Reimagining Classroom Walkthroughs

It is always important to remember to always ask the right question. Walkthroughs typically are viewed as part of an ongoing formative assessment process. Learning how to work with the first walk through is the first step in learning how to improve students’ results and even their own professional development.

Administrator walk-through assessments need to be adapted to be more meaningful and provide more useful feedback rather than serving as a checklist that’s often viewed as potentially punitive at worst and a waste of time at best. I think this is an excellent resource for educators and administrators. The topic is highly relevant and important for professionals to consider. I do not think parents would find it particularly useful or interesting because they are unlikely to understand much of the behind the scenes administrative processes. It’s certainly not “salesy”.

There are five critical and crucial steps in performing an excellent walk through. The first step is summary followed by specific feedback. After these two steps, you’d want to get targeted feedback. After getting targeted feedback, the last two steps are teacher reflection and multimedia. Knowing all of these simple steps is the first stepping stone to a successful walkthrough.

Key Takeaways:

Classroom walkthroughs are outdated and overdue for an update.

Classroom observations tend to be punitive in nature. The focus is on ensuring that the teacher isn’t doing anything wrong, instead of emphasis being placed on creativity and collaboration.

Revamping our classroom walkthroughs is the first step in the direction of increasing the quality of education.

Author: Ross Cooper

Author Quote “

“At their best, walkthroughs are viewed as a part of an ongoing formative assessment process that finds teachers and administrators engaged in a system of reciprocal accountability. They work together to improve students’ results, their own professional development, and each other as people.”

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