In October 2024, 15 central office leaders, principals, assistant principals, and teacher leaders gathered in an empty classroom to prepare for a day focused on interviewing students and observing them in classrooms, learning walks. These student-focused learning walks are a key element of CEL’s Instructional Leadership Academy, which in this case, is bringing together aspiring leaders from rural Washington school districts to grow their instructional leadership skills and build more inclusive schools.
Why Student-Focused Learning Walks Matter
Through our extensive work with leaders over the last 30 years, we’ve learned that centering observations around a specific group of students—particularly those underserved in schools—can significantly impact teaching and learning practices. These focused learning walks empower leaders to:
- Deepen their understanding of student experiences.
- Reflect on how instructional practices impact belonging and inclusion.
- Practice important habits of thinking for instructional leadership like staying curious and evidence-based
- Develop strengths-based, actionable feedback for teachers
- Develop informed strategies for improvement.
Preparing for the Learning Walks
Intentional preparation is central to the success of these walks. For the Yakima Valley leaders, working alongside a CEL facilitator, the host school planned the day by:
- Establishing a Focus: Leaders identified an instructional focus aligned with a vision for teaching and learning and school/district goals.
- Developing “Look-fors”: Using a framework and the instructional core as a guide, leaders began to envision what students and teachers would be saying and doing in the ideal state
- Selecting Focus Students: The host school identified a group of students to observe (e.g., 3rd grade students receiving special education services).
- Choosing Classrooms: Classrooms were selected to align with the focus, ensuring observations are purposeful.
Learning Walk Highlights
The first learning walk began with leaders interviewing focus students about their classroom experiences. They asked questions like:
- What makes you feel included in class?
- How do you know when you’re doing well in a lesson?
- What helps you when you’re stuck?
Using student input, instructional frameworks like the 5 Dimensions of Teaching and Learning, and a vision for student learning and experience, leaders refined their instructional “look-fors” and then observed focus students in classrooms, including 6th-8th grade math, history, and language arts. Leaders noted elements like:
- Evident routines that supported learning.
- Students saying they felt included and engaged in class activities.
- A balanced ratio of teacher-to-student talk.
About six weeks later, during a second learning walk hosted by another Yakima Valley school, leaders focused on 3rd-grade students to better understand the decline in academic performance. Leaders observed each of the third grade classrooms and noted what they saw.
From Observation to Action
In the weeks ahead, leaders will reconvene to analyze their findings and share insights from independently conducted walks. CEL facilitators will also share strategies for providing strengths-based feedback to teachers. With a deeper understanding of classroom observation and analysis focused on specific student groups, particularly those who are underserved, leaders will begin to plan how to provide actionable feedback to teachers.
Learning and Growth in Practice
CEL facilitators continually strive to refine their approach by studying the impact of professional learning sessions. A recent analysis of data from Yakima Valley leaders’ classrooms observations revealed marked shifts from one learning walk to the next:
- Greater Specificity: Leaders’ notes included more detailed, descriptive accounts of student actions with attention to the focus students rather than students in general.
- Increased Attention to Evidence: Observations were less subjective and more focused on facts (like what was seen or heard in the classroom)
- Student-Centric Focus: Notes highlighted specific behaviors and interactions of focus students. For example, leaders noted how focus students’ participation increased when they worked in small groups.
This shift in participant “noticings” highlights how a clear focus and a more precise lens on students who are underserved leads to more concrete, actionable insights that directly impact teaching and learning. Additionally, the learning walk process strengthens calibration among leaders, building a shared understanding of effective instructional practices.
A Commitment to Continuous Growth
The evolution of leaders’ observation skills underscores the power of centering on students. By capturing more specific, objective, and actionable observations, leaders are better equipped to support teachers in creating classrooms where students have a stronger sense of belonging, agency, happiness and pride.
