Instructional Rounds and Walkthroughs: Informing Collective Action

1. Instructional Rounds and Walkthroughs: Informing Collective Action ASCD March 26, 2012 Dr. Joan Daly-Lewis Ms. Gina Faust Dr. Phyllis Harrington Dr. Laura Seinfeld

2. Session Objectives • Distinguish features of Instructional Rounds and Classroom Walkthroughs • Describe how these protocols influence collective action around improving student learning • Reflect upon approaches that best match district and/or building goals

3. Why a sense of urgency? It is clear that closed classroom doors will not help us educate all students to high levels. Our goal is to support a system of instructional improvement at scale, not just isolated pockets of good teaching in the midst of mediocrity. City, et. Al

4. It is essential that all educators recognize that the work of professional learning never ends, it is a career-long endeavor.Danielson

5. Equity and opportunity matter. Spreading the best of what we know and are able to do across an entire institution, not just a few teams, schools, departments, or single practitioners matters. Every child deserves an expert teacher. Platt, et. al

6. The power of rounds will only be realized when and if they become embedded in the actual work of the district. Rounds must develop a collaborative, inquiry-based culture that shatters the norms of isolation and autonomy. Marzano

7. Essentials & Structural Variables

8. Essentials on Rounds & Walkthroughs… • Short, focused classroom visits • Paint a picture of reality, to inform individual or collective improvement efforts… • May offer “feedback”

9. Some benefits of systematic walkthroughs • CIA Diagnostics • An aware learning community • Everyone focused on student learning • Students see multiple adults caring about their learning~

10. Essentials… • MUCH variation among models • Focus – Duration - Complexity • Historically, not primarily evaluative • All intended to enhance teaching and learning • Most valuable when fostering collective analysis of practice

11. TWO ESSENTIAL DESIGNQUESTIONS • What do you want? • What will you put into it?

12. CWTs: Two critical drivers (and opportunities) • Increased data for summative and formative feedback and • A structured resource to support professional & student learning

13. For your consideration: • Four models • Two “types”

14. Two “Types”: SOLO DOWNEY- 3 Min. Classroom Walkthroughs MARSHALL – Mini observations TEAM • UCLA – Team walkthroughs • INSTRUCTIONAL ROUNDS

15. ESSENCE – Solo Models: DOWNEY • Frequent • Short visits (3-6 min.) • Administrator • 5 steps • To identify curriculum & instruction patterns • Invites change via reflective questions MARSHALL • Monthly • “Mini observations” (5-10 min.) • Principal • 6 domains/ 60 elements • Feedback on rubric • Linked to curriculum, and to student progress indicators (4-part model)

16. ESSENCE– TEAM Models: • UCLA (Breaking Through…) • Occasional, half-day teacher-driven walkthrough cycles • 5- 7 min. • Visits explore focus questions • Leads to action planning for observers and the team • INSTRUCTIONAL ROUNDS • Monthly* full-day administrator walks • 15-20 min. • Explores “problems of practice” in light of “theories of action” • Observe, debrief, & plan focusing on the instructional core & systemic growth

17. “Look fors”- Solo Models: DOWNEY-5 STEPS • Student orientation • Curricular Decisions - 3 C’s • Instructional Decisions • Safety • Artifacts MARSHALL – SOTEL & rubric • Safety • Objectives • Teaching • Engagement • Learning

18. “Look fors”- Team Models: • UCLA • Teacher generated focus question re student learning or teaching • Often linked to a current initiative • Focus on evidence-based description • ROUNDS • Evidence of effective instruction vis a vis the “problem of practice,” and the “theory of action” • Focused examination of the instructional core

19. Data Recording – Solo Models: DOWNEY • Personal notes • Seeking patterns • Identify possible growth areas MARSHALL • Simple notes on roster • Identify 1-3 areas for feedback

20. DOWNEY SAMPLE WALKTHROUGH RECORD CARD

21. Excel CWT Recording Form(Roman Numerals = Danielson Domains) IV. Domain 4 Noticings

23. Data Recording-Team Models: • UCLA • Hall sharing & debriefing sessions • T-chart evidence with “noticings” and “wonderings” • ID trends w/ action implications • ROUNDS • T-chart evidence with “noticings” and “wonderings” • ID patterns; make predictions • Short, mid-range, and long term suggestions for host school”s “next work”

