Our theory of action is that we want to help our teachers improve by first seeking to understand what we are seeing and not seeing during our walkthroughs in order to have fruitful conversations that will help us understand the critical decisions that teachers make before, during, and after instruction. We want to engage them in reflect practices to motivate them to improve upon what is already working well and/or fill in an existing gap with assistance from you, peers, or outside sources. Teachers are professionals and should be treated with respect. 

Teaching and learning is the bread and butter of why we exist, so it is essential that we do our main work with sustainable excellence. As 90% of a teacher's practice is invisible, we must partner with teachers as decision-making professionals who take pride in their work and are eager to grow. The best way to support their growth is through evidence-driven conversations. 

Quite often, educators teach the way they were taught, and/or manage a classroom with an authoritarian approach. However, education has changed, and our approach towards leading, including the teaching and learning process must change with the times as well. Convincing a superintendent with a Theory X view of teaching how a Theory Y approach is more productive can be challenging, but not impossible. First step is having a collegial conversation regarding the pros and cons of each theory, which doesn’t discount the superintendent’s view per se, but rather highlights how advantageous components of Theory Y can be on teacher growth. Also, modeling this approach so the superintendent can see the Theory Y approach in practice, and is developmentally beneficial and lends itself to continuous improvement for teachers. Demonstrating to the superintendent that empowering teachers through a Theory Y approach is empowering and will lead to increased teacher and student achievement. 

As instructional leaders, it is essential for us to build a trust-based and collaborative relationship with all team members. We need to believe in, listen to, support and empower teachers to take ownership of their teaching and decisions within the classroom. 

Our role as administrators is to provide support to our teachers so that they may in turn provide support to our students. Walkthroughs are a great tool for administrators to gain quick insight into our teachers classrooms and in turn provide support where needed. However, we must remember that this is only a snapshot of the entire day. We need to take into account all that we are not seeing that could be happening. Positive dialogue with teachers on what is happening prior to and after lessons are conducted will provide an understanding of the planning process and the reflection that teachers are partaking in.

Teaching is incredibly complex, intellectually-demanding work. I prefer to consider teachers as professionals engaging in constant decision-making over the course of the lesson and school day. I believe that my job is to help teachers continually develop and refine their decision-making so that students will benefit. I help teachers through professional development, both formally in staff meetings and trainings and evaluations, and informally through regular classroom observations and conversations. 

It is important that we take the time to value our teachers' professional expertise and have conversations whereby we listen to understand their rationale behind their approach. Simply telling a teacher what they're doing wrong isn't going to allow that teacher to grow or improve. Instead, walking through a conversation that seeks to understand what the teacher was thinking; what they were expecting; how they perceived the execution; etc. will help us get into the "thinking" that is driving the teacher. 

As a whole, people are much more receptive to taking advice when they are talked with not talked to. My action plan would consist of having conversations with my teachers after several walk throughs. Having a conversation after every walk-though observation would be too much. I want to listen at least as much as I talk. I want to give my teachers a chance to tell me all the wonderful things they are doing. My teachers will know that I trust them to do their job to the best of their ability. 

It is important as the instructional leader that I do not devalue my employees and their beliefs and value of themselves. I must remember that in these brief walkthroughs I will not be able to see everything and know everything but I must have the trust that my teachers are putting in the work. As a team we must work together to become better. My teachers are motivated and they want to do their best. My job is to find ways to help them be better by supporting them and not criticizing or being passive aggressive toward them. 

As an instructional leader, it is my role to create a supportive environment that recognizes teachers as professionals. Teachers want to do well and it is my role as a principal to help them continue to sharpen their professional skills so that they can. Instead of micromanaging or being prescriptive, seek to understand the teacher's practice - both what is seen and unseen - and then invite them into a professional conversation. Be clear, but respect their independence and autonomy as professionals that they can continue to evolve their instructional practice. All this is a continual cycle and surely can not be achieved by a brief or shallow walk through that has a pre-determined set of look fors. Instead, this builds the case for an ongoing professional conversation informed by frequent and evolving visits that incorporate good observations and questions supported by real data. 

