To develop and maintain culturally responsive classrooms, school and district leaders must build their capacity to evaluate classroom instruction through a culturally responsive lens and provide actionable feedback based on classroom observation.
Observing Culturally Responsive Instruction enables school and district leaders to:
- Deepen their comprehension of culturally responsive classroom instruction.
- Develop an understanding of low inference evidence in the observation process.
- Practicing observing for culturally responsive instruction through facilitated culturally responsive classroom walkthroughs.
- Identify high leverage areas for feedback to support the cultivation of culturally responsive classrooms.
Culturally responsive classroom walkthroughs provide a structure for leaders to conduct culturally responsive-focused classroom observations, gather low-inference data, generate questions, and plan next steps to improve student learning. Our research based Culturally Responsive Classroom Walkthrough Guide provides a protocol for walkthroughs and includes reflection questions and examples of classroom evidence to look for, including observable teacher/student behaviors and classroom content and environments. This 1.5-2.0-day professional learning program includes training on our walkthrough protocol and one or more culturally responsive classroom walks facilitated by a Leadership Academy staff member.