A Look At Classroom Walkthroughs

By Mattie Knight


Clinical supervision, in other terms, is the observation of classroom practice and feedback as a tool for performance evaluation of teachers. However, the extent at which teachers improve skills of instruction delivery is in itself questionable as well as the method used. Owing to this fact, the classroom walkthroughs, which should not be used for evaluation but instead should be used to improve professionalism, are continually used as a means of gaining popularity.

Instructional leadership forms an essential part of improving learning and teaching, this in itself helps improve achievements of students. Schools are therefore required to adapt, create a suitable environment that allows one to practice what is taught and learnt in the classroom. Learning is said to take place only when students identify a problem on their own, check the available alternatives and create a solution to that problem.

The walkthrough model has been portrayed to be an efficient and effective system for collecting data that regards instructional practices and gives feedback. For it to be effective, leaders will be required to spend about a third of their classroom time, and when school heads spend more time in classes, teachers do report a perception that is positive of the principal.

For teachers to have a positive change on quality, leadership style plays a major role. For any improvement to be realized in the school-concerted efforts have to be displayed by both the instructional leaders and teachers. This builds an environment that can sustain success of any organization when the concerned leaders play the roles of teaching others.

This model encompasses collection of data and evidence by use of random and constant visits to the classroom. The observation should take place between 2 minutes up to 40 minutes. This gives the basis of curriculum and instructional development in schools. Various schools have however invented their own models to be used in this task.

A classroom walkthrough is aimed at providing direct and specific response to teachers on grounds of snapshot observed. This feedback is then offered to a person, or the observer can provide report showing the patterns that were noted during walkthrough. Walkthroughs have been capable of providing opportunities on; learning from other participants, gathering data about student learning and instructional practice, stimulating collegial conversation on teaching and learning, among other opportunities.

During its worst, the model can be seen or used as a compliance check. This is done to ensure that tutors, teachers are adhering to the top initiatives set. This should however be done under the understanding that performance is always low when teachers and tutors are worried of falling into trouble with the administrators. It should therefore be designed in a manner that emphasizes on collaboration between the two parties. This model mostly brings a picture of lack of professional accountability by both parties. This thus places them at loggerheads.

Using an inadequate model is of no benefit to the school. Better systems should be used alongside this method. Various administrators should therefore set aside enough time to make visits to various classrooms. This helps creates an instructional leadership alongside other benefits.




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