1. Instructional Rounds Mill Park Heights Primary School
Melissa Corps
PL Coordinator
2010
“You don’t change
performance without
changing the instructional
core. The relationship
of the teacher and the
student in the presence
of content must be at the
centre of all effects to
improve performance.”
(Elmore 2007)
e5 Instructional Model
DEECD page 7.

2. Embracing Instructional Rounds in a Professional Learning Community
‘The definition of professional learning has been redefined in the school context to embrace the way teachers go about their work and the manner in which they view themselves as professionals.
It is within this context of ongoing inquiry and reflection on practice that the e5 Instructional Model and Instructional Rounds reside. Professions have a practice. One in which there is a defined knowledge base and a belief that working with expert colleagues can actually inform and improve practice. School principals endorsed the development of the e5 instructional model, as there was an identified need to build a greater understanding of high quality teacher practice and to confidently lead those conversations within their school communities.

3. The Instructional Rounds process complements and strengthens this work by engaging teachers, school leaders and regional leaders in the development of a practice that makes public their commitment to improving the quality of teaching and learning in all classrooms.
Working alongside colleagues and reaching agreement about the nature of the work to be undertaken and the protocols that will inform interactions is evidence of a professional culture. At the same time, learning to describe what one sees happening in the classroom is influenced by beliefs about how students learn and how teachers teach effectively. The e5 instructional model provides the reference point for those conversations.
Engaging in deliberate practise through Instructional Rounds builds a knowledge base that informs practice and a culture that embraces continuous improvement.

4. This is the culture that will replace:
my classroom with our classrooms,
my students with our students
and
my definition of effective teaching with our shared view of high quality instruction.’
Judy Petch
General Manager, School Improvement Division

5. Developing Powerful Learning
‘Powerful learning relies on great teaching practice. The professional challenge for teachers and school leaders is to strive for great practice in great schools. By supporting each other, by observing each other’s teaching, by sharing our reflections about what works and why, we can put good teaching in the grasp of every teacher, and put it to work for every student.’
Wayne Craig - Regional Director

6. INSTRUCTIONAL ROUNDS AT
MPHPS

7. Participants Regional Network Leaders – Robert Brookes, Kerrie Simpson
Principal – Deborah Patterson
Assistant Principal – Val Brittain
Assistant Principal – Margaret Hart
Leading Teachers
TPL Team – Sarah Brittain, Julie Armstrong, Melissa Corps
Invitation to neighbouring Principals,
- Nicole Di Marco
- Kirsten Bernet
- Ty Hoggins
- Trish Pace
- Senay Karaca
Merle Burton

8. Context
Mill Park Heights Primary School is in an ongoing developed area in Melbourne’s northern suburbs and located in the City of Whittlesea. The school, originally designed for a long-term enrolment of 430 students, had its peak enrolment of 1,115 students in In 2010, the enrolment is 1024.
The school is a multicultural community with some 51 different cultures and has a number of economically disadvantaged students. The school is student and curriculum focussed. It strives for and encourages maximum achievement in all areas of teaching and learning, student wellbeing and administration. The total staff is 85.
Professional development is considered vital for growth and development for the future. It is a team oriented and friendly organisation where people are welcomed and valued. Parents are encouraged to participate as much as they can in their children’s educational development. The school aims for its students to develop as responsible, self-motivated and resilient learners and citizens. It pursues this objective through presenting carefully planned and targeted programs that are designed to meet the needs of all students.
A genuine commitment has been made to the Blueprint for Victorian Government Schools with a current emphasis on Flagship Strategy 1 – Student Learning. The school team works toward achieving learning outcomes based on the Victorian Essential Learning Standards and the Principles of Learning and Teaching.

9. Moving away from Moving towards
A Change in Culture
Moving away from Moving towards

10. How will Instructional Rounds work at Mill Park Heights Primary School?
The MPH School Directions Team together with RNLs, Local Principals and the experience of the Teacher Professional Leave Team will form the Instructional Rounds Action team.
Each team of 3 or 4 members will complete four 20 – 25 minute visitations across the school to gather data using the e5 Instructional Model template
The Cheryl Doig model for the organisation of Instructional Rounds will be used.

