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The Toolbox contains a collection of articles with practical advice for school and classroom management.
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Literacy Classroom Observation: Knowing What to Look for
Education’s bottom line: Access to consistently high-quality classroom instruction is more important than which parents children have or which special programs they attend. (Richard Allington, University of South Florida)
With that in mind, Mansfield’s professional development program gives principals an effective “walkthrough” technology for assessing instructional quality. Read more>
Elementary principals in Mansfield use a “walkthrough” checklist, developed by Lesley University for the Literacy Collaborative, Intermediate.
This two-part checklist looks first at Physical Organization of the classroom as an orderly, student-centered environment.
Part two, Literacy Teaching, focuses on language/word study, reading, writing, poetry, and thematic study of a social studies or science topic.
What to Look for First
You’re the principal or literacy coordinator. When you walk in the door, here is what you should see:
- Community meeting area for whole group
- Tables or clustered desks
- Display of student publication
- Display of mini-lesson charts from reading, writing and word study
- Display of writing process charts from reading, writing and word study
- Classroom libraries with books sorted and labeled in baskets
- Word study system materials
- Student-made poetry anthologies
- Organized writing materials for writing workshop
- Small-group meeting table for Guided Reading and Guided Writing
Check out the two-part “walkthrough” guide: PDF >
