Instructional Rounds Improving Learning Teaching and Leadership AASA

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 1

Contact us at: Joe Sam Lora Joe Crozier, jcrozier@gwaea. org Sam Miller, Solon Smiller@solon. k 12. ia. us Lora Wolff, ll. L-wolff@wiu. edu 2

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 3

Please interrupt, ask questions, and share your insights as we talk today. 4

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. 5

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 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 6

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, nonjudgmental • Identifies patterns across classrooms 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 7

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

The Instructional Core CONTENT TASK TEACHER STUDENT The relationship between the teacher and the student in the presence of content 9 9

The Instructional Core Student 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. Tas k Teacher Content 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. In Chapter 1, Instructional Rounds in Education 10

Graphical overview of rounds process OBSERVATION/DESCRIPTION PROBLEM OF PRACTICE NEXT LEVEL OF WORK THEORY OF ACTION ANALYSIS: THEMES/PATTER NS PREDICTION: “IF YOU WERE A STUDENT. . . WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW & BE ABLE TO DO. . ? ” 11

Sample Problem of Practice After some initial growth in literacy and math performance, recently student performance on both benchmark and state tests is flattening. 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 questions do you hear? 12

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 14

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. 15

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 i. Pads. • 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. 16

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. 17

The Rounds Process • We started our Instructional Rounds journey by participating in a book study over the summer months. 18

The Rounds Process • We provided additional professional development in August: 19

The Rounds Process • We watched sample videos to practice note taking and debriefing when given a specific Problem of Practice. 20

The Rounds Process • Getting Started! • The process is very organized including: • A posted schedule 21

The Rounds Process • Organizing teams for classroom visits 22

The Rounds Process • Observation tool 23

The Rounds Process • Debriefing and Next Level of Work • Please note: building principal shares data with staff. 24

The Rounds Process • Communicating Instructional Rounds – Faculty – Board of Education – Community – Twitter, Blogs, Newsletter 25

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. 26

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 27

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 28

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 29

Why use technology? • Wanted documentation of the number of e. Walks 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 30 data

A Team Administrative Schedule 31

Benefit of Using Technology • Collecting data • Displaying data • Analyzing data 32

Observer Report: Hawthorne 2010 -2011 -2012 33

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 34

Category: Students and Learning 35

Template Category: Students and Learning (graph) 36

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 37

Questions/Comments Contact us at: Joe Crozier, joe. crozier@gmail. com Sam Miller, Solon smiller@solon. k 12. ia. us Lora Wolff, ll-wolff@wiu. edu 38

BONUS SLIDES 39

Demonstration of an e. Walk 40

Observer Report: George Washington 2010 -2011 -2012 41

Observer Report: Wells-Carey 2010 -2011 42

Observer Report: Keokuk Middle School 2010 -2011 -2012 43

Observer Report: Keokuk High School 2010 -2011 -2012 44

Template Category: Teacher Proximity 45

Template Category: Learning Environment 46

Template Category: Curriculum 47

Template Category: Instructional Strategies (CITW) 48

Template Category: 20 Instructional Strategies (Marcia Tate) 49

Template Category: Implementation of Specific Curr. Trainings 50

Template Category: Reading Strategies 51

Template Category: Utilization of Instructional Software 52

Template Category: Technology 53

Template Category: Second Chance Reading 54

Template Category: Classroom Management 55

Template Category: Teacher Proximity (graph) 56

Template Category: Learning Environment (graph) 57

Template Category: Curriculum (graph) 58

Template Category: Instructional Strategies (CITW) (graph) 59

Template Category: 20 Instructional Strategies (Marcia Tate) 60

Template Category: Implementation of Specific Curriculum. Trainings (graph) 61

Template Category: Reading Strategies (graph) 62

Template Category: Utilization of Instructional Software(graph) 63

Template Category: Technology (graph) 64

Template Category: Second Chance Reading (graph) 65

Template Category: Classroom Management (graph) 66

Involving Teachers in Walk. Throughs • 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

QUESTIONS TO PONDER… What role could walkthroughs and/or e. Walks play… …in the curriculum? …in the Common Core? …in your school or district? …in the evaluation process? 68

Other Information • Ability to email reports (and walk throughs) —my bias is not to do this You can type in an email address here You can type in comments here…or maybe reflective questions… You can type in an email address here 69

A bit of tragic humor… 70