Learning Walks
Christchurch, New Zealand October 2008
Learning Talks
Dr Cheryl Doig

The Lone Ranger PLCs
•Professional • Collective
autonomy Responsibility
•Lack of • Collegial
collaboration accountability
•“I just want to • Shared stds for
teach in my learning
classroom” • Deprivatising
•Private practice practice
Individualism v Individuality
“It’s what you do that matters, not what you call it.”

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

Why learning walks?
• A powerful tool for assessing effective
implementation of the targeted area into
classroom practice;
• 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 tool for principals to maximise time, and
provide focus, in learning environments.

One school’s journey
• WOW-Watching Others Work
• WWO- Working With Others
– In their own school
– in other schools
– Whole PD day visiting other schools
• CWC Connecting With Classrooms
• “What Works For Me” sharing
• Critical friend to support their growth

Classroom
walkthroughs,
How teachers teach, how students action learning
learn, what gets taught to whom and
why…. teams, quality
learning circles,
peer coaching,
critical friends…

Types of learning walks
• Ghost walks
• Web walks
• Principal walks
• Leadership walks
• Teacher walks
• Waka walks
• Networked learning walks

Ghost walks
Based on work from Debbie Bambino, National
School Reform Strategy
• Use these to hone initial observation
skills and to talk about assumptions
about learning
• Class visits to talk about what you are
doing, how, why …
Web walks

Observation
Completely Completely
teacher student
directed, all directed, all
the same different
What are your assumptions about learning? How do
you move from evidence to so what?

Form

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

Focus

PDSA FOCUS
Take time to
identify the
focus and
the ‘why’ of
that focus
first.

Managing Self
Personalised learning…self directed learning
• Look for
• Ask the students
• Listen for

Footwork

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

ewalks
Learning walks can be
recorded using handheld
technologies (palm,
blackberry, iphone, tablet).
When you return to your
office you simply download
the ewalks onto the
website and you can work
on the ‘so what’ faster.
Eg feedback

Follow up

Feedback
Feedback

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

Dialogue
Evidence - What data do you have to support that…
Paraphrasing - So what you’re saying is…
Probing - Why did you decide to focus on…
Clarifying - So you see the next steps as…
Perspectives - What might the students think of this…
Connecting - How does this relate to our vision for the
future…
…let’s look at this together…
…assumptions…diversity…

Future
So what?

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?
Help them dig Inferences?
deep into the What
data. assumptions
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 (We don’t know which on writing
but could not articulate part of the school (self/peer/whole class)
how achieved from) as part of the writing
15 could articulate Half the children could process
their personal goals. not show in text how Long term review
they were meeting their school-wide:
goals – don’t know the progression to self-
next steps in achieving management
the goals Goal setting from
teacher-driven to
becoming autonomous

Where does your school fit?
-Doesn't collect data systematically?
-Collects data on everything without clear
purpose?
-Collects data but uses this to record information
in Student Management Systems without the 'so
what'?
-Collects data and uses ACC to identify teacher
effectiveness, impact on student learning and
plans action to change for the future.
Analytical, critical, challenging

65% in office • Learning areas are
visited on a recurring
17% hallways/grounds & regular basis for a
short time
• Into the heart of the
Principal Walks learning environment
Resnick Downey
11% off campus
What gets
7% in classrooms timetabled
gets done.

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

To find out more
To download information visit
www.thinkbeyond.co.nz - education - learning
walks
Direct links to Other Resources
http://learningwalks.wetpaint.com/page/Links+to+
Resources
If you are interested in being kept up to date
about new resources, or on ewalks sign up for
the newsletter - there will be one out after the
holidays
I also recommend subscribing to www.plotpd.com

References
• Absolum, M. (2007). Clarity in the classroom: Using formative assessment:
Building learning-focused relationships. Auckland: Hodder Education.
• Annan, B., Lai, M.K. & Robinson, V. (2003). Teacher talk to improve teacher
practices. SET: Research Information for Teachers (1), 31-35.
• Robinson, V. & Lai, M.K. (2006). Practitioner research for educators: A guide to
improving classrooms and schools. Australia: Hawker Brownlow.
• Downey, C.J. et al. (2004). The Three-Minute Classroom Walk-through:
Changing supervisory practice one teacher at a time. California: Corwin Press
• Gaustralranada, J. & Vriesenga, M. (2008). Web based walkthroughs. Principal
Leadership March 2008 Vol. 8, No. 7 (p. 24-27). Downloaded 7 April 2008 from
http://www.principals.org/s_nassp/sec.asp?CID=1140&DID=57006
For more information and resources go to
http://learningwalks.wetpaint.com
Online later in July