Insights and Next Practices for Today’s Educational Leaders

Expanding the Lens: Why “Test Observations” and “Student Work Observations” Belong in Every Administrator’s Toolkit

by Michael Keany

It’s a familiar scene. An administrator walks into a classroom for a brief, unannounced observation. The teacher looks up and says, “I’m sorry—I’m giving a test today.” Too often, the administrator nods politely and leaves, assuming there is little to observe.

That moment, however, may represent one of the most missed opportunities in instructional leadership.

If we are serious about improving teaching and learning, we need to broaden what we define as “observation.” Classroom instruction is only one part of the learning cycle. Assessment—how we measure learning—and student work—how learning is demonstrated—are equally powerful windows into instructional quality. It’s time to intentionally expand administrator practice to include test observations and student work sample observations.

The Missed Opportunity of Test Days

When a teacher is administering a test, the visible instruction may be paused—but the invisible instructional story is on full display.

Rather than walking away, administrators should schedule a follow-up session with the teacher to explore three critical areas:

• Test Design: What standards or learning objectives does the assessment measure? Are the questions aligned to those goals?
• Rigor and Validity: Do the items assess recall, application, or deeper thinking? Is the test a true reflection of what was taught?
• Feedback and Results: How will students receive feedback? How will the teacher use results to adjust instruction?

As assessment expert Rick Stiggins has long argued, “Assessment should be done not to students, but for students.” A post-test conversation allows administrators to coach teachers on how assessment becomes a tool for learning, not just measurement.

These discussions also open the door to data-informed instruction. What patterns emerged? Which students struggled—and why? What reteaching is planned? In many ways, this conversation may be more impactful than a traditional observation of a single lesson.

Student Work: The Most Authentic Evidence of Learning

Equally powerful is the practice of examining student work with teachers.

Imagine scheduling a meeting where the teacher brings a sample of student work—likely one they are proud of. This is not a flaw in the process; it is a starting point. From there, leaders can guide a rich professional conversation:

• What were the learning objectives behind this assignment?
• What criteria or rubric defined success?
• How does this work reflect mastery, proficiency, or growth?
• What feedback was given—and how did it move learning forward?

Instructional researcher Ron Berger emphasizes that “when students see models of excellence and receive clear feedback, the quality of their work improves dramatically.” Reviewing student work together helps ensure that expectations for quality are explicit, consistent, and meaningful.

These conversations also shift the focus from teaching to learning—from what the teacher did to what the student produced. As John Hattie notes in his synthesis of research, “the most powerful feedback is that which helps students understand where they are, where they are going, and how to get there.” Student work is the clearest evidence of whether that feedback loop is working.

From Observation to Coaching

Both test reviews and student work discussions transform supervision from compliance to coaching.

They create space for:

• Deep conversations about instructional alignment
• Reflection on assessment literacy
• Calibration of expectations for rigor and quality
• Strengthening of teacher decision-making

They also honor teacher professionalism. Rather than judging a single moment in time, administrators engage teachers as partners in analyzing the full arc of learning.

Practical Next Steps for School Leaders

To embed these practices, consider the following:

• Schedule “Assessment Conferences” after major tests or units
• Create a Student Work Protocol for structured conversations
• Encourage Teachers to Bring Artifacts (tests, rubrics, exemplars)
• Focus on Growth, Not Gotcha—these are coaching sessions, not evaluations
• Model the Process in faculty meetings using anonymized student work

Leadership Bottom Line

When administrators expand their lens beyond live instruction, they gain access to the most meaningful evidence of teaching and learning. Tests and student work are not interruptions to observation—they are the heart of it.

The next time a teacher says, “I’m giving a test today,” the best response may not be to leave—but to lean in.

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2026). ChatGPT (5.2) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com