Learning walks
So?

What is a
Growth
learning walk?
A focussed walk in
Reflection
and around the
“school” for a brief
period of time,
Observation
followed by
reflection and
feedback.

Why learning walks?
• An effective way of deprivatising classroom
practice;
• Provide a vehicle for teachers to talk about
effective learning and teaching; engage them
in dialogue and reflection about teaching
practice, school-wide goals, alignment to the
mission and values
• A powerful tool for assessing effective
implementation of the targeted area into
classroom practice;
• A tool for principals to maximise time, and
provide focus, in learning environments.

Underlying assumptions
• What is espoused and what actually
happens matches
• We work on the tail within our schools -
to reduce variance
• We seek learning for the 21st century -
this affects what we model and focus on

Learning Walk Protocols
Planning for Learning Walks
Specific indicators for learning walks are jointly
planned with staff
Timetable and format of the feedback is agreed
(and how feedback will be used)
How feedback will be used to enhance teaching
and learning will also be agreed.
Observing
No chatting by observers to each other
Only record replanned focus
Giving Feedback…
Keep it about the data not about the people
Stick to the specific agreed indicators

How to..
• Student Orientation/Engagement
• Walk the walls - look at artefacts - on
display, in books, plans
• What learning and why - \"What are
you learning?”
• Teacher decision making
• Conversations and interactions

NZC
How are you giving effect to the curriculum?
• An example of taking risks…
• …catering for cultural diversity…
• …managing self…
• …physical education - regular physical
activity…

It is through developing facilitation skills such as
listening, dialogue and discussion, within a supportive
yet challenging environment, that talk can move
beyond teacher talk to learning talk…
Learning Talk
Teacher Practice…
Student Learning and…so what?
Adapted from Annan, Lai &
Robinson 2003
With recognition to Roween Higgie,
Principal of Remuera School

Learning Talk is…
ANALYTICAL CRITICAL CHALLENGING
Analysis of Evaluates Making change
evidence of the impact of based on
impact of teaching analysis &
teaching practice on critique. All talk
practice on student challenges
student learning learning colleagues to
outcomes. based on justify and/or
Evidence based analysis change practice
talk that enables Adapted from Annan, Lai &
teachers to Robinson 2003
judge their own With recognition to Roween Higgie,
effectiveness Principal of Remuera School

Here’s What! So What? Now What?
Learning to What is the What actions
Observe Data meaning of the might the
– what do you data? group take?
see, not infer? What are the
What patterns?
surprises? Meanings?
What was Connections?
unexpected?
Inferences?
Help them dig
What
deep into the
assumptions
data.
are your
comments
based on?

Tell me about your writing goals…
Here’s What! So What? Now What?
14 children didn’t Seems that teachers are Use uniform language
know – out of 32 setting goals More time reflecting
5 knew they had a goal Half the children could on writing
but could not articulate not show how they (self/peer/whole class)
how achieved were meeting their as part of the writing
goals – didn’t know the process
15 could articulate
next steps in achieving Long term review
their personal goals.
the goals school-wide:
progression to self-
management
Goal setting from
teacher-driven to
becoming autonomous

Future
So what?

You are not a visitor. You are
part of the Final word learning
fabric of the
environment.

A coaching question…
Root question - connects to a time/ place/
function
When you give feedback to students…
Extending question:
…how do you relate it to the solo
taxonomy? (in order to stretch their
thinking?

Feedback
Feedback

Achievement gains occur when we …
Have clear expectations
Provide high quality feedback
Involve the learners themselves
The learner needs to know what high quality work looks
like
– The learner needs to be able to compare their work with
high quality work as a reference level for their future goal
setting and next steps
– The learner needs to be supported to engage in
appropriate action to close the gap
Ruth Sutton

How do we get feedback from
students and how is it used?
• What might we look for?
• What might we ask students?
• What might we listen for?
• How will we know if the feedback results in
change to teacher practice? To student
achievement?
What will you be looking for if students are
managing themselves in terms of feedback??

Part of a principal’s focus…
Thanks to Jacqui Duncan, Cashmere School

Thinking about feedback
• Effective feedback by itself doesn’t lead to
better learning it is how the learner reacts and
acts on the feed back that matters
• Let’s talk about this as it affects the adult
learners in our schools…

It’s not about learning walks…
Walk-throughs can result in thoughtful
discussions about teaching practice, or
- if a school isn’t clear about the
purpose or process - in mountains of
unused data.
Gary Bloom. Classroom visitations done well.

www.thinkbeyond.co.nz
Education
Learning Walks