instructional rounds: improving learning, teaching...
TRANSCRIPT
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Instructional Rounds: Improving Learning,
Teaching and Leadership AASA
February 14, 2014
Joe Crozier, Grant Wood AEA, IA Sam Miller, Solon Community School District, IA
Lora Wolff, Western Illinois University, IL
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Contact us at:
Joe Crozier, [email protected] Sam Miller, Solon [email protected]
Lora Wolff,[email protected]
Joe Sam Lora
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In this session we will… • Increase our knowledge and skills to
use data to improve learning environments
• Understand the various purposes walkthroughs
• Learn about using technology to collect and analyze walkthrough data
• Consider the place of walkthroughs with the new evaluation system
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Please interrupt, ask questions, and
share your insights as we talk today.
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Goals of Instructional Rounds
Ø Build skills of network members by coming to a common understanding of effective practice and how to support it.
Ø Support instructional improvement at the host school by sharing what the network learns and by building skills at the local level.
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An Instructional Rounds Network
Is • A learning community • A method to examine the system • A method to analyze student
learning and student tasks • An in-depth analysis of the
instructional core observed in classrooms
• A process • A way for network members to
objectively describe teaching and learning
• Developing, through shared experiences in real classrooms, a common understanding of effective teaching practice and how to support it
• Collaboration to create coherence around instructional improvement at scale
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Is Not • Learning in isolation • A method to evaluate teachers and principals • An instructional audit to determine if teachers are engaging in a specific practice • A “walkthrough” • A program • A way for network members to learn supervision skills • Reading about or listening to someone describe effective teaching practice and how to support it • Working alone to “figure it out” for one’s own system
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Comparison of Rounds and Walkthroughs
Rounds • Addresses a problem of practice • Descriptive-analytic-predictive
mode • Develops common norms of
practice • Part of a broader improvement
strategy • Builds a theory of action • Evidence-based, non-
judgmental • Identifies patterns across
classrooms
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Walk-through • Checks for implementation of
district programs • Normative mode (looking for
something preconceived) • Assesses presence-absence of
practices (‘there’ or ‘not there’) • Evaluative • Specific to a single classroom
Why do rounds? Equity—To ensure that ALL children have access to powerful learning no matter which classroom they are in Knowledge—To understand what kind of learning is happening in your system Group capacity—To build a shared language and understanding of powerful learning and teaching 8
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The Instructional Core
TEACHER STUDENT
CONTENT
The relationship between the teacher and the student in the presence of content
TASK
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The Instructional Core
Principle 1: Increases in student learning occur only as a consequence of improvements in the level of content, 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 Content
Student
Task
In Chapter 1, Instructional Rounds in Education 10
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Graphical overview of rounds process
PROBLEM OF PRACTICE
OBSERVATION/DESCRIPTION
NEXT LEVEL OF WORK PREDICTION: “IF YOU WERE A
STUDENT. . .WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW & BE ABLE TO DO. . ?”
ANALYSIS: THEMES/PATTERNS
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Sample Problem of Prac.ce
A"er some ini+al growth in literacy and math performance, recently student performance on both benchmark and state tests is fla<ening. Most students are passing, but only half of the students are in the “proficient” category, with few in “advanced” on the state test. We may not be challenging students sufficiently in their daily work.
What tasks are students being asked to do? What ques+ons do you hear?
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Observing and Describing the Learning Task
• Look down, not up
• What are students actually doing? (not what the teacher thinks s/he is asking them to do)
• Task predicts performance 13
What superintendents are saying… Ø I am skilled at using evidence to discuss and
analyze observation data. 97%
Ø I learn better ways to improve instruction in my district by working with others from outside my district. 82%
Ø I value collaborating with other superintendents to improve teaching and learning. 97%
“Superintendents can be and need to be instructional leaders.” Iowa superintendent
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The Rounds Process • My first experience with Instructional Rounds
was serving on a team with twelve superintendents and Area Education Agency personnel.
• As part of the team, I visited a dozen school districts and observed many lessons while using the structured protocols of the Instructional Rounds process.
• I also experienced hosting Instructional Rounds in my school district. By hosting, our faculty and administration were able to experience the process and receive feedback on our instructional practices.
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The Rounds Process • Four years ago, I became the superintendent of the
Solon Community School District in Solon, Iowa (located between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids).
• During the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years, we implemented structured walk-throughs using a template we designed that was utilized through iPads.
• Each teacher received at least 15 walk-throughs per year including: – 9 from building Principal – 3 from Director of Instruction – 3 from Superintendent
• Feedback from teachers included appreciation for visibility in classrooms, but feedback was having little impact on Instruction.
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The Rounds Process • For the 2013-14 year, in an effort to provide our
teachers with more meaningful feedback, we implemented Instructional Rounds.
• Every member of the administrative team agreed to fully participate in the process, including participating in professional development to better understand the structured protocols of the Instructional Rounds process.
