1. Instructional Rounds Peninsula School District
Secondary
December 8, 2014

2. Purpose
Develop a common district-wide vision of high quality core instruction in order to elevate our practice as instructional leaders

3. District Problem of Practice
The school board has identified graduation rates as a targeted area of improvement, and overall scores have flat-
lined. In addition, we have begun working to implement the Common Core standards but question whether students are truly engaged in learning and cognitively challenged, which results in both lower graduation rates and in many graduating students not reaching their full potential.

5. Agenda - Morning Framing Review and Reflection
New Learning - Evidence of student thinking
Look Fors
Principal Presentation
Observation
Review and record evidence

6. Agenda - Afternoon Vet Evidence Construct pattern statements
Share pattern statements
Reflections on day
John/Allie

7. Process Norms
Focus on the instructional core—the interaction of teachers and students around the content
Seek evidence and challenge assumptions
Be open to learning from observing classroom practices and from interaction with colleagues
Stay focused on mission, purpose, growth, and improvement
Observations and discussion are confidential

8. Behavior Norms Actively listen
Observe time-limits outlined in the schedule
Turn off electronic devices during classroom observations
Avoid conferring with colleagues inside the classrooms, where teaching and learning is taking place

9. Reflection
Reflections on problem of practice since our visit at Peninsula HS

10. Instructional Core Reread Principles 3-5:
Can’t see it in the core, it isn’t there
Task predicts performance
Real Accountability is in the tasks
According to Elmore, why are academic tasks critical to the school improvement process?

11. Background on Videos Concept: Order of Operations
Collect evidence of task and student thinking related to the tas

12. Video Example 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XroJtR9gQc8 Example 2

13. Analysis
What is the evidence of students thinking from your observations?
What does the teacher know about student understanding as a result of each task?
Which lesson is more rigorous? Why?

14. Debrief
What did students do related to this task?

15. Principal Presentation
What does the data tell us about engagement?
What will we be seeing? (Content area, grade level, student population, context)
Question to ask students about engagement

16. Today’s Look Fors Heidi’s Engagement Question
Record task and evidence of student thinking in response to the task

17. Characteristics of quality evidence
Objective
Describes what is happening (not what we think should be happening)
free from opinion
No assumptions or judgements
Specific, quantifies
Teacher and student actions
Quotes
What you see and hear
Relevant
Focused

18. Observations Descriptive, literal notes
Students AND Teachers doing and saying
Ask student questions
Photos
Move around room
Schedule

19. Observations
Transition to classrooms

20. Review Notes
Review notes, write at least 6 pieces of evidence on separate sticky notes related to
task
evidence of student thinking
responses to the question about engagement

21. Jury Evidence
“What did you see or hear in the classroom that led you to that conclusion?”

22. Group evidence
Group sticky notes together that show some sort of relationship or connection

23. Example Pattern Statements
Students answered all teacher questions correctly
Student discussed the content of the lesson in small groups
In 6 out of 8 classrooms, teacher called on students with hand raised
in 3 out of 4 classrooms, a select group of student answered all the questions
When 43 students were asked, “Is this work easy or challenging?” 29 said it was easy.
Of 28 teacher questions recorded, 26 were at the recall or understanding level
Tasks were inconsistent with the stated focus of the lesson
Assignments matched or exceeded grade level Common Core standards in 3 out 10 classes

24. Pattern Statements Based on evidence Related to problem of practice
Reflects practice from the majority of classrooms and teaching and learning episodes observed

25. Share Pattern Statements
Is it clear?
Is it supported by evidence?
What clarifying questions does it generate?
Does everyone agree with statement and relationship to problem of practice?

26. Questions generated in November
How will we monitor progress?
How can we use PLCs more effectively to monitor progress toward CCSS?
How do formative/summative assessments demonstrate achievement of CCSS?
How do high performing districts monitor progress?

27. Data generated by Nov QFT protocol
Artifacts:
Data on teaching practices
Student work samples
Assessments

28. Homework - January PLC
Visit a single algebra classroom 3 different days
Record tasks on at least 3 different occasions
Bring evidence of student thinking and task for a single student
Bring evidence (pictures, photo copy of tasks, or notes describing task or student thinking, student work)

29. Plus Delta
On two separate sticky notes, please record pluses and deltas
Post on chart paper