Learning Walks and Talks

Within this staff meeting we covered Daily Learning Walks and Talks (LWTs). These are an instructional leadership tool for both leaders and teachers to use to move from ‘pockets of excellent practice’ to ‘school-wide excellence in classroom practice’.

LWTs are powerful when used as a non-evaluative tool to grow practice in every school and system.

The Five questions are useful in collecting data on how well students are taking ownership of their learning. They also inform leaders’ and teachers’ next steps in staff members’ Professional Learning. Today's meeting did not focus on the five questions. Instead it explored how a LWT can be as simple as 'walking the walls.'

We started with data. Examining our 2022 NAPLAN (a reminder of our moral imperative).

One of the ways we realised our data. Our principal gave each staff member a random student NAPLAN record sheet. In every area that was tested staff was asked to examine the student record card and walk to a particular place in the room (based on whether the student was above, at or below the State average). The movement to below and at, was very confronting. Staff were asked, 'Were they happy with that?' The answer, unequivocally 'no!'

Our Learning Intention: 

To build a common understanding of what the 3rd teacher looks like in all classrooms of our school and how LWT’s are used as a data collection tool to support this. 

Our Success Criteria:

I understand that LWT can be as simple as walking the walls. 

I can identify the aspects of the 3rd teacher that I am doing well and know what I need to do next. 

I can create an anchor chart that details what the 3rd teacher should look like in my room.

To begin with staff reflected: What are you already doing in the classroom, what evidence can we see of our Learning Collaborative journey so far?

Staff were encouraged to watch Walking the walls at Holy Family Catholic School and make note of what they are already doing and what their next steps are.

Staff were asked to collaboratively make a poster with members of the table which develop their ‘looks for’s of the 3rd teacher in each room of the school’ based on what you are currently doing and what your next steps are moving forward. Each person at the table had a specific role. The idea of these posters are that they will become our own success criteria and an anchor chart that will be placed in our professional learning space to remind us of what excellence looks like across the school.

Staff then watched the 2nd half of the same video above and were encouraged to add to their poster.

Each group were able to share their posters. One presenter presented per group, whilst the rest of the group went to another poster presentation to listen. This occurred two times, before we changed presenters and had staff choose a poster they would like to know more about but hadn't got to.

The Learning Collaborative team shared their 'Look For's' poster they created at their last professional learning day (top left).