During an initial classroom visit I recently had with a principal, I observed a group of 5th graders labeled “behind” quietly filling in blanks on a worksheet. The students’ heads were down, pencils moving, but their eyes looked vacant. Across the hall, meanwhile, another group of students, also considered struggling, were elbow-deep in a science experiment. They were not quiet. They were not perfect. But they were asking questions, jotting notes, and laughing through mistakes.
The difference between those two classrooms was not the students; it was the approach. And it was through this observation that our school leaders began to see those differences and begin the work to make sure all students were receiving the same rigorous instruction.
Instructional Learning Walks give schools a valuable opportunity to support all students. In my decades of experience as an educator, I have observed that this practice, in which leaders and teachers enter classrooms together not to judge but to learn, highlights what instruction looks like for students experiencing difficulty in learning. This collaborative approach ensures that everyone is part of the team, working toward a common goal.
The real power of these observations, and the difference from a generic “walkthrough,” is purpose. Instructional Learning Walks are designed around a precise guiding question and a defined slice of learning. Teams enter to look closely at one strand of a standard, a 10- to 15- minute Tier 2 or Tier 3 block, a reading mini-lesson, a math discourse segment, or a specific piece of a project. The goal is not to scan everything; it is to study a targeted moment that matters for student learning.
Try It: Download the ILW Quick Guide & Indicators (PDF) for a one-page overview of setup, roles, timing, and the aspects to track.
Because the lens is tight and the stance is non-evaluative, instructional learning walks generate usable evidence rather than judgments. Over a series of short visits, teams observe teachers’ instructions to students, snippets of student conversations, one or two work samples, and scaffolds that help students meet challenges rather than reduce them. School leaders begin to see not just isolated moments, but patterns across classrooms: where instruction is being watered down and where authentic, challenge-driven learning is taking hold. Those patterns, and the coaching conversations that follow, are what move practice for teachers and increase cognitive engagement for students.
Instructional Learning Walks are designed around a precise guiding question and a defined slice of learning.
Spotting Patterns and Inconsistencies
During one instructional learning walk, a writing block across three consecutive classrooms at the same grade level, my team observed the same pattern: Students who struggled with reading were assigned independent phonics practice while other classmates drafted persuasive essays using evidence from shared texts. It was clear that support for these students had shifted to a separate pathway from the core writing work.
See the Sample ILW Snapshot for the evidence table used in this walk.
That same morning, we also saw a different picture. In a 4th grade classroom, the teacher used visuals, structured peer talk, and sentence frames to bring those same readers into a short Socratic discussion. The students were thinking about ideas, not just sounds. The scaffolds created access without removing the challenge.
This was the balance we were after: challenge with support, not remediation in place of learning. Through instructional learning walks, we identified these bright spots. This collective seeing, when educators look at teaching and learning together, allows us to ask sharper questions and make bolder choices to improve learning for all students.
Shifting the Coaching Conversation
Observing is only the first step; the true shift happens in what we do next. Following up with feedback is where change can happen. Traditional feedback often sounds like, “These students need more remediation,” which, even when well-intentioned, can result in struggling learners facing more drills and worksheets. Instead, teams examine the evidence they gathered from the ILWs about a defined slice of learning and ask themselves precise guiding questions:
- How can we ensure access to the core curriculum while maintaining its challenge?
- What scaffolds enable this group of students to participate in the discussion?
- Where have we observed curiosity or persistence in learning, and how can we further develop these attributes?
Effective coaching shifts the focus from deficits to possibilities. Leaders grow practice by helping teachers see and test new moves, not by pointing out flaws alone. Instructional learning walks keep the focus tight, the evidence concrete, and the next step actionable. Students who were sitting out begin to enter the work. Teachers see growth and persevere through the challenges. Leaders get shared evidence that helps align expectations across classrooms.
School leaders begin to see not just isolated moments, but patterns across classrooms: where instruction is being watered down and where authentic, challenge-driven learning is taking hold.
Seeing Clearly, Acting Together
Instructional learning walks are not about “catching” teachers or rating lessons; they are about shared seeing and purposeful action. When teams study a defined slice of learning with a non-evaluative stance, they gather usable evidence that supports teachers, clarifies expectations, and points to concrete next steps that maintain challenge for students who are behind.
Equity sits at the center of this practice. Rigor is a right for every learner, not a reward for some. Instructional learning walks help schools stop lowering the bar in the name of help, and instead design access to worthy work through well-designed supports. When leaders and teachers commit to this process, struggling learners begin to participate: they attempt grade-level tasks, they talk about ideas, and they persevere. That is the payoff we are after, and it is within reach.
