Step 1: School Walk (Adapted from National School Reform Initiative)
In teams of three walk through the host school for 20-30 minutes. Make non-evaluative observations, avoiding qualitative judgements about what you see. As you walk, discuss the following questions:
ENCOUNTER:
- What do you see? What don’t you see?
- What do you wonder about?
- What do you think this school is working on?
If you work with the school, don’t give a tour, explain, apologize or show off. Look at your partner school and participate with a beginner’s mind.
Step 2: Classroom Observations (For the Observer)
Remaining in your triads, go to your first assigned classroom. Quietly try to find a seat that does not disrupt the flow of instruction. Observe the class from an equity lens with the following questions in mind (jotting down notes is encouraged):
- Is it clear what teachers want students to do?
- Who participates?
- Do only certain students readily ask for assistance? Are there commonalities among this group?
- Does the teacher only engage with certain students? Are there commonalities among this group?
- Are students engaged in classroom discussion or are they responding to teacher?
- Is differentiation apparent?
- Is there a cohesive summary to the end of class?
Repeat in second assigned classroom. Triads return to meeting room. Debrief observations.
Step 3: “Fireside Chat” with Host School Leadership and Observers
Conversation between the school’s leadership team and observers:
Reflections on partnership experience
- How is this school emblematic of equity challenge?
- How does this school represent the possibilities of “what can be”?
- Quote from Leading for Equity: Discussing the commonalities between schools that moved the needle on their achievement gaps: “…all of these school teams worked on implementing systems and processes that required their staffs to engage in behaviors that were consistent with the belief that all students can master high-level content, and that it is the role of the adults in schools to help them do just that.” (p. 116)
- Quote from Leading for Equity: Discussing the commonalities between schools that moved the needle on their achievement gaps: “…all of these school teams worked on implementing systems and processes that required their staffs to engage in behaviors that were consistent with the belief that all students can master high-level content, and that it is the role of the adults in schools to help them do just that.” (p. 116)
- How does or can a commitment to equity inform your hiring decisions? What successes do you see? What challenges still exist?
- What is the conversation about race/ethnicity/language status in this school? (administration-teachers; teacher to teacher; teacher-student; student to student)
Step 4: Debrief School Visit With Your Team (Observers)
Individual reflection and share out
- Ah-has
- Learning
- How does [SCHOOL] and this visit inform your organization’s equity work?
- What level (system, organizational, individual) is there inequity operating if you saw any
- What system level policies and practices create inequities
- What organizational level policies and practices create inequities.
- What adult practices and policies create inequities (individual)