PERFORMANCE FACT INSTITUTES

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THE PERFORMANCE FACT MISSION

Developing leaders. Transforming practices. Achieving extraordinary student results.

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You care deeply about your students.

Because you do, you search for ways to perfect your practice.

We get you!

Because we do, we provide practical tools to transform your good intentions into strong results for all students―without exception.

Classroom Observation Tools
in Steps

Monitoring effectiveness of classroom instruction

Think of classroom observation as a calibration exercise. Fruitful observation produces insights about and implications for every facet of a school or school system. Observation guides us in:

  • Adhering to a shared, standards-aligned instructional framework for teaching and learning
  • Understanding and faithfully implementing agreed-upon elements of the instructional framework
  • Assessing consistency in practices among practitioners – for example, within and across grade levels/departments or content areas
  • Gathering data about what’s working well and what needs improvement to inform coaching, support, and professional development
  • Gauging the impact of investments in curricular, assessments, and professional development on student learning, growth, and success
  • Judging the efficacy of leadership decisions where it counts most: at the intersection of student, teacher, and content

Effective classroom observations – or walkthroughs – have a clearly defined focus. For example:

  • A learning walkthrough typically focuses on a few instructional practices.
  • An implementation walkthrough can provide evidence of how an educational investment, such as a new curriculum or PD offerings, impacts outcomes.
  • A leadership walkthrough may illustrate how leadership actions are affecting teacher practice and student learning.

Of the countless classroom observation tools available to practitioners, Performance Fact recommends those that involve:

  • Explicit statements about what we expect to see in the classroom (the practices or strategies being observed)
  • Shared understanding of the observations criteria (a rubric, for example)
  • Timely, actionable feedback, with a schedule for follow-up
  • Mining all the observation data to infer major trends and implications for leadership action

Ultimately, classroom observations drive continuous improvement of the instructional core: how well the interaction of student, teacher, and content provide the outcomes we seek.

▶ Recommended interval for the MONITOR AND ADJUST Classroom Observation Tools process: Every week

STEP BY STEP


STEP
1

What do we expect to see?


  • Professional practices and strategies to be observed

STEP
2

How will we calibrate what we see?


  • Tools, protocols, processes for assessing the standards of practice in the classroom

STEP
3

How will we make sense of and act on what we see?


  • Tools, protocols, processes for providing feedback, identifying trends within and across classrooms, and follow-up on recommendations
Find out how Performance Fact can help transform your practice and results.
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