I have completed the walkthrough challenge before and visited 100 classrooms, when I was first year principal (pre-covid year). My goal this year was to complete 100 classroom visits. I did ok during the first trimester with regular class visits. This Second trimester I have not visited classrooms frequently. Discipline , parent visits/calls and referrals have increased. I try to visit classrooms when I have a quiet moment or break, But it has not been regular. My goal for trimester 3 is to increase daily class visits to be more present in classes and out on the field. 

It sounds easy to do but their are so much more tying us to our desks. Back when I was an AP it was much easier to be visible in classrooms and halls throughout the day. 

As a classroom teacher, my upper level administrators (superintendents or assistant superintendents) were in our classrooms every single week. Only maybe 3-5 minutes but it meant the world to see them. My school administrator was in our classrooms 3 or so times a week, but it was very brief and we never received feedback except for on our 1x per year evaluation. I try to get into every classroom for 3 or so minutes every day just to be present, but need to get in the habit of going 3 classrooms a day and staying for 10 - 15 minutes.I am curious as to how you record the notes to what you are seeing so you have a record. Would love to hear others thoughts. 

I did not get visits often as a teacher. When I became supervisor, I made it my goal to visit my teachers at least once a week. I did not provide feedback, just wanted to observe all the grade levels and see their differences and similarities. After doing this for some time, I have been able to see a variety of positive instruction that is happening on a daily basis. It is my goal yearly to continue to do this. 

During my teaching years, I can count on one hand the times an administrator was in my classroom and it was usually for an evaluation observation. I did not have this as an example as I was teaching. I like the idea of frequent visits. I can get to each classroom every 2 weeks if I set my mind to it. 

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. 

In my experience, I have not seen this done well. As a teacher, I once received a checklist form in my mailbox from a walkthrough, but usually received nothing after a walkthrough - no note and no conversation. When that would happen, it would feel very uncomfortable and almost disrespectful to some degree. As an instructional coach now, I love the idea of doing walkthroughs that result in a genuine conversation about something interesting that I saw. If that conversation focused on more on the learning rather than the teaching, I think it might go a long way to build a genuine rapport with the teachers. 

Evaluation system requires 2 observations and 2 walkthroughs for a full evaluation. Last year we did informal visits much more often, resulting in about 15 visits for almost all staff. We had a much better feel for what was happening in classrooms and could speak about the great practices we saw firsthand. We were also able to connect staff to each other when an area of growth was identified (or just shared an easier way to do things!). 

I was always taught that the best way to know what is happening in our classrooms is to be in them yourself- frequently and at different times. With our staff growing, this has become increasingly harder to do. Using notecards and being organized is a sure way to make this more possible. 

As a former music teacher, I actually never really had frequent walkthroughs when I was a teacher. I only got the formal observations. Now that I am an administrator, I'm making it a point to do more frequent walkthroughs, but still can definitely improve. So that's kind of where I'm at right now. I know that I need to do more frequent because, yes, it is incredibly important, because when you get to the end of the year and you're telling a teacher how they did throughout the course of the year, they're like, well, you weren't in my classroom. I I remember feeling that way too. You know, when an administrator was like, what? You didn't do this? I'm like, how would you know? You never were in my classroom. So, you know, just that is the point that's going to stick with me, is that I need to be in the classrooms a lot more.

I really wish I could speak on all of these because my statement would probably be the same. But my experience with walkthroughs has been that they have not been frequent. That's not a practice that is generally practiced in my district. It wasn't really practiced when I was in the classroom as a teacher and as an administrator, I have tried to conduct walkthroughs, but I find myself merging those with the classroom observations that are required for the evaluation process. And I think that's been the big focus in my district that everyone focuses more. So, on meeting the criteria for the classroom evaluations as opposed to doing the walkthroughs to try to improve or increase or grow teacher practice.

Walkthroughs should be frequent otherwise them become divisive and ineffective. Words must match actions! 