• Additionally, team members agreed to reserve one day each month for Instructional Rounds. This was non-negotiable.
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The Rounds Process • We started our Instructional Rounds journey by
participating in a book study over the summer months.
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The Rounds Process • We provided additional professional development in
August:
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The Rounds Process • We watched sample videos to practice note taking and
debriefing when given a specific Problem of Practice.
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The Rounds Process • Getting Started! • The process is very organized including: • A posted schedule
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The Rounds Process • Organizing teams for classroom visits
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The Rounds Process • Observation tool
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The Rounds Process • Debriefing and Next Level of Work • Please note: building principal shares data with staff.
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The Rounds Process • Communicating Instructional Rounds
– Faculty – Board of Education – Community – Twitter, Blogs, Newsletter
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The Rounds Process • Analysis • Early feedback indicates teachers appreciate a
building wide focus that “feels like” coaching and not evaluative.
• Some staff still freaked out by seeing multiple administrators walking into their classroom for observation.
• Surveys will be administered to all teachers in spring for input and improvement.
• Administration thinks the process has improved our commitment and focus on teaching and learning.
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Impact of Instructional Rounds • Benefitted from working with other
superintendents with a focus on learning • Confirmed what I knew and believed about
learning in my district • Challenged my thinking about learning in my
district • Forced me to consider the instructional
leadership roles of the administrative team • Implemented team walk throughs by the
administrative team
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Why a team approach? • Demonstrates instructional leadership • Generates the conversation about instruction
and curriculum • Provides a structure that collects data about
teaching and learning • Acts as a springboard for professional
development based on data collected • Provides a vehicle to implement sustained
school improvement • Helps educators become reflective
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Where we began… • Began with walkthroughs • Incorporated instructional rounds
characteristics – Utilized a “team approach” – Focused on what the students were doing – Focused on analyzing what was observed
• Utilized technology
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Why use technology? • Wanted documentation of the number of
eWalks completed – By each administrator – By teacher – By classroom – By grade level – By content area – By building
• Wanted consistency in what we were observing (administrators, teachers)
• Wanted to be able quantify and display data
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A Team Administrative
Schedule
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Benefit of Using Technology
• Collecting data • Displaying data • Analyzing data
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Observer Report: Hawthorne 2010-2011
2011-2012
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Areas of Observation • Students and Learning • Teacher Proximity • Learning Environment • Curriculum • Instructional Strategies • 20 Instructional Strategies (Marcia Tate) • Implementation of Specific Curriculum Training • Reading Strategies • Instructional Software • Technology • Second Chance Reading • Classroom Management
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Category: Students and Learning
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Template Category: Students and Learning (graph)
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Heading into Year 3 • Move from only walkthroughs to
instructional rounds • Focus on conversations about the
visits with teachers • Regular administrative team
conversations about what we’re seeing as a district or building.
• Provide professional development for administrators in instructional rounds
Questions/Comments Contact us at:
Joe Crozier, [email protected]
Sam Miller, Solon [email protected] Lora Wolff, [email protected]
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BONUS SLIDES
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Demonstration of an eWalk
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Observer Report: George Washington 2010-2011
2011-2012
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Observer Report: Wells-Carey 2010-2011
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Observer Report: Keokuk Middle School 2010-2011
2011-2012
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Observer Report: Keokuk High School 2010-2011
2011-2012
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Template Category: Teacher Proximity
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Template Category: Learning Environment
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Template Category: Curriculum
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Template Category: Instructional Strategies (CITW)
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Template Category: 20 Instructional Strategies (Marcia Tate)
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Template Category: Implementation of Specific Curr. Trainings
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Template Category: Reading Strategies
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Template Category: Utilization of Instructional Software
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Template Category: Technology
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Template Category: Second Chance Reading
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Template Category: Classroom Management
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Template Category: Teacher Proximity (graph)
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Template Category: Learning Environment (graph)
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Template Category: Curriculum (graph)
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Template Category: Instructional Strategies (CITW) (graph)
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Template Category: 20 Instructional Strategies (Marcia Tate)
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Template Category: Implementation of Specific Curriculum.
Trainings (graph)
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Template Category: Reading Strategies (graph)
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Template Category: Utilization of Instructional
Software(graph)
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Template Category: Technology (graph)
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Template Category: Second Chance Reading (graph)
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Template Category: Classroom Management (graph)
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Involving Teachers in WalkThroughs
• Question: Should we involve teachers in conducting walkthroughs?
• Question: If so, how do we involve teachers in walkthroughs?
Another perspective
Engaging Teachers in Classroom Walkthroughs, Kachur et al 67
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QUESTIONS TO PONDER… What role could walkthroughs and/or eWalks play… …in the curriculum? …in the Common Core? …in your school or district? …in the evaluation process?
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Other Information • Ability to email reports (and walk
throughs)—my bias is not to do this
You can type in comments here…or maybe reflective questions…
You can type in an email address here
You can type in an email address here
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A bit of tragic humor…