Partnering on Prep

Spend Time in Schools

RECOMMENDATION 8: Partners should spend more time in schools together

To align expectations and vision, partners must consistently spend time in classrooms to observe, debrief and support mentor and student teachers. The time spent together is invaluable; partners can calibrate their expectations for mentor and student teachers and use observation data to inform professional development topics and targeted support. Partners should also spend time at each other’s sites, attending professional development and engaging with leaders and teachers.

Steps You Can Take

• Start with grounding in shared programmatic expectations. Though partners may develop a shared vision and goals and even shared expectations for student teachers, they must still take time to establish common expectations for programs prior to spending time in schools. In some cases, this requires developing additional vision documents.
• Conduct and debrief well-designed learning walks together. Once expectations have been set, partners must walk through schools together, making observations, collecting evidence and debriefing what they see.
• Extend invites to and engage in relevant partner-led events. While this recommendation is focused on spending time in K12 schools, strong partners also spend time together at teacher preparation program campuses and districts.

Highlighted Tools

• Learning Walk Schedule

  (Richland Parish Schools & TNTP)
• Instructional Rounds Overview Presentation

  (Richland Parish Schools & TNTP)