My experience has been that it is expected I block a certain amount of time and day off to visit or stay in classrooms. When this happens it limits me from seeing a variety of instruction, the class I can see tends to be the same because of the school schedule, and I do not have the flexibility to meet with teachers or be available for them. I am also dealing with the obstacle of having over 62 staff members to supervisor and provide support for. 

The 10% that is visible is what is actually going on at that moment. The 90% that is not visible is what happened before we entered the classroom. Also, the steps of preparation are not visible during the observation. An observer can tell whether or not the teacher prepared for the lesson but cannot determine the extent or the in depth of the preparation. 

As an instructional coach, we were taught to spend 5 minutes per classroom, take notes, and then follow up with the teacher. I've not had an administrator that consistently did walkthroughs in classrooms. They were very sporadic. Most administrators like the canned messages because it is quicker. But they did not have real meaning for me. I wanted them to tell me what was good and what I could work on. 

So, when you think about the iceberg, when you go into the classroom, I would equate that to be like the test or Danielson evaluation procedures, domains 2 and 3. Those are the things that you can physically see while you're in the room. That's a student interaction, the teacher interaction, the groupings, the, you know, just the communication that's going on there, but there's a lot.

Out of things that go into great teaching both before and after those students leave such as planning and being able to be consistent with the curriculum, the planning that goes along with that, the communication with parents outside the class of the communication with staff Administration outside the outside of that class. So there's there's just so much that goes on beneath the surface.
That makes great evidence of great teaching.

My instructional coach taught us to do all of these things but it is the frequency part that is the hardest to be consistent with - and finding time for the conversation can also be difficult 

My experience with classroom walkthroughs. And what I have been, you know taught and instructed and learn to vote is definitely from the traditional model, you know, having the form getting in there for big chunks of time for a prescribed number. Everybody should be, maybe, I don't know three big chunks each, but I do find the messages in this module. So far, really empowering, and it's got me percolating on many ideas how I can think about changing my own practice a little embarrassed because I'm definitely not in that 18 times a year target, but I think with some changes I can start to get close to that, and I think that's really important. I also find it a little bit reassuring that based on the messages that Justin is sharing based on what he is sharing that he sees with most administrators, and with most schools that I'm not alone. And that's, you know, we many of us as administrators have probably grown up in our professional careers with some similar messages and really thinking about taking a close look about how we can tweak things to make some significant differences in our relationships professionally with teachers in our building. Ultimately to, you know, further our school goals and ultimately for the the well-being engagement and achievement of our students.

My training in walkthroughs is limited. It is only what I have been exposed to this school year. 

I had a principal that walked through every classroom every day and spent at least a few minutes in each. It is the model I have been using these past 5 years and my teachers have all responded positively to me coming through. The added benefit is that the students know me well and since I will often ask a student to tell me what they are doing or ask to see their work they will often call me into a class to "show" me what they have done and the teachers will call me down because of student requests to showcase their work. I try to get through every classroom at least 1 time a day and often will get in 2 times. My favourite time is during their indoor recess (when it is -32 F) and I will play a game or dance with them. 

In my district, we talk a lot about classroom visits, but there's just an assumption that we all know how to do it. We all know it needs to happen, but there is no discussion about how to make it happen. Sometimes we are running around putting out fires (figuratively and actually) for the first few weeks of school and before you know it, a whole semester has gone by and we've barely made it to our formal observations, much less any informal ones. 

I equate your idea of "frequent" to the idea of Sample Size or the "N" in any kind of study. When there is a greater sample size, the data collected becomes much more meaningful and representative of whatever it is one is observing. And because the data are more representative, then the conclusions that may be drawn from the data have a great chance of being reliable and impactful. So, being in classrooms more often gives you a greater sense of what is happening across the board, not just with an individual teacher, but also with grade level or subject/content teams, and even your entire faculty. Knowledge is power, as they say, and having this level of knowledge is certainly powerful for one's practice as an instructional leader at a campus.

In my role as an assistant principal, walk throughs were always something discussed they were never something that was required. I am looking forward to taking what I learn from this course and putting it into action.