ARLINGTON – For parents and community members who want a look at what’s happening behind classroom doors at Arlington High School, it’s time to put on your walking shoes.
A couple of months ago, Principal Christine Hinojosa launched a unique program, Parent and Community Learning Walks, as a way to showcase the learning that goes on in the high school.
“The Learning Walk is an invitation to parents to come to the school to learn more through observing students and teachers in action,” Hinojosa said.
The walk is more than a tour. The visit starts with the principal sitting down with guests to get to know one another, ask parents about expectations, and go over learning that guests may see. After the Learning Walk, the parents and administrators debrief on what they saw, answering any questions raised.
Parents took a recent tour with clipboards and student-teacher observation forms in hand. They joined Hinojosa and administrative intern Marilee Herman.
First stop was math teacher Greg Dailer’s Algebra II class. Dailer spoke in a no-nonsense manner mixed with humor to instruct students on quadrantals and their degree and radian measures.
The group then headed to P.E. instructor Mark Nelson’s Fitness and Toning class to see some of the existing and newly donated weight cages. On this day, girls worked in groups of threes to power through a repetition of front squats, kettlebell swings and tricep presses to the sub-woofer sounds of Pharrell Williams’s “Happy”.
Students in Anne Hayman’s English class discussed protagonists, antagonists and conflict in the story, “The Old Man at the Bridge,” while Laura Anderson’s English students read and shared a spirited discussion of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”
The walk’s encore came with warmups by the AHS band in instructor John Grabowski’s class. The musicians have been practicing outside in preparation for the marching band’s upcoming performances at the library, Haller Park and the Memorial Day Parade. “Nothing gets you in the spirit like playing in the marching band,” said Hinojosa, as Grabowski and his assistant energized the band, clapped and played along.
At each brief classroom stop, parents watched the interplay between teachers and students, and “read the room” looking for buzzwords and phrases that suggested learning targets and strategies. Hinojosa said her goal is to help parents with “what they think good instruction looks like.”
Parents gave this learning walk high marks and came away impressed with the focus and enthusiasm of teachers and students. They were grateful for the opportunity to see classrooms in action, and they recommended other parents to take advantage of the opportunity.
“It’s essential that parents participate,” said Sheri Kelly, a parent of freshman twin daughters attending the school. “Parents need to have an appreciation and comprehension for what their kids are doing.”
Kelly was pleased to see that while some of the same materials are being used in classrooms today as when she was in school – “Romeo and Juliet” still ends the same – the teaching methods used to inspire students are different. “The learning is happening,” Kelly said.
Parent Orysia Lutz said it’s important for parents to be engaged, and no method is more direct than seeing learning in action. “It’s nice to be able to walk in and see what’s going on, to see what students are doing, and how teachers are teaching,” Lutz said.
Hinojosa said she hopes more people will accept the offer to walk. “Visitors leave with a better understanding and as a staff we receive parent and community input,” she said. “It has been a win-win situation for us.”
Herman said they would like to conduct walks every Thursday and Friday, but need to get them on the administrative calendar ahead of time. If you’re interested, call the main office at 360-618-6300.
