Leadership
Item 7. Principal monitors instructional practices for core and provides actionable feedback to staff
Recommendations
If standards of practice (or common agreements) around core have been developed, but are not being implemented consistently, the following questions can help guide next steps.
1. Has effective professional development been provided to teachers that ensures all teachers have a clear and thorough understanding of the standards of practice as well as the resources to implement them?
First determine that teachers have had adequate training to fully understand and are able to implement the standards of practice with fidelity. This training can include formal staff-wide trainings, grade level team meetings to review standards of practice, and ongoing coaching support to observe and model agreed upon practices. The PD and Fidelity Guidance document (see below) can help in planning professional development for teachers.
2. Have you developed a plan for how you will monitor fidelity?
Principal walkthroughs are useful in ensuring teachers are consistently implementing the standards of practice and in identifying areas of support that teachers may need. Teachers should always have a clear understanding of what practices observers will be looking for, prior to the observation. While principal observations are often used as a component of individual teacher evaluations, this does not always need to be the primary focus. Rather, they are intended to observe agreed upon practices, identify bright spots of instruction to highlight, and determine areas of support that may be needed by teachers. They are a way of gauging instructional practices across the building. When done well, observations are also a way to provide effective feedback to your staff. The PD and Fidelity Guidance document (see below) can help in planning professional development for teachers. Additionally, see below for more sample walkthrough forms.
Resources