Superintendents’ Network Key Concepts for Apprentice-Facilitators

WHY do networks need facilitators for instructional rounds? to support their work to ensure fidelity to the process to be a model (lead learner) to guide the network’s learning

WHAT do rounds facilitators do? During Apprenticeship: Read and be well versed in the contents of Instructional Rounds in Education by City, Elmore, et. al. Access and utilize the network resources on the SAI website Attend AEA facilitation sessions with practicing facilitator Practice facilitating planning sessions and portions of rounds’ visits Openly seek and respond to improvement input from coach Participate in group reflection with facilitator colleagues Celebrate successes Attend statewide facilitator meetings and trainings

WHAT do rounds facilitators do? After Completing Apprenticeship: Attend all statewide facilitator meetings and training; rounds visits specifically for facilitators; and, statewide meetings for superintendents (total of approximately 5-6 days per year). Facilitate AEA network meetings (according to network schedule and agreements with other co-facilitators). Dedicate sufficient pre-visit planning time and post- visit reflection time to provide quality facilitation (approximately 1 day of planning for each visit). Help the network identify areas for their professional development and coordinate that learning. Organize the schedule for network visits and meetings.

WHAT do rounds facilitators do? After completing apprenticeship: Ensure the network establishes norms and monitor that norms are followed. Confront problems of attendance immediately. Follow the Instructional Rounds protocols and processes. Lead superintendents’ inquiry as they wrestle with establishing high quality teaching and improving student learning in their classrooms and districts. Hold participants accountable for following the protocols, engaging in evidence-based dialogue, and implementing improvement measures in their districts. Ensure the network’s long-term viability, including member recruitment. Comply with statewide “non-negotiables” and decisions. Participate in program evaluation and provide information to state coordinator, as requested.

Some specific responsibilities… Schedule rounds visits and network meetings Communicate plans to network members Participate in meeting planning Lead portions of the meetings and visits Work with network to identify learning sessions and content for network meetings Work with co-facilitator and host to develop TOA and POP Facilitate pre-visit activities Facilitate the rounds visit process Facilitate follow-up processes (e.g. mini-visits, NLOW work)

More specific responsibilities… Reflect on facilitation practice and strive for continual improvement Seek additional knowledge and experiences to lead and guide the network Analyze network’s Impact Study results and adjust practice accordingly Attend statewide meetings Observe other networks Prepare materials for local and SAI websites Respond to state requests for informaion Maintain a history of the local work

‘Lessons Learned’ Can Help New Facilitators 1. Instructional Rounds Networks require a significant investment of time. 2. When superintendents experience value in Rounds through cross- district Networks, they often want to start in-district Rounds. 3. Participants must commit to fully participating and following Network norms, including attendance. Absences are problematic. 4. Successful beginnings require a balance between “learning the work by doing the work” and developing a solid grounding in purpose and expectations prior to engaging in Rounds. 5. Superficial understanding of Instructional Rounds leads to doing something other than Rounds, calling it Rounds, and getting a different result. 6. Well-trained facilitators increase the likelihood that fidelity to the model will be maintained. 7. Facilitators need ongoing opportunities to learn with and from each other. 8.Networks must be intentional about balancing the two goals of Rounds (Network learning and support to host). 9.The Network belongs to its members; they make the decisions.

Lessons Learned 10.Rounds are about puzzles and shared inquiry, not accountability or evaluation. 11.The more you practice, the better you get. 12.The steps in the Rounds process serve as a “protocol” to provide structure and discipline to the Network’s learning and to the support received by the host. 13.It is critical for the principal and teachers in the host school to know what’s happening and why. 14.A clear POP directly impacts the quality and usefulness of the Rounds visit; it generally takes at least two meetings to formulate a good POP. 15.The POP should reflect a dilemma with which teachers are genuinely wrestling. It’s important to involve teachers in crafting the POP. 16.Look down, not up. 17.Focusing on students and tasks helps lower the anxiety of adults. 18.Hosts have found reflective questions to be more helpful than recommendations for ‘Next Level of Work.’ 19.Networks must be intentional about creating a process for visit follow-up. 20.Patterns across visits offer rich opportunities for authentic Network learning.

Doing Rounds is Not Enough! The network needs to build its knowledge and skill base… Facilitators guide this learning!

Facilitators ensure that rounds are about puzzles and shared accountability We don’t do rounds to other people. Facilitators monitor to see If it feels like it’s being “done to” principals or teachers. If so, they tune the practice.

HOW do facilitators do their work (and how do they do it better)? Facilitators: understand the “why’s” of rounds and help network members maintain a focus on purpose. give the work back to the network (“What do you think...?”) because the network belongs to its members. set the agenda based on what the network wants and what the network needs.

HOW do facilitators do their work (and how do they do it better)? Facilitators: are vigilant about the practice; co-facilitation can help. help make instructional rounds as useful as possible for the host school and the network. The network’s practice will not be perfect, ever, but it can be useful to the the learning of the host and network. are guides, not experts. They help networks build knowledge and skills through the use of common texts and text-based protocols, and by using resource people.

HOW do facilitators do their work (and how do they do it better)? Facilitators: learn the work by doing the work; they learn to do it better, faster, smarter by reflecting on their practice and making adjustments (helpful strategies: plus-delta at both end and beginning of meetings; use of an advisory group). cultivate their own learning. help the network see its growth over time. New facilitators will “learn the work by doing the work,” collaborating with veteran facilitators and gradually assuming responsibility for network facilitation.

Facilitator Selection  Highly skilled facilitators are critical to network success  A facilitator is not an expert, but a guide who thinks like a teacher When selecting a new facilitator, AEAs consider: Will this individual bring or maintain a balance of leadership (networks benefit most from having both AEA personnel and practicing superintendents as co- facilitators). Has this individual demonstrated commitment and follow through in other initiatives? Does this individual possess the following qualifications? Prerequisites for AEA staff: knowledge of the Instructional Rounds process prior participation in at least one rounds visit (preparation, execution, and follow- up) Prerequisite for practicing superintendents: previous network participation

Facilitator Qualifications Knowledge Skills/Abilities Dispositions Experience

Knowledge of… the Instructional Rounds model tools and strategies for facilitating effective meetings including evaluation protocols effective learning theory and group dynamics

Skills/Abilities In… leading groups (using protocols) organizing meetings and events leading professional learning and using technology to enhance group work clarifying and probing for understanding to draw out differing ideas and opinions communicating and articulating her/his own and others ideas thinking quickly, improvising, and adjusting to needs of others working collaboratively and creating trusting, comfortable learning environments establishing rapport with a wide variety of individuals providing constructive support and encouragement to others

Dispositions is a continuous learner who values inquiry learning and is reflective is comfortable leading and facilitating professional development with the high profile educational leaders is open to having one’s thinking challenged, stretched, and critiqued desires to be a part of a collaborative planning team with shared responsibilities values and honors confidentiality respects the time and thoughts of others exhibits a good sense of humor; can laugh at self

Experience in… leading with a focus on the “instructional core” (the relationship between the student and teacher in the presence of content) leading change efforts that result in increased levels of learning for students and educators problem solving coaching others contributing as a member of a Superintendents’ Network

Super Hero? No, just someone who is willing to reflect on these attributes, identify growth areas and work on skill improvement. “Rounds is a learning practice.” City and Elmore

Table Talk What questions remain for you? How do your initial ideas (on chart paper) align with the things we’ve just discussed?