Guidelines for Classroom Visits for eMINTS Comprehensive

and eMINTS4All Teachers

eMINTS classroom visits encourage teachers to use instructional strategies learned in professional development sessions.Classroom visits also provide opportunities for coaching, collaboration, and consultation. Teachers are supported and challenged as they implement the eMINTS Instructional Model. For more information about the model see:

The eMINTS National Center program evaluation research findings suggest that structured classroom visits help teachers to learn and master important professional development concepts (Martin, Strouther, Weatherholt, and Deschaume, 2008). Martin, et.al reported that when teachers have a strong understanding of key concepts such as how to develop a standards-based lesson that uses inquiry-based strategies, the likelihood that their students will benefit increases.

eMINTS classroom visits may be conducted in a face-to-face setting or in a “virtual” setting. A virtual classroom visit is conducted through a phone call, web conferencing software (e.g., Elluminate), or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system (e.g., Skype). A face-to-face setting is the preferred method as it gives the teacher and eIS opportunity to build rapport. Face-to-face visits also provide eIS with a deeper understanding of the strengths and needs of each teacher. However, an occasional virtual visit may be used to supplement face-to-face sessions, as a “make-up” session, or when time and distance constraints preclude a face-to-face session. eMINTS National Center recommends that at least 80% of classroom visits be conducted face-to-face.

Guidelines for Classroom Visits:

  1. Comprehensive eMINTS teachers should receive 9-10 visits and eMINTS4All teachers should receive 8-9 visits during each year they participate in eMINTS professional development.
  2. Some teachers may require or request more visits. eIS should work with their supervisor to determine how to meet individual visit needs.
  3. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, Comprehensive eMINTS teachers should receive at least nine visits and eMINTS4All teachers should receive at least eight visits.
  4. Up to two classroom visits may be done virtually (See guidelines for virtual visits.)
  5. Visits should last a minimum of 45 minutes or the equivalent of one class period for middle school and high school teachers.The needs of individual teachers and groups will guide the duration of a classroom visit.
  6. eMINTS Instructional Specialists (eIS) and participants in Professional Development for Educational Technology Specialists (PD4ETS) are encouraged to check in with teachers while they are in their buildings. However, “check-ins” or short meetings and conversations should not be counted as a classroom visit.
  7. Once a visit is scheduled, the eIS or PD4ETS participant should make every effort to complete the visit. However, if an eIS or PD4ETS participant should need to cancel due to illness, family illness, inclement weather, or an extenuating circumstance, the eIS or PD4ETS participantshouldemail the teacher immediately,call the school to leave a message with the teacher, and reschedule the visit as soon as possible.
  8. Teachers who need to cancel a classroom visit should email and call the eIS or PD4ETS participant as soon as possible. If an eIS or PD4ETS participant travels to a classroom and the teacher is unavailable, the visit may be counted in the total number of visits required.
  9. Some visits may include groups of teachers from the same school, grade level or subject area backgrounds when appropriate. If groups are used, the groups could be composed of 3-6 teachers who can collaborate around a topic of mutual interest such as planning a lesson or a discussion about aspects of a module topic. Where possible and applicable, the same groups of participants couldbe convened for a follow-up classroom visit session to complete activities such as sharing lesson plans or concluding a discussion about a particular module topic.
  10. During the eMINTS teacher’s first year, visits should be geared toward building trust and rapport with the teacher, students, and school personnel.
  11. Effort should be made to meet the principal, LMS, tech person, etc.; however, these meetings donot count as classroom visits.
  12. eIS or PD4ETS participants should introduce themselves to students and provide information about their role and involvement in classroom activities.
  13. eIS or PD4ETS participants should communicate to the teacher and principal that the purpose of classroom visits are to provide in-classroom support and not to evaluate teachers.
  1. Classroom visits should not be conducted outside of normal teacher contract time if at all possible. If teachers volunteer to meet outside of contract time, they should understand the time is not stipend eligible.

When preparing for virtual classroom visits for Comprehensive eMINTS teachers and eMINTS4All teachers, the following considerations should be observed.

