Leadership Capacity Toolkit
Learning Walk Protocol and Learning Walk Form
Who Would Use This
Tool?
Instructional Lead Teachers; Administrators;
Supplemental Staff: Any teachers selected by the main staff to
Participate in the Learning Walk
Overview of Tool
The purpose of a School-Wide Learning Walk is to obtain a quick
snapshot of each classroom in order to collect evidence based on a
specific focus to improve instruction and learning as well as opening
up opportunities for collaboration.
This protocol is designed to calibrate the Learning Walk
Team and ensures that there is an understanding of the
procedures the team will use as they enter each classroom.
The protocol explains the process for using the Learning
Walk evidence collected and reporting back to the staff.
There are two Learning Walk Forms. The first one is very
general but can be used for a target focus. The second form
is targeted specifically questioning. This form can be
adjusted based on a focus for your specific school.
How Should a Leader
Use This Tool?
The Learning Walk Form can be adjusted based on the focus
for your school. The first form provided allows the Learning
Walk Team to collect evidence from the classroom regarding
the Learning Walk focus. It also allows the Learning Walk
Team to generate questions regarding that they saw in each
classroom. The form should not include any judgments.
Only use one of the two Learning Walk Forms per Learning
Walk. Review, edit, and select the best one for your school.
A grade level team can use this walk through form as a way
to gather data regarding their specific team.
Teams must remember to not use any judgment and
remember that evidence is what is seen or heard.
Expert Principal Tips for
Using this Tool
Review and edit all forms with your Instructional Teams before the
walk. Pilot testing your forms may provide more information for
editing before use.
Learning Walk Protocol
The purpose of a School-Wide Learning Walk is to obtain a quick snapshot of each classroom in
order to collect evidence based on a specific focus to improve instruction and learning as well as
opening up opportunities for collaboration. This process can be a powerful tool to observe what
and how students are learning. It also aids in the development of common trends in classrooms
throughout our building. Therefore, it is imperative that Learning Walk Protocols are adhered to.
The protocols for our Learning Walks are:
Any staff member of the school can participate in a Learning Walk.
Learning Walks will occur during each team’s designated planning time.
Members of the walk must adhere to the focus of the walk.
Members of the walk must refrain from making any judgmental comments or statements.
Members of the walk can interact with the teacher and/or students if it does not interrupt
instruction.
Prior to the walk, teachers should explain to students that visitors will be entering the
classroom.
Each observation should last for approximately 8-10 minutes.
A quick debriefing (4-5 minutes) should take place after each observation.
Forms will be collected by an administrator directly after the completion of the Learning
Walk.
An analysis of the collected data will be conducted during the Learning Walk Team’s
Follow-Up meeting. A summary of the results will be shared during with grade levels
during collaborative planning.
Learning Walk Focus: _____________________________________________________
Teacher: ____________________ Date: ________________ Time: _____________
Grade/Content: ____________________________________
Remember that you are only collecting evidence and asking questions. Comments or feedback
should be written without judgment.
I SAW (What the teacher and/or students are doing related to the focus)
I HEARD (What the teacher and /or students are saying related to the focus)
I WONDER (Thoughts about what you DIDN’T see related to the focus)
Other Comments (Additional, information related or not to the focus)
This form is an example for Questions and Discussions. This form can be altered as needed for
other topics.
Focus: Question/Discussion Techniques and Student Participation
FEATURE
OBSERVED
EVIDENCE
Teacher structures questions
at the higher levels (e.g.
analysis, synthesis,
evaluation)
Yes No
Teacher uses appropriate
wait time between asking a
questions and calling on a
student (5-10 seconds)
Yes No
Teacher uses appropriate
strategies to extend student
thinking (e.g. survey, unpack
thinking)
Yes No
Teacher invites students to
respond to other students’
comments
Yes No
Teacher aims for
questioning/discussion
among students
Yes No
Allows students to assume
responsibility for the success
of discussion (i.e. student
initiated topics and/or
contributions to discussion)
Yes No
Students have opportunities
to share and discuss their
thinking as well as work
independently
Yes No
Was the observed portion of class rigorous? Yes No
Select a DOK Level that best mirrors the observed instruction. Provide evidence to support
your decision.
Recall &
Reproduction
Little transformation
or extended
processing of the
target knowledge
required by assigned
tasks.
Questioning- answers
do not need to be
“figured out” or
“solved”
(key words- list,
identify, define, 5 Ws,
calculate, draw, state)
Some mental
processing beyond
recalling or
reproducing a
response.
Working with or
applying
skills/and/or
concepts to a tasks
within a particular
subject matter
(key words- infer,
cause/effect,
summarize,
compare/contrast,
classify, interpret,
observe, show)
Strategic Thinking
Use of higher
order thinking
processes
Requires
coordination of
knowledge and
skill from multiple
subject matters to
carry out
processes in order
to reach a solution
(key words-
critique, debate,
test, dissect,
justify)
Extended Strategic
Thinking
Extended use of higher
order thinking processes
over a longer period of
time
(key words- design,
synthesize, analyze,
create, prove, connect)