Educators, ethnographers, and researchers have long known the value of shadowing, especially to increase empathy for students. While walk-throughs, learning walks, and instructional rounds are now part of the professional development repertoire, shadowing a student provides a look at schooling through the lens of a single student. Shadowing can develop new perspectives on student motivation and focus, and it can lead to increased respect and empathy for students, and increased awareness about the hidden curriculum in schools.

Shadowing is not about evaluating classes, teachers, or the student. Indeed, it is a good idea not to tell the teachers that you are coming to their class so they are not tempted to put on a show. The goal is to immerse yourself in the student’s experience, preferably commencing as soon as they arrive at school in the morning. Recording and documenting your observations and taking pictures and videos throughout the day to support your observations are a key part of the shadowing experience.

The purpose of shadowing students is to improve the school experience. That means taking action, but it doesn’t mean solving everything at once. Some school leaders have followed up the shadowing experience by:

  • Moving their desk for a day to a public space like the cafeteria, the library or the gym to see the school from a different point of view.
  • Identifying a struggling student and asking the student to help them on a project they are working on.
  • Bringing a student to a staff meeting and including them in conversation.
  • Inviting a struggling student to join them for lunch and talking about their hopes and dreams and what they are most and least excited about.

Read more about shadowing students by Cameron Paterson at Getting Smart.