One thing I would have missed is that we have some amazing teachers. They continue to improve their instruction and want feedback. Teachers complain about student behavior all the time. If I'm not in classrooms or hallways then I would not be able to see what they are talking about. As assistant principal this is one way that I support teachers and I need to know what's going on with students. If I'm not in the classroom, I wouldn't be able to see instruction. Are there areas that we need professional development as a whole? Is there something that individual teachers need? 

Being in the classroom has given me the opportunities to: Know the students well - often this has aided in getting the teacher assistance from spec ed and also knowing students before they are sent to my office. This relationship building is so valuable.

Solve operational issues - for example, understanding that the transition at leveled literacy time is chaos and meeting with the team to solve it.

Knowing the teachers - going in multiple times gives me a better view on how I can support my teachers and understanding the issues they may be facing.

Solve parent issues - I can honestly say to a parent that I have been in that classroom many times and I know their child well. 

I have become more familiar with the students and knowing their instructional needs. 

The insights that I have gained deal with how the teachers are implementing and teaching the curriculum. 

I think the greatest advantage that classroom walkthroughs provide administrators is to differentiate words from actions. Some people talk a great game but when it comes time to deliver you find out it was all talk. During a walk through you get to witness a lesson in real time and you get to see how the students react to it (invaluable data). 

I think it's what I've been missing definitely was just the interaction between the teacher and student in a more organic kind of way instead of going when it was just based on me having to observe. So having those opportunities to do those quick checks two or three times a month have been very helpful. I get to see the teacher style, the student style of learning, and it's a good way to kind of just look at the whole picture instead of like this one piece of the puzzle.

I think Justin nailed it when he stated that sometimes teachers say one thing and do something different. I've also noticed that teachers will have something written in their lesson plans and then do something totally different as well. So in getting into the classrooms when these shifts are made, having those feedback conversations could let me know why these shifts were made, or if there is just a lack of planning, or if this is a recycled lesson plan that the teacher is just doing for compliance. So getting into the classroom has provided such insights.

I have the privilege of being able to work in different schools within the district. This allows me to establish relationships with a variety of staff and students. Many times the issues, concerns or needs are similar between the schools and solutions can often be shared. 

The day to day flow of classroom procedures. How students interact with each other, the teacher, the curriculum. Pacing, differentiation, small group, etc. 

Being in the classroom more has allowed me to have a better relationship with my students and my teachers. I get to be hands on during their lesson and see/hold what they are specifically working on. I get to see my students enjoying brain breaks and learning about different cultures. I have seen teachers use many different differentiation strategies to better serve the needs of our students. Because I am in the classrooms more, I get invited to the classrooms more when the teachers are doing something special. 

Insights that I have gained from being in classrooms that I otherwise would have missed are basically, what are students doing, how they're interacting with the teacher teachers practice that you don't see unless you're actually going into the classroom progression through the lesson, teacher time versus student talk time and just a variety of techniques that they're using to instruct their students.

Being in classrooms I get to know our students. I observe the daily teaching practices and how I can support teachers. I can see what learning is happening in classes and see students working. I observe interactions between students and between student-teachers. 

Being present in classrooms on a regular basis allows me to observe the interactions that take place among students and their peers, as well as students and their teachers. I am also able to gain perspective on how groups of students interact with one teacher versus another. All students learn differently and all students respond differently to various approaches to instruction. 

From being in classrooms, I have started to realize how so many math teachers teach the way they learned. I have realized I need targeted professional development to get my teachers to see that there are other alternatives to the "traditional way" of teaching math. 

The great teaching happening throughout the school. Observing how the students act and learn from our specialty teachers. Learning some new things myself as I listen to class discussions.