I would start the conversation by saying that all employees are not out to take advantage of the district and that not all of the staff members are "bad". We can make a difference in teaching by not tearing down the teacher but by working with and guiding them to what we desire in our classrooms. 

My graduate school's tenet for those in the school administrator program was servant leadership. While sounding like an oxymoron at first, once I began reading the assigned books that discussed this way of leading I discovered it was true to ideals I wanted to exhibit as a leader. True change comes with buy in, and buy in comes from those who feel seen, heard, understood, and appreciated. These feelings become the fruit of consistent effort put in by the servant leader who has created a space where staff are asked to share their thoughts and experiences. What is shared is recognized as valuable, formulates deeper discussions, and allows the staff and servant leader to begin building a relationship based on mutual respect. Dictating or demanding things change or be done a particular way may get people to comply, but it will not lead to effective, long lasting change. In order to achieve lasting success, staff need to be an integral and equal part of them team, where they are treated with respect for the depth of professional knowledge they hold. 

As an Instructional leader my role is to support teachers to improve. Teachers have many factors that come into play when they are lesson planning and making decisions. When walking through classrooms we only see the result of this planning. Many times we do not understand their how and why of lesson planning. As an instructional leader I need to understand their planning process in doing so I am able to communicate in a collaborative way with them. Teachers need autonomy when it comes to improvement, I can help them by supporting them and helping them see what changes need to be done. Regular walkthroughs and conversations with teachers can help build the collaborative and supportive relationships needed to help make change.

Our approach is different because instead of assuming that teachers are lazy and unmotivated we are working under the assumption that they’re intrinsically motivated and that they want to do their best work for their students. Teachers don’t need rewards, not that they don’t appreciate them, but they really need support and autonomy. As a principal I don’t need to micromanage my teachers and I need to remember the teacher practice is like an iceberg and that 90% of it is hidden. If I treat my teachers like professionals and have a conversation with them about their practice that is how they will improve and change. 

I believe this, there's only a certain amount of teaching that you see when you only visit the classroom once or twice a year for formal observations. There's a lot of things that are hidden beneath the surface of a teacher's practice. You can ask a teacher to give you artifacts other teaching, you know, supply student work have a conversation pre and post observation, but unless you are in the classroom on a regular basis of viewing what they do, their interactions with students, students interactions with them. Unless you do that, you're unable to really understand how they teach and interact with the students.

And in that way. You're not micromanaging them, you are working with them as a coach, in terms of asking them. what observations they have about their practice, what can be moved for, what are things that they like to improve on? Instead of just doing the couple of year observation, you know, you could be a superintendent who is requiring the principles to collect the lesson plans from their teacher. But something on paper is not necessarily what the teacher ends up doing in practicality.

So I think the more we can be visible in the classrooms and show our support to teachers the more the full array of teacher practice is able to be seen.

Collaboration, support, professional development to help the whole teacher help the whole student succeed. 

We are taking the approach of understanding the teachers inherently want to do well and that what they need is to be understood and supported but not "fixed" or micromanaged. 

I think before we can issue any type of recommendations or a suggestion is important to see or to hear what went into the teachers thinking.
What went into the some of the moves that was made during the observation? I think that might give us a better picture as to what is happening in the classroom that we're deeming incorrect or that we have deemed as not being best practice. So having that dialogue with the teacher, getting a full just of what's taking place as the metaphor goes, under the iceberg will give us a better indication of the moves that were made into best as a better offer recommendations. Put it to the teacher and also builds relationships, which can then open up, you know, more productive conversations in the future.

Teachers are professional and must be treated like professionals. People rise to what they are expected to do so we must trust our teachers and work with our teachers to improve but we must limit micromanagement and any attempts to subvert teacher autonomy in the classroom. 