  1. Some of the virtual visits could be scheduled using web-conferencing software (e.g., Elluminate) and may include groups of teachers from the same school, grade level or subject area backgrounds when appropriate. If groups are used, the groups could be composed of 3-6 teachers who can collaborate around a topic of mutual interest such as planning a lesson or a discussion about aspects of a module topic (e.g.,how to develop various questioning strategies).
  2. It may be desirable to provide a short PowerPoint to guide the session and provide the structure needed to achieve the pre-determined goals for the visit. The contents of the PowerPoint might include elements from the module for reinforcement or enhancement depending on the skill levels of the participating teachers.
  3. The web-conferencingvirtual visit should last between 45 and 60 minutes (or the equivalent of one class period for middle and high school teachers). Shorter sessions may not provide sufficient time to accomplish goals. Longer sessions may be too long to maintain participant interest. Where possible and applicable, the same groups of participants could be convened for a follow-up classroom visit session to complete activities such as sharing lesson plans or concluding a discussion about a particular module topic.
  4. Where possible, the web-conferencing virtual visit should be recorded for review by the participant(s).
  1. Some of the virtual visits may be conducted with individual teachers using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) options (e.g., Skype).
  2. It may be desirable to provide a specific agenda to the teacher outlining expectations for topics to be covered during the VoIP visit.
  3. The VoIP session should last at least 45 minutes (or the equivalent of one class period for middle and high school teachers) but not longer than 60 minutes.
  1. Some of the virtual visits may be conducted with individual teachers using cell phone or long distance telephone.
  2. It may be desirable to provide a specific agenda to the teacher outlining expectations for topics to be covered during the cell phone or long distance telephone visit.
  3. The cell phone or long distance telephone visit should last at least 30 minutes (or the equivalent of one class period for middle and high school teachers) but not longer than 45 minutes.

Classroom Visit Documentation:

eIS and PD4ETS participants are required to provide documentation of the classroom visits they engage in each year. The documentation is important because it provides specific information about the nature of the visits as well as evidence that the visits have been completed. eMINTS program evaluation research has demonstrated the value of classroom visits in helping teachers to master important eMINTS professional development concepts. See:

Use the following steps to complete the required documentation:

  1. Download and fill out the Classroom Visit Report spreadsheet.
  2. Rename the file ClassroomVisitRecord_lastnamefirstinital_yyyymmdd.xls (for example, ClassroomVisitRecord_falloons_20061024.xls).
  3. Separate teachers and the data about each teacher using the dark fill lines. For each classroom visit, provide the date, format, the time the visit began, and the time the visit ended. Also, highlight the cell(s) corresponding with the activities engaged in each category (see category descriptions below) during each visit.
  4. Update the spreadsheet immediately after each visit to ensure that data is current and accurate.
  5. Submit an updated spreadsheet each month to the eMINTS National Center.
  1. Spreadsheets and submission instructions may be found in three places at
    The Staff Gateway (for eMINTS staff only)
  2. PD4ETS – (For participants in the Missouri or National PD4ETS program).
  3. Information for eMINTS Consultants and District Trainers (In section #3 for district trainers who are providing eMINTS PD and classrooms visits as part of a grant or for Certified eIS who are contracted by eMINTS to provide classroom visits).

Add information to the same spreadsheet for subsequent visits and additional teachers, save and resubmit the updated Classroom Visit Record spreadsheet regularly (at least monthly) through the Moodle assignment interface. Each new submission replaces the previously uploaded file.

Please provide data for all classroom visits regardless of length or delivery format (in-person, Elluminate, Skype or other).

Activity categories

Below are classroom visit activity categories and descriptions of the activities that fall under each category.

Activity category / Activities
Building Trust and Rapport / Getting to know students (i.e. introductions and activities with students)
Offering support (i.e. assisting as an “extra pair of hands” with a lesson or helping with lesson development)
Listening
Developing a relationship with the teacher (i.e. getting to know him/her on a personal level)
Learning about the classroom and teaching styles
Modeling Instruction / Modeling inquiry-based teaching, community-building, cooperative learning or facilitation strategies
Co-teaching a lesson
Lesson Development / Brainstorming ideas for lessons, WebQuests or other instruction
Helping teacher plan a lesson independently (i.e. Cognitive CoachingSM Planning Conversation)
Co-planning a lesson
Reviewing and providing feedback on lesson plans
Providing resources to support instruction for adapting or transforming uses of technology*
Facilitating collaboration with other teachers
Technology Assistance / Equipment trouble-shooting
Assisting teacher with learning district processes for technical support
Assisting teacher or students with using technology
Demonstrating how to use technology
Reflective Practice / Reviewing Hallmarks rubric
Discussing goals for improving practice
Observing for feedback (teacher requested) and/or teacher reflection (i.e. collecting data)
Facilitating teacher reflection and discussion about PD content and developing ideas for future lessons or sharing successful experiences
Facilitating teacher reflection on lesson and setting goals (i.e. Cognitive CoachingSM Reflective Conversation or eIS guides the conversation with a goal in mind)
Providing feedback on instruction
Problem-Solving / Listening to problems
Engaging in problem-solving (i.e. Cognitive CoachingSM Problem-Resolving Conversation to help the teacher be more resourceful)
Offering options to assist the teacher with solving problems
Answering questions about program implementation
Other / All other activities – please add comments to describe

*Based on Grappling’s Technology Learning Spectrum -

References

Martin, W., Strother, S., Weatherholt, T. and Dechaume, M. (2008) eMINTS program evaluation report: An investigation of program fidelity and its impact on teacher mastery and student achievement. Education Development Center: Center for Children and Technology. Retrieved Jun 14, 2010 from:

eMINTS National Center revised June, 2010