1. Rounds: Sample
March 13-14, 2008
“I wanted to change the world. But I have found out that the only thing one can be sure of changing is oneself.” --Aldous Huxley

2. Learning Goals By the end of Day 2, we will:
Understand the elements of the instructional core
Be familiar with the practice of network rounds and its connection to instructional improvement
Develop skills in observing teaching and learning—describing what we see
Build relationships within the group
Be excited to go observe real classrooms together in May

3. Agenda Welcome and Introductions The Instructional Core
Network Rounds Overview
Hopes, Fears, Norms
The Discipline of Seeing
Lunch (12:30-1:15)
The Discipline of Seeing (cnt’d)
Student Thinking
Reflection and Debrief

4. Who’s in the Room?
Principals
Teachers
Facilitators
School Coaches

5. Introductions: Leaders are Learners
Think of three things:
Something non-education related that you know lots about
Something non-education related that you know little about
Something education-related that you would like to learn

6. Introduce yourself and discuss . . .
Table for 3: Something non-education related that you know lots about
Table for 4: Something non-education related that you know little about
Table for 2: Something education-related that you would like to learn

7. The Instructional Core

8. The Instructional Core
CONTENT
Points of entry for improvement of instruction
The culture is present in the academic tasks that students are asked to do
If you can’t see it in the core, it’s not there
Academic tasks define the real accountability system in your school
STUDENT
TEACHER

9. ROWAN, ET AL., “. . .PROSPECTS. . .” TEACHERS COLLEGE RECORD ( 2005).
MEMORIZE THIS
PROPORTION OF VARIANCE IN STUDENT GAIN SCORES-- READING, MATH-- EXPLAINED BY LEVEL--PROSPECTS STUDY
STUDENTS
28% R
19% M
SCHOOLS
12% R
10-30 M
CLASS
60% READING
52-72%
MATH
ROWAN, ET AL., “. . .PROSPECTS. . .” TEACHERS COLLEGE RECORD ( 2005).

10. Discuss with a partner
How would each of the following initiatives affect the instructional core? Which 3 would have the most direct effect? Why?
Looking at student work
Site-based management
Block scheduling
Teachers conducting peer observations
Content coaching
Designing schedules to include “Common Planning Time” for teachers
Extending the school day
At end, possibly ask as a reflection: How can you help focus your school/district’s work on the instructional core? Alternative reflection (if we don’t have time for the application activity on this slide): what are the barriers to keeping the focus on the instructional core? i.e. why is it a challenge to keep the focus on the instructional core? How might a school/district address those barriers?

11. Instructional Core Discuss the following with a partner:
What are the barriers to keeping the focus on the instructional core? i.e. Why is it a challenge to stay focused on the instructional core?
How might a school/district address those barriers?
Alternative to the “application” activity – if we don’t have time.

12. How Do Rounds Relate to Other Strategies in the District?

13. District-wide improvement plan
Walkthroughs
District-wide improvement plan
Network

14. Our Work Together: What it isn’t A program Evaluating teachers
Training in supervision skills
Passive
What it is
A process
Learning to describe and identify effective teaching and learning
“Collaboration to create coherence”
A community of practice where we expect to learn from each other and to push each other

15. [We are] more trusting; more honest; more willing to admit what we don’t know; better listeners; more knowledgeable about quality math instruction.
Alternative to the “application” activity – if we don’t have time.

16. We understand each others’ struggles better
We understand each others’ struggles better. We respect each others’ work more. We see “the work” as ours and not “mine” as a result of our network.
Alternative to the “application” activity – if we don’t have time.

17. I now understand that good math instruction involves the collaboration of the staff to engage in observation and discussion regarding what good instruction should look like. …I’m excited to do this work with my faculty.
Alternative to the “application” activity – if we don’t have time.

18. I have learned that the culture of school can’t change unless the culture of leadership changes.
Alternative to the “application” activity – if we don’t have time.

19. Introduction to Network Rounds Practice
On your “Rounds Process” sheet:
Underline the bullets you feel particularly ready to do
Star the bullets you’re interested in getting better at
Chat with a partner about what you starred and underlined

20. Hopes and Fears
If the network is the worst experience you’ve had, what will have happened (or not happened)?
If the network is the best professional development you’ve ever attended, what will be its outcome(s)?

21. Group Norms
Given the group’s hopes and fears, what do you want to ask of your colleagues to help you have the best experience possible with this work?

22. Lunch

23. Developing the Discipline of Seeing
Seeing is a discipline
It’s like a muscle—it gets stronger with repetition
Foundation of our practice:
Specific description
non-evaluative, non-judgmental description

24. Evidence
What do you see?
Just the facts please, Ma’am!

25. Just the facts…?
She did a great job of transitioning from the whole class lesson to independent work time.
Alternative to the “application” activity – if we don’t have time.

26. Just the facts…?
She did a great job of transitioning from the whole class lesson to independent work time.
At the end of the lesson, the teacher asked students what materials they needed to get for their upcoming independent work. She took a few responses and released students to go to their desks four at a time.
Alternative to the “application” activity – if we don’t have time.

27. Just the facts…?
During a period of 20 minutes, the teacher asked 1 question.
Alternative to the “application” activity – if we don’t have time.

28. Just the facts…? The teacher used a very interactive teaching style.
Alternative to the “application” activity – if we don’t have time.

29. What Do You See? What is the teacher doing?
What are the students doing?
What is the task?

30. Video observation

31. Reflection
What difference does sticking to evidence make in your conversations?
What is challenging for you?
Insights?
To what degree do your district conversations stick to evidence?

32. Taxonomies of Educational Objectives
Marzano
Cognitive process
Knowledge
Self system
Visible Thinking Project
Understanding
Truth
Creativity
Fairness

33. Identifying Cognitive Skills
With your group:
Spread out the cognitive skills sort cards.
Sort the cards into categories that make sense to you.
Label categories.

34. Identifying Cognitive Skills
With your group:
Compare your list to Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives.
How do your classifications differ? How are they the same?
How would you sort the list of skills using Bloom’s taxonomy?

35. Problem of Practice—Friendly School
Are students explaining their thinking to reflect higher order thinking skills (the ability to apply, analyze, evaluate, create)? What’s the nature of student response? Is it high-level or low-level thinking?

36. 3-Track Processing What was your experience like as a learner today?
Content: Insights into teaching and learning? Questions?
Process: When were you most alert? What kind of learning worked best for you? Challenges?
What did the facilitators do that contributed to that experience?
What could they do to help your learning in the future?
What are the implications for your own work?
What is one protocol, question, idea, or practice you might bring to your own work?

37. 8. Reflection + ?? Д ??

38. For tomorrow Read Sparks article—Leaders First Change Themselves
Choose a WORD and a PHRASE that have strong meaning for you
Write lingering questions on sticky notes and put on chart paper on your way out
See you at 8 tomorrow morning

39. Supplemental Slides
In his essay, “The Art of Seeing Things,” John Burroughs tells this anecdote:
I once spent a summer day at the mountain home of a well-known literary woman and editor. She lamented the absence of birds about her house. I named a half-dozen or more I had heard or seen in her trees within an hour—the indigo-bird, the purple finch, the yellowbird, the veery thrush, the red-eyed vireo, the song sparrow.
“Do you mean to say you have seen or heard all these birds while sitting here on my porch?” she inquired.
“I really have,” I said.
“I do not see them or hear them,” she replied, “and yet I want to very much.”
“No,” said I; “you only want to want to see and hear them.”
You must have the bird in your heart before you can find it in the bush.
Burroughs, p. 24.