this from becoming evaluative? • A: The system is designed to focus on learners. Additionally, there is no written record for individual classroom visits.

35. FAQ’s • Q: What if the principal observes something “wrong” in the classroom? • A: Obviously, if a student is misbehaving or there is inappropriate conduct in the classroom, the walk through will process will cease as the principal and teacher address the issue.

36. FAQ’s • Q: Why are we focusing on the selected “look-fors”? Are these the most important to student learning? • A: With the implementation of the Georgia Performance Standards, we have an excellent opportunity to focus on curriculum and the alignment of classroom performance tasks.

37. FAQ’s • Q: Is the principal the only one who will be visiting during walks? • A: All building administrators will make walks during the 2006-2007 school year. Additionally, the school may choose to include teacher leaders, coaches and classroom teachers in the process as we progress in this data collection and analysis.