Teacher Monitoring, Walkthroughs on Paper a Thing of the Past

May 6, 2011 - PRLog -- As our lives get busier, the importance of monitoring to reassure that we continue on the right track becomes clear.  We constantly monitor things such as our spending, calorie intake, and even speed on a daily basis. Seemingly, the most important aspects to keep an eye on are sometimes also the most complex; yet simple tools have been developed to oversee even the most difficult of tasks.

Many administrators have discovered that conducting walkthroughs and classroom observations is the best way to assure the success and growth of school goals.  The latest innovation to make the complex process more streamlined is the digital walkthrough.

Lots of companies have developed their own versions of digital monitoring tools for conducting walkthroughs. Most of them seem to be a generic electronic form that can be stored and sent to the teacher  for immediate feedback after the walkthrough. So which tool is the best? Is there a best, or are they all the same? Some are backed by huge names in the education industry, which does not necessarily make them better, while others just seem to have no connection with education.

While investigating the market for monitoring tools, one stood out over the rest. Stride Teacher Support and Monitoring Solutions, developed by Learning-Focused is set to be released Monday, May 9th. Stride enables administrators to perform “Walkthroughs with a Purpose” with an iPad, any other tablet device or laptop.   Stride works along with the Learning-Focused “Toolbox” which features tools for Unit, Lesson, and Curriculum Planning.

With “Toolbox,” teachers have the ability to plan and organize their lessons with their state’s standards and individual school goals. The fact that Stride’s customizable monitoring forms work in conjunction with personalized plans is just one feature that sets Learning-Focused apart from the competition in the digital walkthrough market.

While Stride was developed by Learning-Focused, it is completely customizable to implement any school initiative.  This includes  Marzano's Teacher Evaluation Model which is being widely adopted by many states.  Stride Walkthrough forms also include interactive growth rubrics to provide support and increase communication among teachers.  With many more features such as these, Stride truly does personify the tagline, "walkthroughs with a purpose."

Although others have some of the biggest names in education endorsing their product, Stride is the most practical and easy to use tool out on the market. To find out more about Stride and Learning-Focused, visit www.StrideWalkthrough.com

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