Foster Instructional Best Practices: Add Learning Walks to Your School’s Evaluation Toolkit

Walk into most schools and you will see passionate educators working hard to create meaningful learning experiences for students. As school leaders, one of the most important responsibilities we have is to understand what is actually happening in classrooms regularly and at scale. Learning walks offer a structured way of doing that. They help school leaders and teachers learn together about teaching and learning while building professional knowledge and instructional alignment.

Drawing on the guidance outlined in “A New Take on the Learning Walk Routine” by the Institute for Learning at the University of Pittsburgh, the ideas that follow explore how learning walks can be used not just to observe instruction, but to center student experience, equity, and collaborative professional growth.

Moving Beyond Compliance

Too often, classroom visits are treated as evaluative or compliance exercises. The question is no longer, “Is the teacher doing what they’re supposed to?” A more powerful approach centers students from the very beginning. The goal of a learning walk is not to inspect teaching, but to understand how students are experiencing learning. We begin instead by asking, “What can we learn about how our students, especially those furthest from opportunity, are being supported, challenged, and included in today’s classrooms?”

Learning walks help teams explore the instructional core: what content students are being asked to engage with, how that content is delivered, and how students are actively participating. When the focus is on students’ experience and wellbeing, learning walks allow leaders and educators to see more clearly which students are being invited into deep learning and which ones are being left at the margins. The most valuable insights come when we ask, “Are all students being seen, heard, and supported here?” and “What changes will create more access and opportunity?”

This is not a checklist. It is a professional habit of inquiry that requires humility, attention to equity, and a commitment to act on what we learn.

What Learning Walks Look Like in Practice

The process is straightforward but powerful. A small group of observers visits several classrooms for about 12 to 15 minutes each. These walkthroughs can be conducted in person, during synchronous virtual sessions, or through short video recordings submitted by teachers. The flexibility of the model makes it adaptable to a variety of learning environments and school schedules.

School leaders often structure learning walks around a clear focus that aligns with instructional goals and priorities. Research and practitioner guidance recommend selecting a guiding question that helps the team gather evidence about specific elements of teaching and learning, such as student engagement, discourse, or alignment to the school’s learning model. Leaders and teachers agree on the focus in advance, use that lens to collect descriptive evidence during classroom visits, and then debrief to deepen professional dialogue and plan next steps. This approach shifts learning walks away from compliance and toward inquiry that can strengthen instructional practice over time.

Observers take non-evaluative notes, writing down what students and teachers are saying and doing in direct relation to the focus area. For example, rather than writing “great engagement,” an observer might note, “Nine out of ten students completed the problem set independently and asked clarifying questions when they needed help.” These types of descriptive notes offer concrete data that can fuel reflection and coaching.

Debrief and Reflect

The article “A New Take on the Learning Walk Routine” published by the Institute for Learning at the University of Pittsburgh highlights that learning walks are most effective when the findings inform professional learning for everyone involved, not just teachers. Leaders can use the insights to align support structures, inform instructional coaching, and design professional development that is grounded in the real work of classrooms. By rooting follow-up in shared observations, schools create more coherence between what is seen in classrooms and the instructional priorities they aim to advance.

For example, a learning walk focused on student voice might reveal that while students are speaking in class, much of the talk is still teacher-directed or focused on surface-level recall. When teams notice this pattern across classrooms, it can spark conversations about how to scaffold deeper academic conversations and encourage more student-led dialogue. In many schools, this kind of insight has led to shifts in how teachers structure discussions, often co-developing new strategies through follow-up learning sessions, peer observations, or coaching cycles.

Equity at the Center

One of the most transformative aspects of learning walks is their potential to shine a light on equity in practice. Who gets to speak? Who gets support? Who gets challenged? By including educators who specialize in serving emergent multilingual learners or students with disabilities, the walk expands its lens and its impact.

A powerful real-world example comes from Talcott Fine Arts and Museum Academy, a public pre-K–8 dual-language school in Chicago. There, learning walks are used regularly to focus on student motivation and culturally responsive teaching. Educators conduct short, structured classroom visits, typically six to seven minutes each, observing instructional practices, classroom climate, and student engagement. During these walks, observers also speak directly with students to understand how learning feels from their perspective. Walks are followed by reflective hallway conversations and formal debriefs that help staff make sense of what they observed and how it aligns with instructional goals. Teachers at Talcott reported that these walks helped them notice things they had previously overlooked and inspired richer discussions about instruction across grade levels. The practice has strengthened professional inquiry and improved the school’s ability to respond to diverse student needs.

This kind of insight does not come from a single walkthrough. It comes from a routine that is built into the culture of a school, where everyone sees themselves as part of a continuous effort to improve learning for all students.

Preparation and Mindset

Effective learning walks start with thoughtful preparation. Schools that use them successfully often begin by engaging staff in conversations about the purpose and process. It is important to communicate that learning walks are not evaluative. Teachers should help shape the focus, and the walk should ideally follow relevant professional development so that observations are connected to shared learning goals.

In virtual environments, additional coordination is needed. Observers must understand the platforms used, ensure access is confirmed ahead of time, and enter virtual spaces quietly with cameras and microphones off. Respecting class time and minimizing disruption are key.

Most important is the mindset. When learning walks are approached as opportunities for learning rather than inspection, they strengthen trust and build a foundation for meaningful professional dialogue.

From Observation to Action

A learning walk is only useful if it leads to action. The insights gained during the walk should inform coaching, PLC discussions, professional development, or even schoolwide shifts. Feedback should be interactive, rooted in the evidence gathered, and focused on helping teachers move forward in their practice.

After one school conducted learning walks focused on student questioning, they noticed a pattern: teachers were doing most of the questioning, and student-generated questions were rare. This led to a professional learning series on student inquiry, co-led by teacher leaders. As a result, classrooms became more inquiry-driven, and teachers reported stronger student engagement.

Putting It All Together

At its best, a learning walk is not a one-time event. It is part of a continuous cycle of inquiry, reflection, and improvement. It helps school leaders and teachers understand what students are experiencing in real time, build shared language around effective instruction, and make more informed decisions about where to focus professional learning. The real purpose is collective learning about teaching and learning, not individual evaluation.