Twice a year the Hamilton Elementary Local School Council (LSC) meeting is held during the school day. This allows the council to engage with the school community while classes are in session.
During these meetings we participate in Learning Walks. This classroom visit allows stakeholders to see examples of the teaching and learning that occurs in our classrooms on a day-to-day basis. The learning walk experience provides an opportunity to witness teachers in their element and students in their environment.
LSC members, Hamilton parents and members of the public will participate in the Learning Walk by noticing and observing teaching and learning. There will be a set of guiding questions to help frame what to look for during the walk. Small groups of LSC Members and members of the public will visit three classrooms for five minutes each. Following the walk, we will reconvene in the library to debrief and share what we noticed in the classrooms.
The goal of the Learning Walk is to allow LSC Members to have a clear understanding of the school day to help inform their input regarding the budget, the CIWP, and the principal evaluation. As we work to build a culture of collaboration, our teachers and staff are also participating in these learning walks regularly as a part of their professional development. This practice will establish a culture of learning to improve our instructional practice through our collective knowledge, teaching, and learning experiences.
While we only visit a few classrooms during these walks, it is possible to visit any classroom at Hamilton and see students collaborating, teachers meeting students' needs, and students engaging in high-quality learning activities.
The first round of Learning Walks happened in October and State Representative Ann Williams joined our learning walk and tweeted about the experience calling it fascinating. A parent shared that the literacy lessons she saw "warmed her heart." Parents saw media integration in dance and music and expressed how intentional the students' photography was. Students were repeatedly praised for their respect and the bright, inviting, cheerful, and warm classroom environments.
In October as part of the feedback session, Jane Grant and Julie Simon, the teacher representatives to the LSC, discussed the strategic and intentional planning that goes into the SEL practices that are credited for creating the collaborative classroom learning environment the LSC observed during the learning walk. We also talked about the flexible classroom seating, the new hallway learning coves, and our need for additional sound dividers we hope can be donated for the hallway learning coves!
The next LSC Meeting is Wednesday, March 8th at 8:15am. Hamilton parents and members of the public are invited to attend the meeting and and join us for the learning walks.
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