Three-Minute Walkthrough Seminar:
the most effective principal is a coach! 

TO REGISTER:  Click here to register online. Or scroll to the Three Minute Seminar registration form at the bottom of the page, which can be downloaded and mailed or faxed to the MESPA office.

Principals, learn to use the three-minute walkthrough to guide teachers toward a continuous improvement cycle.  A walkthrough is a brief, focused classroom visit followed by reflection. The principal assumes the role of coach as opposed to judge, leading teachers to reflective practices and to dialogue focused on curriculum and instruction.

Kathy Larson, national professional growth and development consultant, conducts the seminar and leads principals on the walkthrough, using a school as a live laboratory, allowing seminar participants to observe and use the process in its classrooms.

MESPA has offered Three-Minute Walkthrough seminars in 2006 through 2008.  To meet the continued demand of MESPA and MASSP members, another seminar has been scheduled for October 2009. Is it a valuable experience? Here’s what past participants say:

• Great! Efficient! Love the hands-on approach!
• The reflective piece was really helpful; this is so strong for staff development.
• This will help with systems change.
• Very valuable!!!! It was so nice to immediately visit classrooms during the workshop.
• Offer this again!
• Every principal should attend!
• I will train staff and begin using ASAP.
• The skills are already within me…I have to make them happen!

Friday, October 2, 2009, full-day seminar:
Parkview Center School, Roseville, MN.
7:30 a.m. - Registration, networking, continental breakfast
8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Seminar  

• Parkview

  Kathy Larson presenting at Falcon Heights Elementary. To view a slide show of highlights from her presentation at Brimhall Elementary (October 2008), scroll to the bottom of the page.

  Center School
  701 County Road B West
  Roseville, MN 55113
  For directions to the school, click here or call 651-487-4360
  

• $195 MESPA and MASSP members; $225 non-members. Price includes: continental breakfast, lunch, handouts, administrative continuing education credits (CEUs).

• The school will be used as a live laboratory, allowing seminar participants to observe and use the three-minute walkthrough process in its classrooms. (Not to judge the classrooms, but to learn to notice what kinds of information can be noticed and gleaned in a brief walkthrough.)

• Goals of Three-Minute Classroom Walkthroughs

  --Strategic curriculum implementation
  --Continuous reflection on teaching and student learning
  --Observed alignment of curriculum and instruction
  --Frequent witnessing of expectations
  --Enhanced quality of classroom visits
  --Continuous improvement cycle

• Walkthrough Benefits to Principals
  

  --Develop effective data gathering strategies
  --Analyze curriculum and instruction alignment across grade levels
  --Increase school-wide reflection about teaching and learning

• Presented by Kathy Larson, national professional growth and development consultant
  

  Kathy Larson knows what school administrators need to help their teachers. She has introduced the Classroom Walkthrough process to schools throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as nationally.

  Larson is a national professional growth and development consultant who has concentrated her efforts on building healthy environments for individuals, teams and systems through developing commitments to continuous growth cycles.

  Larson is co-author of The Mentoring Year: A Step-by-Step Program for Professional Growth (2003, Corwin Press).