Ryanne and Matt you have reminded us all of how important it is to trust the professionalism of teachers. In a time when teachers are feeling the pressure of curriculum adoptions, calls for parent oversight of what is being taught, and laws being passed that tell them what they can and cannot say we have to remember that teachers need to have a voice to stand up for themselves and the students in front of them. Teachers need to feel supported and encouraged. Instructional walks and being a part of school decisions are two very important ways to do this.
Yes Jen, so critical right now. I really like how Instructional walks afford this opportunity and asking for teacher input on school decisions is really valuable as well. Ppl sometimes forget to take geographical locations into consideration when advertising a "one size fits all" approach. The teachers in the building, in collaboration with their principles, coaches, Reading Specialists, etc...know what population they serve and what resources will best support the learning. The Wisconsin State Reading Association is hosting an institute on August 11 entitled, "Teachers at the Table: Achieving Voice and Agency as Professionals." Dr. Annalee Good is the presenter.
I think it will pair nicely with many of the concepts in Matt's book. :)
While I was reading about instructional walks, I thought about how they might have supported a principal that I worked with a couple of years ago. Toward the end of our discussion about one of my annual observations, my principal told me that she did not have anything for me to work on. She thought my lesson went great and there was nothing she would change. While I would love to think I have nothing to improve upon, that just doesn't exist in the world of teaching. That was a year that was particularly challenging for me. I was returning to the classroom after 7 years out as a literacy interventionist and it had been 13 years since I had taught this particular grade. This exchange did not make me feel better about my teaching, but it did make me doubt the competence of my principal and her ability to help me grow.
Oh my goodness Rhonda, your story isn't unfamiliar, and I'm so sorry that happened to you. Those interactions can be so frustrating! Matt enters such a good point, the first priority of leaders when entering a classroom should be to *learn. I can't help but think what a difference that may have made for both you and your principle. If she had entered from a place of curiosity and asked questions...ah, the missed opportunities! Thankfully, Matt's book offers forward thinking and scaffolded guidance for leaders, coaches, and colleagues.
This is a good point, Rhonda. My guess is she was not in the classroom enough to know your practice or literacy enough in general. She literally may not know what you could improve upon due to lack of knowledge.
When I talk to other leaders, I stress that their first priority during instructional walks is to *learn*. The second priority is to support teachers' self-monitoring and self-directedness by noticing and naming promising practices, connecting their efforts to our instructional framework, and asking thoughtful questions to support reflection about their decision-making. The third priority, and this is only if it presents itself, is to communicate feedback. But there needs to be trust established between teacher and principal in order for it to be most effective.
To summarize, a leader's priorities during instructional walks:
Ryanne and Matt you have reminded us all of how important it is to trust the professionalism of teachers. In a time when teachers are feeling the pressure of curriculum adoptions, calls for parent oversight of what is being taught, and laws being passed that tell them what they can and cannot say we have to remember that teachers need to have a voice to stand up for themselves and the students in front of them. Teachers need to feel supported and encouraged. Instructional walks and being a part of school decisions are two very important ways to do this.
Yes Jen, so critical right now. I really like how Instructional walks afford this opportunity and asking for teacher input on school decisions is really valuable as well. Ppl sometimes forget to take geographical locations into consideration when advertising a "one size fits all" approach. The teachers in the building, in collaboration with their principles, coaches, Reading Specialists, etc...know what population they serve and what resources will best support the learning. The Wisconsin State Reading Association is hosting an institute on August 11 entitled, "Teachers at the Table: Achieving Voice and Agency as Professionals." Dr. Annalee Good is the presenter.
I think it will pair nicely with many of the concepts in Matt's book. :)
Looks like an excellent institute Ryanne!
While I was reading about instructional walks, I thought about how they might have supported a principal that I worked with a couple of years ago. Toward the end of our discussion about one of my annual observations, my principal told me that she did not have anything for me to work on. She thought my lesson went great and there was nothing she would change. While I would love to think I have nothing to improve upon, that just doesn't exist in the world of teaching. That was a year that was particularly challenging for me. I was returning to the classroom after 7 years out as a literacy interventionist and it had been 13 years since I had taught this particular grade. This exchange did not make me feel better about my teaching, but it did make me doubt the competence of my principal and her ability to help me grow.
Oh my goodness Rhonda, your story isn't unfamiliar, and I'm so sorry that happened to you. Those interactions can be so frustrating! Matt enters such a good point, the first priority of leaders when entering a classroom should be to *learn. I can't help but think what a difference that may have made for both you and your principle. If she had entered from a place of curiosity and asked questions...ah, the missed opportunities! Thankfully, Matt's book offers forward thinking and scaffolded guidance for leaders, coaches, and colleagues.
This is a good point, Rhonda. My guess is she was not in the classroom enough to know your practice or literacy enough in general. She literally may not know what you could improve upon due to lack of knowledge.
When I talk to other leaders, I stress that their first priority during instructional walks is to *learn*. The second priority is to support teachers' self-monitoring and self-directedness by noticing and naming promising practices, connecting their efforts to our instructional framework, and asking thoughtful questions to support reflection about their decision-making. The third priority, and this is only if it presents itself, is to communicate feedback. But there needs to be trust established between teacher and principal in order for it to be most effective.
To summarize, a leader's priorities during instructional walks:
1. Learn
2. Affirm
3. Communicate Feedback
I appreciate the dialogue! -Matt