Tier I: Implementing Learning Walks & Instructional Rounds OrRTI Conference Tara M. Black, M.Ed. May 9,

Purpose  Participants will learn about the characteristics of learning walks and instructional rounds understand the difference between the two.  Participants will learn how to use student performance and observational data to look for strengths and weaknesses in core program (Tier I ) instruction and how to aggregate data in order to develop a problem of practice.

Collaborative Practice … Continuous Data Gathering STUDENT PERFORMANCE DATA Benchmark, progress monitoring, work products, other evidence Disaggregate data OBSERVATIONS Aggregate data SHARED WALK-THROUGHS Curriculum, time, design, fidelity checklists Aggregate data Informs & Refines Problems of Practice LEARNING WALKS ROUNDS Refine problem (POP) Inform professional development Target coaching Clarifies Precision of Practice LAB-SITES Higher level PLC work Set new expectations Strengthen coaching Build capacity 4 Continuous Improvement Petti, 2012

Learning Walks  Purpose  Who?  Time/Frequency  Next Steps…

Develop a Protocol  Efficiency  Consistency  Transparency

Communicating to Staff

Sample Learning Walk Tools

Elementary Learning Walk Chart

Sample Learning Walk Tool High School

Talk to a neighbor  What are learning walks?  How do learning walks differ from walkthroughs?

The Instructional Core Seven Guiding Principles Principle #1 : Increases in student learning come only as a result of changes in the level of content, changes in teachers knowledge and skill, and student engagement. Principle #2: If you change one element of the instructional core, you have to change the other two. Principle #3: If you can’t see it in the core, it’s not there. Principle #4: Task predicts performance. Principle #5: The real accountability system is in the tasks that students are asked to do. Principle #6: We learn to do the work by doing the work. Principle #7: Description before analysis, analysis before prediction, prediction before evaluation. TEACHER STUDENT CONTENT TASK

 To understand how to improve student learning it is necessary to focus on the level of the tasks that students are doing.  Requires observer to look at the students desks rather than at the teacher  Objective analysis of the level of task can predict what students will learn and give guidance to help improve student learning Review Principle #6: Task predicts performance

LEVELS OF TASK… PISA/BLOOMS PISA: Program for International Student Assessment BLOOMS REVISED Level 1: FIND A FACT IN A TEXT IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION Knowledge (remember) Level 2: REMEMBER SOMETHING SOMEONE ELSE HAS TOLD YOU AND REPEAT IT Understand (describe/explain) Level 3: REMEMBER A PROCEDURE THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS TAUGHT YOU AND APPLY IT ACCURATELY AND FLUENTLY Apply Level 4: CHOOSE A PROCEDURE FROM AMONG A NUMBER YOU HAVE LEARNED, APPLY IT ACCURATELY AND FLUENTLY, EXPLAIN WHY YOU CHOSE IT, AND WHY IT MIGHT BE BETTER THAN ANOTHER Analyze Level 5: USING A BODY OF EVIDENCE, MAKE AN ARGUMENT ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK IT MEANS, ANTICIPATE AND RESPOND TO COUNTER ARGUMENTS Evaluate Level 6: TEACH SOMETHING YOU THINK YOU KNOW TO SOMEONE ELSE Create 15

Review Principle #7:  Principle #7: Description before analysis, analysis before prediction, prediction before evaluation.  Be descriptive, not judgmental.  This is very hard. 16

Let’s try Instructional Rounds..  View of 3 rd grade LA lesson: Each of member of your team will have a distinct focus:  #1: Focus on the teacher: What was she saying and doing? Describe, do not judge.  #2: Focus on the students: What were they saying and doing? Describe, do not judge.  #3: Focus on the task. What were the tasks? If possible, identify the level of the tasks. 17

VIDEO   WATCH… TAKE NOTES… USE Levels of Task Hand out…  Share in ‘like task group’…  Chart descriptive observations 18

DEBRIEF…  Aggregate the data… (by observer group)  CHART  When you observe multiple classrooms in Tier 1: Analyze the Patterns of Observations  What is consistent?  What is fragile, but started?  What is missing?  NEXT STEPS… 19

I’ve gathered a lot of instructional data, now what?  Review and aggregate your data  What are the strengths within the instructional core?  What are areas that could improve on?  Set instructional goals for staff  Provide ongoing support and professional learning for teachers  Gather more data and go deeper

Developing a Problem of Practice A problem of practice…  Focuses on the Instructional Core  Is directly observable  Is actionable  Connects to a broader strategy of improvement  Is high leverage  Instructional Rounds in Education: A Network Approach to Improving Teaching and Learning By E. A. City, R.F. Elmore, S.E. Fiarman, and L. Teitel  Pages

Sample Problems of Practice  What kinds of tasks are students being asked to do in class?  What are the different ways you see students begin assigned work in class?  How will increasing the amount and level of student talk impact engagement and learning?  Is there evidence that students are thinking critically about their own writing across the content areas?

Collaborative Practice … Continuous Data Gathering STUDENT PERFORMANCE DATA Benchmark, progress monitoring, work products, other evidence Disaggregate data OBSERVATIONS Aggregate data SHARED WALK-THROUGHS Curriculum, time, design, fidelity checklists Aggregate data Informs & Refines Problems of Practice LEARNING WALKS ROUNDS Refine problem POP Inform professional development Target coaching Clarifies Precision of Practice LAB-SITES Higher level PLC work Set new expectations Strengthen coaching Build capacity 23 Continuous Improvement Petti, 2012

And so it goes… Predict what students are expected to be able to know/do in the classroom Evaluate what the next steps for the classroom teacher/staff leadership/administrator might be. Set up… Data gathering Learning Walks/Rounds Stretch for lab-sites Do it AGAIN! AGAIN! AGAIN! 24

Questions

Contacts  Tara Black, Tigard-Tualatin School District