25. FOLLOW UP-Solo Models: DOWNEY • Reflective questions OR direct feedback • 1-to-1 or group - not after each visit • TEACHER leads re: next steps MARSHALL • Quick 1-to-1 direct feedback within 24 hours • Opportunity for clarification

26. FOLLOW UP – Team Models: • UCLA • TIGHT PROTOCOL & norms to review data • ID trends & discuss action implications for self; possibly for team • School-wide sharing & action research • ROUNDS • TIGHT PROTOCOLS to review data • ID trends w/ action implications for school and network • Action research / pd

27. SUGGESTIONS re: STRUCTURES: • Consider your goals and system resources, then design backward • Solo? Group? Both? • Systemic support? PLC status? • Study, observe and discuss the models • Recognize the complexity that each model demands • Developing readiness for all • Prerequisite skills • Facilitator availability • Time and organizational demands

28. Designing Instructional Rounds Prior to the Rounds • Select a problem of practice • Develop a theory of action • Create a list of indicators and “look fors” • Prepare a schedule of visits and walking teams

29. 2 Sample Problems of Practice • Our students are not getting enough opportunities to practice thinkingor engage in problem solving tasks through a balanced and strategic system of higher level questioning or through well planned learning objectives. • Our students are relying heavily on teacher evaluation of performance rather than demonstrating independence in applying prior and current learning to master learning objectives.

30. Our Most Recent Theory of Action If students: • understand the shared learning target • are provided with criteria for success • receive effective feedback we can expect them to demonstrate an increase in applying prior and current learning independently to master learning objectives.

31. Indicators and Look Fors Sample Student Interview Questions “What are you learning?” “Why are you working on this?” “How does this connect to what you’ve been working on?” “Is what you are working on interesting to you?” “What do you do in this class if you need extra help?” “How do you know if this is correct?” “What does your teacher want you to be able to do at the end of this lesson?”

32. Sample Rounds Day Itinerary 8:30-9:20 am Orientation 9:20-11:00 am Visits and Data Collection 11:00-12:00 pm Individual Analysis 12:00-12:45 pm Lunch 12:45-1:30 pm Pooling Data 1:30-2:30 pm Full Group Analysis 2:30-3:00 p m Recommendations and Reflections Sample itinerary and guidance document is posted

33. "Rounds puts everybody in the learning mode and says we all need to figure this out together." Elizabeth City, Director of Instructional Strategy for HGSE's Executive Leadership Program for Educators Orientation

34. Collecting Data

35. Individual Analysis

36. Group Analysis

37. Increase our understanding of Shared Learning Targets and their relationship to Learning Objectives Peer coaching to increase our strategies for communicating Criteria for Success to students Studying the Common Core Learning Standards to help formulate a lesson’s purpose and design ways to communicate that purpose to students Collaborate to design methods for teaching students strategies for self assessment and self evaluation and/or student to student feedback Recommendations (sample)

38. FEEDBACK FACULTY MEETING

39. Presenting Feedback to Faculty: Framing Questions • What is happening across our school to support and enhance student learning and achievement? • What gaps between instruction and student learning were noted – what were the missed opportunities for teaching and learning?

40. Presenting Feedback to Faculty

41. What action steps could we take as a school in the short term and the long term to address the gaps?

42. Action Steps (sample)

43. Implementing Action Steps • Professional development • Goal setting and accountability • Meeting agenda topics • Focused walks • Learning Teams

44. Partner Walks • Goal for administrative team: increase classroom visits • Each administrator doing walk-throughs alone • Work with consultant: assigned “buddy” walks • Realization that partner walks help make it happen! • Accountability to the work and to each other

45. Tools for Partner Walks • Partner Schedule • See grid • Collecting and recording data • Sharing findings • The “wall”

48. Feedback issues: teacher “demand” “judging” after single short visits time issues adult to adult discourse vs. “telling”

49. Transition to a new setting • Experiences in collaborative walk-throughs & instructional rounds • Transitioning causes a renewed focus on a district’s mission • Know the context • Mission and Vision – 21st Century skills • (See Policy) • History: District Inter-visitation Group (DIG) • Program evaluation/Tri-State Consortium

50. Establishing instructional leadership in new setting • Introduction of Instructional Rounds • Problem” of Practice related to mission and vision • Focus on students’ critical and creative thinking • What instructional moves foster this thinking? • Theory of Action • Partner walks • Means to establish relationships • Focus on instructional leadership • Appropriate feedback to teachers?