Advancing the Three-Minute Walk-Through: Mastering Reflective Practice [Paperback]

Carolyn J. Downey (Editor), Betty E. Steffy (Editor), William K. Poston (Editor), Fenwick W. English (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 28, 2009 | ISBN-10: 1412964571 | ISBN-13: 978-1412964579

An expanded examination of the Downey Walk-Through, this sequel shows leaders how to help teachers improve their practice by engaging them in reflection and professional dialogue.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For the past decade, Carolyn Downey has paved the way for quality instructional leadership by framing the strategy of walk-throughs and follow-up conversations. Now Downey has taken the discussion one step further, taking a closer look at those reflective questions and conversations. In my school district of 70,000 students, walk-throughs and reflective questions are making a difference. School administrators are visible not only from a student behavior perspective, but also from a program/curriculum perspective. Reflective questions between the administrator and teacher set the stage for professional conversations. This is an important strategy for building professional learning communities in schools-and the students are the winners!" (Jennifer Adams, Superintendent of Curriculum )

"The implementation of Carolyn Downey’s walk-through observation techniques have been paramount to the success of administrators and students in the Shawnee Mission School District. The concept of administrators spending a portion of their day in classrooms and observing specific curriculum decisions along with instructional techniques and student behavior followed by reflective conversations has resulted in consistent, positive student achievement at all levels in the school district. Both teachers and administrators see the value of a cooperative effort to increase student achievement. I highly endorse Downey’s walk-through process. It’s a proven process that contributes to the positive relationship between teachers and administrators." (Gene Johnson, Superintendent of Schools )

"This book provides the most informed and transformative blueprint known for building the capacity of teacher coaches and supervisors to enter into a relationship with teachers that is characterized by reflection, conversation, and collaboration. If you are ready to confront power and control issues on your campuses and embark on a journey of professionalizing the administrator/teacher connection for greater student success, then you have in this work a guide for enhanced respect, collegiality, and productivity all aimed at helping each of our students learn more and learn better. Districts across Texas are using the Downey walk-through approach to break through the barrier of the isolated classroom and provide a platform for improved dialogue about teaching and learning." (Susan P. Holley, Associate Executive Director )

"This book builds upon the authors' earlier work , delving deeper into the follow-up of the walk through, reflective practice and collaboration. It is especially helpful for administrators who want to move their own professional development and that of their faculty from observation and evaluation to analysis and reflective inquiry." (Elaine Giugliano )

About the Author

William K. Poston Jr. is an Emeritus Professor of educational leadership and policy studies at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, where he served for 17 years. A former math and physics teacher, he accumulated 25 years of experience in educational administration including 15 years as a superintendent in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona, and in Billings, Montana. His experience includes serving as executive director of the Iowa School Business Management Academy-the licensure program for school business managers in Iowa-for 15 years. He is the originator of curriculum-driven budgeting, and he has led over 75 curriculum audits. Poston has written 13 books and over 40 journal articles and continues to provide extensive service to schools in the areas of evaluation, curriculum management auditing, performance-based budgeting, and organizational quality improvement.

Carolyn J. Downey is professor emeritus of educational leadership in the College of Education at San Diego State University. She formerly was the superintendent for the Kyrene School District, Phoenix-Tempe, Arizona. Downey has written several books and numerous articles. She is the author of the training program "The Three-Minute Walk-Through and Reflective Feedback for Higher Student Achievement." Her most recent book with Betty E. Steffy, William K. Poston Jr., and Fenwick W. English is 50 Ways to Close the Achievement Gap. She was the major architect of the CMSI Individual School Audit using the 50 Characteristics for Higher Student Achievement. She is the author of several of the Principal-Teacher Series for Higher Student Achievement training materials. She received her MS from the University of Southern California and her PhD from Arizona State University.

Betty E. Steffy is a retired professor of educational leadership and policy studies at Iowa State University. She formerly was a dean of a School of Education at a regional campus of Purdue University and served as deputy superintendent of instruction in the Kentucky Department of Education. She served as a superintendent of schools in New Jersey and as a director of curriculum for a regional educational agency in Pennsylvania. She created the professional development model entitled Life Cycle of the Career Teacher. She is the author/coauthor of ten books in education and numerous articles and symposium papers at UCEA and AERA. She earned her BA, MAT, and EdD from the University of Pittsburgh.

Fenwick W. English is currently the R. Wendell Eaves Senior Distinguished Professor of Educational Leadership in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Formerly he served as a program coordinator, department chair, dean, and vice-chancellor of academic affairs, the latter two positions in the Purdue University system at Fort Wayne, Indiana. As a K-12 practitioner, he has been twice a superintendent of schools in New York, an assistant superintendent of schools in Florida, and a middle school principal in California. He also served as an associate executive director of AASA, and as a curriculum consultant to NASSP. He also served on the UCEA Executive Committee and was president of UCEA 2006-07. He is the author or co-author of over 25 books in education.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Corwin Press (October 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1412964571
• ISBN-13: 978-1412964579
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #155,077 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

William K. Poston Jr.

Dr. Poston is an Emeritus Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, where he served for 17 years. Bill began his educational career as a math and physics teacher and he accumulated 25 years of experience in educational administration including 15 years as a superintendent in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona, and in Billings, Montana.

Dr. Poston earned his Baccalaureate degree at the University of Northern Iowa, and his EdS and EdD degrees at Arizona State University. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1958 to 1961. He has many distinctive professional achievements, including service as the youngest-elected international president of Phi Delta Kappa International, and selection as an Outstanding Young Leader in American Education in 1980.

Dr. Poston has led curriculum management audits in over 70 school systems around the United States and internationally, including Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Little Rock, Arkansas; Fayetteville, North Carolina; Huntsville, Alabama; Des Moines, Iowa; Utica, New York; Plano, Texas; Fort Worth, Texas; Columbus,Ohio; Atlanta (DeKalb County), Georgia; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Dhaka, Bangladesh; and the Bermuda Ministry of Education. He was also a teaching fellow at the Institut Aminuddin Baki, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1996.

Dr. Poston has authored numerous professional articles and has published several books:

* Making Schools Work: Practical Management of School Operations (Corwin Press, 1992),
* Effective School Board Governance (Phi Delta Kappa International, 1994),
* Making Governance Work: Total Quality Education for School Boards, (Corwin Press, 1994),
* Generally Accepted Audit Principles in Curriculum Management (with Fen English, Acme Press, 1999),
* The Curriculum Audit: Improving School Quality (Co-author, Scarecrow Publishing, 2001),
* The Three Minute Classroom WalkThrough (Co-Author, Corwin Press, 2002),
* 50 Ways to Close the Achievement Gap (Co-Author, Corwin Press, 2009)
* Budgeting in Hard Times: Confronting Cutbacks and Critics (Corwin Press, 2011).

Dr. Poston specialized in courses dealing with organizational improvement, contemporary management, strategic planning, school finance, and educational leadership at Iowa State University. He was also the executive director of the Iowa Superintendents' Academy and the Iowa School Business Management Academy. He continues to provide extensive service to schools in the areas of evaluation, curriculum management auditing, performance-based budgeting, and continual quality improvement.