11. Instructional Rounds?

12. The Mill Park Heights Model (adapted from Cheryl Doig, 2009)
Impact on
Teacher Learning
Student Learning
Trends for the Future of Learning
FORM
FOCUS
FOOTWORK
FOLLOW UP
FUTURE
Instructional Round Action Team meets to discuss the following questions.
Instructional Round Action Team brings e5 common language to the table to develop shared understandings.
Instructional Rounds Action Team completes Instructional Rounds.
Instructional Rounds Action Team meets to discuss and review the data
Instructional Rounds Action Team outlines a clear vision for the future of the school, puts strategies in place to support the vision and clearly communicates it to all staff.
Are we ready for Instructional Rounds?
What will we focus on?
Gather data - look, ask and listen
Have we collated the information needed?
So what?
How will we develop these in our school?
Why is it so important to us at this time?
Are we maintaining the agreed focus?
What themes, questions and reflections emerge?
How will we use this information?
What are our protocols?
How will we collect the data?
What does this mean?
How does this
challenge us to move our learning forward?
What are the constraints?

13. FORM Are we ready for Instructional Rounds?
2010 has seen MPHPS emerge into a successful professional learning community. A culture of sharing and trust has been established with the introduction of Professional Learning Walks throughout the school.
How will we develop these in our school?
This document together with further collaboration from the SDT will enable MPHPS to have a shared vision for Instructional Rounds.
What are our protocols?
Visitors must adhere to the focus of the walk
Visitors must refrain from making any judgemental comments
Visitors should not speak to one another whilst in the classroom
Individual observation templates must be shredded on completion of the Post Walk Discussion
Information is not to be used for staff Performance and Development Reviews

14. Guidelines Each classroom visit will be 20 -25 minutes
To gain a snapshot of common practices at the school the team will observe and record using the e5 prompts and the following questions
- What teachers are doing and saying
- What students are doing and saying
- What is the nature of the task
The team may talk to and ask questions of students, using the e5 prompts or questions below, but should not disrupt the class
- What are you doing?
- What do you do if you get stuck?
- How do you know if what you are doing is of a high quality?
- What will you know after doing the task that you may not have known before?

15. Focus What will we focus on?
The Instructional Rounds will use the 2010 AIP focus ‘Provide a high quality teaching and learning program targeted to student needs and create learning environments that encompass high expectations of student learning’ . Teacher practice will be analysed and discussed through the use of the common language provided by the e5 Instructional Model.
Why is it so important to us at this time?
If we increase teacher knowledge about high quality instruction and generate a shared view of effective practice, then we will improve teacher capacity to translate that knowledge into effective practice for every student in every classroom.
How will we collect the data?
Use of the e5 Instructional Rounds template
What are the constraints?

16. Why use e5? Principle 4: Standards for teaching practice matter.
Standards for teaching practice provide benchmarks that support insightful, constructive and productive conversations between all members of a school community.
The e5 Instructional Model provides both standards for teaching practice and a common language for teachers. A common language supports professional learning, makes it easier to share excellent practice, and underpins productive collaboration and disciplined, evidence-based innovation across schools.
The e5 Instructional Model implies that teachers, in keeping with their professional ethics, are bound to adopt evidence-based teaching practice.

17. What common language can we use to examine teacher practice
What common language can we use to examine teacher practice? Let’s use the available research on learning and teaching to impact on student achievement
Studying classroom practice increases the focus on student learning
Make space and time for ‘deep learning’ and teacher enquiry
12 Theories of Action Principles
Guiding Principles for
all literacy lessons - AIZ
PoLT

18. BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
AT MPHPS
e5, PoLT, 12 Theory of Action Principles and Guiding Principles of Literacy Lessons -AIZ
e5 domains
engage
explore
explain
elaborate
evaluate
e5 Capabilities
Develops Shared Norms
Prompts Inquiry
Presents New Content
Facilitates Substantive Conversations
Assesses performance against standards
Generic Explanation
PoLT
12 Theory of Action Principles
Theories of Action Mill Park PS
Guiding Principles – AIZ
I foster positive relations with and between students and develop shared expectations for learning and interacting The teacher builds positive relationships through knowing and valuing each student The teacher promotes a culture of value and respect for individuals and their communities Teaching strategies promote students’ self-confidence and willingness to take risks with their learning The teacher uses strategies that build skills required for productive collaboration
When the level of expectation of student learning is clear and high and relationships respectful, then the students are more likely to be more independent, resourceful, collaborative risk takers.
When teachers exercise a high level of classroom management skill (closed questions, application of rules, equipment readily available, expected behaviours) then a more orderly environment ensues.
When positive reinforcement is concretely related to a particular aspect of student skill and learning behaviour then student performance is positively affected.
Established classroom norms for working.
I present challenging tasks to support students to generate and investigate questions, gather relevant information and develop ideas Teaching strategies promote students’ self-confidence and willingness to take risks with their learning The teacher uses strategies that challenge and support students to question and reflect
When the school commits to an inquiry oriented approach to pedagogy, then a higher level of learning (and engagement) is likely to occur.
When the teacher asks and persists in asking higher order questions, the level of student engagement and understanding deepens
I provide opportunities for students to demonstrate their current level of understanding through verbal and non-verbal means.
I explicitly teach relevant knowledge concepts and skills.
I represent this content in multiple ways The teacher utilises a range of teaching strategies that support different ways of thinking and learning The teacher builds on students’ prior experiences, knowledge and skills The teacher capitalises on students’ experience of a technology rich world The teacher uses technologies in ways that reflect professional and community practices
Explicit purpose for every lesson Explicit vocabulary & getting knowledge ready incorporated into every lesson
I engage students in dialogue, continuously extending and refining their understanding.
I support my students to create and test hypotheses and to make and justify decisions The teacher builds on students’ prior experiences, knowledge and skills The teacher promotes substantive discussion of ideas The teacher uses strategies that challenge and support students to question and reflect
When teachers use cooperative group structures to mediate whole class instruction, then the engagement of all students increases.
I support students to continuously refine and improve their work using assessment criteria in preparation for a performance of understanding.
I integrate evidence from each phase, formally recording my students’ progress against learning goals.
5.2 The teacher ensures that students receive frequent constructive feedback that supports further learning The teacher makes assessment criteria explicit The teacher uses evidence from assessment to inform planning and teaching
When students have descriptors (criteria, assessment rubrics etc) about the outcomes expected then they are able to work more effectively and independently.
When classroom rubrics and displays are well articulated and referred to, the richer the potential for student learning and autonomy
Determines Readiness for Learning
Structures Inquiry
Develops Language and Literacy
Cultivates Higher Order Thinking
Facilitates Student self assessment
I stimulate interest and curiosity, promote questioning and connect learning to real world experiences.
I structure tasks, elicit students’ prior knowledge and support them to make connections to past learning experiences Each student experiences success through structured support, the valuing of effort, and recognition of their work The teacher encourages and supports students to take responsibility for their learning Teaching strategies are flexible and responsive to the values, needs and interests of individual students The teacher builds on students’ prior experiences, knowledge and skills
When there is a strong sense of narrative about the lesson, then the pacing, student engagement and connection to the learning, are all enhanced.
Explicit vocabulary & getting knowledge ready incorporated into every lesson Formal structure for every lesson
I provide tools and procedures for students to organise information and ideas.
I identify students’ conceptions and challenge misconceptions.
I assist students to expand their perspectives and reflect on their learning The teacher uses strategies to develop investigating and problem solving skills The teacher uses strategies to foster imagination and creativity
When learning groups are purposefully established (e.g. group skills are developed, group membership is differentiated, the learning tasks are clear and the teacher’s role clearly articulated), then the higher the level of engagement and outcome for all students.
When classroom rubrics and displays are well articulated and referred to, the richer the potential for student learning and autonomy
I explicitly teach the language of the lesson and provide a variety of opportunities for students to use these new skills in context The teacher uses strategies to develop investigating and problem solving skills Explicit vocabulary & getting knowledge ready incorporated into every lesson When classroom rubrics and displays are well articulated and referred to, the richer the potential for student learning and autonomy
I support students to identify and define relationships between concepts and to generate principles or rules.
I select contexts from familiar to unfamiliar, which progressively build my students’ ability to transfer and generalise their learning Teaching strategies promote students’ self-confidence and willingness to take risks with their learning The teacher utilises a range of teaching strategies that support different ways of thinking and learning Teaching sequences promote sustained learning that builds over time and emphasises connections between ideas The teacher emphasises the quality of learning with high expectations of achievement The teacher uses strategies to develop investigating and problem solving skills
When a school espouses or articulates an explicit theory of learning (scaffolding,HOTs,ZPD) then the level of student autonomy and depth in thinking increases.
Students working at tasks beyond their current levels of thinking (differentiated tasks)
I provide feedback and assist my students to evaluate their progress and achievements.
I support my students to reflect on their learning processes and the impact of effort on achievement The teacher makes assessment criteria explicit Assessment practices encourage reflection and self assessment The teacher uses evidence from assessment to inform planning and teaching
When a child is encouraged to reflect upon their own learning then there is more opportunity to consolidate and extend their learning
Establishes Learning Goals
Maintains Session Momentum
Strengthens Connections
Monitors Progress
I present a purpose for learning, determining challenging learning goals and make assessment and performance requirements clear The teacher ensures that students receive frequent constructive feedback that supports further learning The teacher makes assessment criteria explicit
When the teacher is explicit about the learning objectives and summarises the outcomes, then students will have a stronger sense of learning and purpose.
When students have descriptors (criteria, assessment rubrics etc) about the outcomes expected then they are able to work more effectively and independently. When classroom rubrics and displays are well articulated and referred to, the richer the potential for student learning and autonomy
I am mindful of the learning requirements of the task, attentive to student responses and intervene accordingly.
2.1 - The teacher encourages and supports students to take responsibility for their learning Teaching sequences promote sustained learning that builds over time and emphasises connections between ideas
Time on task is purposeful & maximised
I provide learning opportunities, discussions and focused questioning during reflection time to support them to make connections to both new and past learning experiences Teaching sequences promote sustained learning that builds over time and emphasises connections between ideas The teacher promotes substantive discussion of ideas The teacher ensures that students receive frequent constructive feedback that supports further learning The teacher supports students to engage with contemporary knowledge and practice The teacher plans for students to interact with local and broader communities The teacher uses technologies in ways that reflect professional and community practices
I monitor student understanding, providing explicit feedback, and adjusting instruction accordingly The teacher ensures that students receive frequent constructive feedback that supports further learning The teacher uses evidence from assessment to inform planning and teaching Teachers communicating high expectations and using purposeful feedback The broader the range of techniques (eye contact, using students names, monitoring body language, selecting student responses) the teachers use to monitor progress and participation then the higher the level of student engagement and learning.
Develops Metacognitive Capacity
I assist students to consider and identify processes that will support the achievement of the learning goals Teaching strategies promote students’ self-confidence and willingness to take risks with their learning The teacher encourages and supports students to take responsibility for their learning The teacher utilises a range of teaching strategies that support different ways of thinking and learning The teacher makes assessment criteria explicit Assessment practices encourage reflection and self assessment When the teacher asks and persists in asking higher order questions, the level of student engagement and understanding deepens .

