Look-Fors

When walking classrooms it is important that the team, as well as teachers, understands what you are looking for. In the research below, Graf and Werlinich state that one approach to walkthroughs focuses on "look-fors" - "conditions that when present in the classrooms enable students to improve their achievement and learning levels." This can be powerful in conducting instructional reviews and classroom walkthroughs and if used appropriately, it can provide targeted feedback to teachers in order to improve instructional practices and student outcomes.

General look-fors often times lack specificity in their connection to the intended learning of the standard. All look-fors should directly correlate with the standard(s) being taught. If it is difficult to make these connections to standards-based learning, then the team might need to re-evaluate their look-fors.

For example, a look-for can be that the leadership team wants teachers to focus on student collaboration in their third grade math classes. Prior to going into a classroom, it would be necessary to define what student collaboration means for the third grade math class focusing on standard MAFS.3.NBT1.1. What specifically would you want to observe from the students regarding their place value understanding of rounding whole numbers? Would student collaboration around this standard be the use of manipulatives, for example? If so, what would be the appropriate visuals or manipulatives you would expect to see to hone in on the intended outcome of this standard? What would you expect students to be discussing within their collaboration around place value?

Without these conversations, the team conducting the walkthroughs might all have different expectations and so will the teachers. This will then result in different feedback provided to teachers and can often times lead to confusion.

Your School Improvement team can support you and your team with determining appropriate look-fors that can lead to positive student outcomes.