The document outlines the purpose and process of instructional focus walks at West Chatham Middle School. The goals are to provide teachers with non-evaluative feedback on instructional strategies, establish a shared understanding of high-quality teaching, and encourage reflective practice. The process involves teachers observing 3 classes for 7-10 minutes each, then reflecting on evidence collected. Surveys found teachers found value in observing colleagues' practices and most felt protocols were followed respectfully during the walks.

1. Janet Allen
Instructional Coach
West Chatham Middle School
janet.allen@sccpss.com

2.  To support teachers in continually improving
instruction by providing non-evaluative, low
inference data on students’ learning as they are
using a specific strategy.
 To create a common expectation, language, and
vocabulary of what high quality teaching and
learning looks and sounds like.
 To encourage non-defensive, reflective practice
by teachers that focuses on continually improving
instruction and student learning.
 To support a culture of high expectations for every
student and teacher at this school.

3.  Focus Walks
 Instructional Rounds
 Learning Walks

4.  Pre-Walk Anticipation
 During-Walk Observation partners will
spend 7-10 minutes in three different
classes to collect evidence.
 Observers will return to home base to
share evidence, eat lunch, and undergo
guided reflection.

5. Teachers and Administrators

6. Observational Data
• Not scientifically collected
• Snapshot of instruction
• Still influenced by personal background,
knowledge, and experience.
• Focus on repeated patterns rather than
outlying evidence.

7. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Writing Visuals Prominently
Displayed
Teacher Refers to Goal, Standard,
or EQ
Teacher Scaffolds/Models Writing
Students Understand Expectations
Teacher Checks for Understanding
71%
85%
67%
90%
92%
29%
15%
33%
10%
8%
Observed Data Points
Yes Not Observed

8. 8%
26%
41%
25%
Observers’ Ratings of Effective Writing Instruction
No Evidence of Effective
Implementation
Some Evidence, Needs
Much Improvement
Evidence Shown, Some
Potential for
Improvement
Abundant Evidence;
Teacher Should Coach
Others!

9. From Teachers and Administrators

10. 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Better Than I
Expected
Worse Than I
Expected
About What I
Expected

11. TEACHERS TEACHERS
 “I enjoyed seeing other
instructional methods in
action for future lesson
plans.”
 “I enjoyed observing my
colleagues exhibit their best
practices.”
 “I liked the opportunity to
observe other teachers and
learn from what I saw.”
 “Getting to be in other teachers’
rooms and experience their
way of doing things that is
different than mine.”
 “See how other teachers cope,
and expose students to
writing.”
 “It allowed me to see/remember
what it was like to see and
interact with working students
who were interested in the
topic and working their minds.”

12. TEACHERS TEACHERS
 “Less time.”
 “They could be longer and
changing the observation
sheet.”
 “I think it should be
departmentally requested
with more input on what we,
as a department, would like
to observe from each other.”
 “Nothing.” (written 2x)
 “Good for first time. As we do it
more I might find ways to tweak
it.”
 “I enjoyed it, but stressed
before it actually happened.”
 “Would like to observe teachers
in other content areas. We
have done this in the past. The
teaching approaches in other
contents can be applied in
science since we teach it all.”

13. 0 2 4 6 8 10
Be present/focused.
Be respectful of classroom
culture.
Gather non-evaluative data.
Keep mindset of a learner.
Step out to talk to another
teacher
Very Much
Mostly
Somewhat
Not At All

14. 0 2 4 6 8
Lesson Prep.
Pre-Observation
Meeting
Practice Gathering
Evidence
Post-Ob Reflection
Written Feedback
NA
Extremely Valuable
Valuable
Somewhat Valuable
Not Valuable

15.  Yes - “I can use it to
improve.”
 “Feedback is an opinion.
I cannot please
everybody, but I will try
my best.”
 “Overall, I think the
feedback reflected what I
was doing.”
0
2
4
6
8
Yes No

16. 4 4
1
0

17. Instruction
Focus Walk Protocols
Teachers as Learners