19. Footwork Gather data - look, ask and listen
“The challenge
for most people
is staying in the
descriptive mode…
The best remedy
for this is practice,
practice, practice…”
Instructional Rounds in Education.
City, Elmore, Firaman & Teitel, 2009, p97.
Gather data - look, ask and listen
Utilise the e5 Instructional Rounds template as a tool to gather data.
Are we maintaining the agreed focus?
Continue to stay in the descriptive mode and use the tools and question prompts provided.

20. The Data Gathering Process
Once the focus is determined the data collection tools will need to be agreed to. It is important to remember that the data can be collected in a number of broad ways.
What can you see in the Learning Environment? ie wall displays, artefacts, learning examples etc
What the teacher is doing and saying
What the students are doing and saying
What is the nature of the task?

23. Remember . . .

24. FOLLOW UP Have we collated the information needed?
What themes, questions and reflections emerge?
What does this mean?

25. FUTURE So what? How will we use this information?
How does this challenge us to move our learning forward?

26. MOVING FORWARD AS A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY
The SDT share their expertise and experience to plan strategies for further development of Teacher Practice. They structure the strategies to provide guidance for implementation for next week, next month and next year.
These strategies form part of the new AIP and are clearly outlined and articulated to all staff.
PLTs articulate supportive goals to scaffold the learning required at each team level.

27. Instructional Rounds the final word
Instructional Rounds are not a one off fix to solve a Problem of Practice within a school
They need to be embedded into the culture of Professional Learning of the school and must occur regularly to revisit and refine the school focus.
I recommend Instructional Rounds occur once a term starting from Term 4, 2010 (to allow the SDT to plan strategy for 2011) and then once per term throughout 2011 to continually reflect upon teacher practice.

28. Collaboration Matters
It is important that all levels of the education system – classrooms, schools, networks, regions and central agencies – collaborate to improve student achievement. Evidence-based teaching practice is best implemented through collaborating with other teachers. Good schools balance collaboration, teacher autonomy and accountability.

29. What we want for our children, we should also want for their teachers – that schools be places of learning for both of them and that such learning be suffused with excitement, passion, challenge, creativity and joy.
Professor Andy Hargreaves, Lynch School of Education, Boston College.

30. References e5 Manual Instructional Rounds
Loddon Mallee Region – Learning Walks
Mill Park PS - Instructional Rounds
Instructional Rounds in Education, Elizabeth A. City, Richard F. Elmore, Sarah E. Fiarman, and Lee Teitel, foreword by Andrew Lachman
Instructional Rounds – Barwon,South Western Approach
Powerful Learning
Powerful Learning and Teaching. Professor David Hopkins
Talking the Walk: Walking the Talk - Introducing Learning Walks, Cheryl Doing, 2009
Guiding Principles of all Literacy Lessons - AIZ