Through Instructional Rounds Focus on Instruction Working to Ensure MCS has a Solid Core Instruction Program Through Instructional Rounds

Focus on Instruction Reinforce the importance of the instructional core and its centrality to significant improvements in student learning. Understand The Importance of Increasing capacity and collaboration Sharing knowledge of the procedures of instructional rounds and their use in objectively observing and reporting on teaching and learning.

Instructional Rounds Increases in student learning occur only as a consequence of improvements in the level of content, teachers’ knowledge and skill, and student engagement. If you change any single element of the instructional core, you have to change the other two to affect student learning. “If you can’t see it in the core, it’s not there.” The task predicts performance. The real accountability system is in the tasks that students are asked to do.

Instructional Rounds What it isn’t A process A program Evaluating teachers An implementation check/monitoring tool Training in supervision skills Passive A process Learning to describe and identify effective learning and teaching An opportunity to dive into problems of practice and learn “Collaboration to create coherence” A community of practice -- learning from each other and pushing each other

Instructional Rounds Distinguishing elements of Instructional Rounds include: 1. Identification of a problem of practice 2. Observation of practice Collecting data that is descriptive, not evaluative; specific; tied to the instructional core; and related to the problem of practice. Using a formal observation tool that focuses on, what students are saying and doing, what teachers are saying and doing and what the task consists of, all in the service of assessing the impact on student learning 3. Debriefing – identifying patterns and wonderings; avoiding the “culture of nice.” 4. Brainstorming next level of work

Instructional Rounds School Principal Engage staff in developing the problem of practice and related look fors. Identify who (if anyone) will participate from the staff. Identify which classrooms will be visited. Identify who will meet with the instructional rounds team other than the principal. Make sure faculty and staff understand the purpose of the instructional round (It is not evaluative!)

Problem of Practice A rich problem of practice: Focuses on the instructional core Is directly observable Can be acted upon in real time Connects to a broader strategy of improvement Is high leverage

Problem of Practice Problem of Practice: Instructional practice too often positions some students as passive learners or lacks enough differentiation to engage each child at her level of cognitive development. The problem of practice that the school is grappling with is to design learning outcomes, tasks, and lessons that engage all students with content at the appropriate level of cognitive development of each individual student while moving each student along a pathway toward postsecondary educational success.

Problem of Practice Essential Questions/”Look-For”s: What is the task/content? Is it grade-level appropriate? How do you know? How is the student engagement structured? Groups, individual, whole-class, pairs, a combination? Does the structure help or hinder engagement of all students? Does the timing and pacing of the lesson/activity maximize student engagement with the content? Is student engagement simultaneous and continuous? How do you know? What is the quality of engagement of the students with the task/content? Is it just right, like Goldilock's porridge? Are the students curious? Are they determined/inspired? How do you know?

Observation of Practice Essential Questions/”Look-For”s: What is the task/content? Is it grade-level appropriate? How do you know? How is the student engagement structured? Groups, individual, whole-class, pairs, a combination? Does the structure help or hinder engagement of all students? Does the timing and pacing of the lesson/activity maximize student engagement with the content? Is student engagement simultaneous and continuous? How do you know? What is the quality of engagement of the students with the task/content? Is it just right, like Goldilock's porridge? Are the students curious? Are they determined/inspired? How do you know?

Observation of Practice Why? Because generalization & judgmentalism get in the way of clearly seeing what is taking place in the instructional core.

Observation of Practice “The teacher read from a book that was not at the appropriate level for the class.” “There was too much time on discussion, not enough time on individual work.” “The students conducted a sophisticated lab experiment.”

Observation of Practice Is the following observation detailed, nonjudgmental or general and/or judgmental? “Fast Paced” “How are volcanoes and Earthquakes similar or different?”

Debriefing – identifying patterns and wonderings; avoiding the “culture of nice.” Organize individual observations and select relevant data Debrief within small team and select a few patterns, wonderings and recommendations for next level of work to share with the larger network team Select important patterns, wonderings and recommendations for next level of work and share with principal, staff and host superintendent.

Brainstorming next level of work Components of the discussion: Revisit the Problem of Practice in light of current supports and resources. Avoid the “culture of nice.” Be specific! Base recommendations on evidence gathered in classrooms. Get initial feedback from host(s). Debrief next level of work at next meeting.