As an instructional leader, it is my job to support my teachers and help them to become the best that they can be. In order to do that, we have to have conversations about dialogue about what's going on in the classroom. We cannot just have me telling them what to do and them just listening and doing what I tell them to do, but we must have a dialogue. So, that first, I can understand. They can understand and then we both can seek to be understood.

It is imperative that there is some kind of conversation, not just a monologue but a conversation that takes place. So that the teacher feels supported, the teacher has an opportunity to share what's going on in their classroom and what they put into planning their lessons. And then for me to understand and use that judge use that information to come to a conclusion and help the teacher working together collaboratively come up with the best solutions for improving their practice.

Until we have walked a mile in the teacher's shoes throughout the course of a school day, then we cannot profess to know or understand the invisible part of the iceberg that is in fact there. We cannot say we know best, when we are not there. We cannot say we know best, if we are never in the classroom, full time. We need to work as a supportive team - supportive of one another. Guiding through a process which as administrators we appreciate and acknowledge when autonomy is given to us as a school to make decisions that are reflective of the collective best interests of our school. OUR school. Therefore we need to treat the teachers as professionals, knowing that they have the best interests in mind as they have the autonomy to make decisions in the best interests of their students. We learn best as we work together, to improve instructional practice, and improve teaching and learning. In having conversations that address the needs of the students and the teachers, we can effect change together. 

As a leader I want to prompt my teachers to explore and reflect with curiosity and creativity. The feedback cycle needs to be reciprocal and thoughtful in its presentation. My goal is push and support teachers in uncovering ideas around their practice that will instill joy and authentic engagement with their students. Open conversations like these lead the teacher through a process of discovery and growth more so than a directed approach could provide. It's collaborative embedded professional development that a teacher is more likely to feel good about and as a result truly strive to make positive changes. 

I believe that as a leader I am there to support my staff and assist them in achieving their full potential. If individuals feel defeated or the goal you have set is not achievable they will give up. I completely believe it is a partnership and our shared goal is to educate our students and assist our community in any way we can and in order to do this I need to respect them as professionals. The conversations I have with them must reflect this respect for them and their professionalism and always encourage a growth mindset for all involved. 

Teachers are professionals who are intrinsically motivated to perform at a high level and achieve the best outcomes for their students. When I visit a classroom, I will only see a small percentage of the teacher's overall practice. I see the actions in that moment, but I cannot see the context, thinking and decision-making that led to that moment. The only way I can begin to understand this is through having conversations with the teacher. When I work to provide a working environment that is supportive with clear expectations, I can be confident that teachers will act professionally and they don't need to be micromanaged. My role in being in classrooms will then be focused on being supportive, informing me of what is going on (through both the observation and the conversation) so that I can better understand how I can shape the conditions further to be conducive to learning for every student.

As an instructional leader it is my job to support teachers. There are many factors that go into planning, preparing, and implementing a lesson. These can be fluid. Teachers need to be able to react and respond based on the information/data they have regarding their particular situation. I need them to be able to make the best professional decisions regardless if I'm there or not. This comes from building the capacity within them. This is built with ongoing reflection and conversations with me and others. We celebrate what worked well and come up with a plan for what can be improved upon. 

Our teachers are professionals. They have the training and the ability to provide the needed instruction to create safe and productive learning environments. As the instructional leader in our school, it is my responsibility to observe what is happening in the classroom and have conversations with each teacher as I seek to understand their thinking and purpose behind what they are doing in their class. Teachers become more reflective in their practice through these discussions. 

In order to positively influence teachers we cannot think negatively about them. We have to realize they are motivate and want to do good, but in order for that to happen we have to be positive leaders. We cannot just look at the teacher as a manufactured worker, they are humans that need care and guidance. In order to do that we have to regularly be in classrooms, influencing their behavior, help them with positive thinking, and guiding them through all circumstances. This is not something that can happen over night. This is something that has to take place over time. If we invest in our teachers, they will spend more time investing in their students and our school.