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Linda Cliatt-Wayman: How to fix a broken school? Lead fearlessly, love hard

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On Linda Cliatt-Wayman's first day as principal at a failing high school in North Philadelphia, she was determined to lay down the law. But she soon realized the job was more complex than she thought. With palpable passion, she shares the three principles that helped her turn around three schools labeled "low-performing and persistently dangerous."

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Discussion 1: The article Resilience in the Face of Adversity discusses five leadership strengths crucial for a leader during difficult times. The five strengths are “Be positive in spite of the negative,” “Stay focused on what you care about,” “Remain flexible on how you get there,” “Act rather than react,” and “Apply resilience-conserving strategies during tough times” (Patterson, 2001). Strength number one teaches leaders always to think positively. We’ve all been in situations where we disagree with the outcome, and we can react two ways, accept it or challenge it. Positive thinking allows you to comply while keeping an opening for negotiation on how it is executed. The second strength shows us how to stay resilient by always keeping the end in mind. When faced with adversity, remind yourself of your values and use them to move you forward. Next being resilient means we must roll with the flow and accept that we don’t control everything. You need to adapt and function highly during setbacks and move forward with a new perspective. Furthermore, Patterson talks about working with what you have; resilient leaders strategize when to take risks to advance their vision. Finally, resilient leaders know when to step back and seek help during tough times. 

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Discussion 1: The article Resilience in the Face of Adversity discusses five leadership strengths crucial for a leader during difficult times. The five strengths are “Be positive in spite of the negative,” “Stay focused on what you care about,” “Remain flexible on how you get there,” “Act rather than react,” and “Apply resilience-conserving strategies during tough times” (Patterson, 2001). Strength number one teaches leaders always to think positively. We’ve all been in situations where we disagree with the outcome, and we can react two ways, accept it or challenge it. Positive thinking allows you to comply while keeping an opening for negotiation on how it is executed. The second strength shows us how to stay resilient by always keeping the end in mind. When faced with adversity, remind yourself of your values and use them to move you forward. Next being resilient means we must roll with the flow and accept that we don’t control everything. You need to adapt and function highly during setbacks and move forward with a new perspective. Furthermore, Patterson talks about working with what you have; resilient leaders strategize when to take risks to advance their vision. Finally, resilient leaders know when to step back and seek help during tough times. 

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Reference:Patterson, J. (2001). Resilience in the Face of Adversity Five leadership strengths for moving forward personally and professionally in difficult times. 

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Reference:Patterson, J. (2001). Resilience in the Face of Adversity Five leadership strengths for moving forward personally and professionally in difficult times. 

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Hello! My name is Melissa Gonzalez. I am a Pre-K 4 teacher and have been teaching for 6 years. I live in a small community in the Rio Grande Valley. I am blessed with my husband and two daughters. 

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Hello! My name is Melissa Gonzalez. I am a Pre-K 4 teacher and have been teaching for 6 years. I live in a small community in the Rio Grande Valley. I am blessed with my husband and two daughters. 

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I am most excited for our final project when I get to present on leadership.

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I am most excited for our final project when I get to present on leadership.

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I have a question. When researching on our own, are we allowed to use any articles or do they need to come specifically from ASCD?

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I have a question. When researching on our own, are we allowed to use any articles or do they need to come specifically from ASCD?

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I chose to use an image of lions because the video on administrative leadership I saw, describes a fearless leader. Lions are a symbol of courage and that is what a leader needs to have to be able to face adversity.
References:
(2015). Linda Cliatt-Wayman: How to fix a broken school? Lead fearlessly, love hard | TED Talk. Retrieved June 3, 2023, from https://www.ted.com/talks/linda_cliatt_wayman_how_to_fix_a_broken_school_lead_fearlessly_love_hard.
Fernengel, L. (2012). two lions in the Savannah . Pexels. Retrieved June 3, 2023, from https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-lions-in-savannah-13409966/.

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https://www.edutopia.org/article/school-community-building-relationships/

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Administration & Leadership

A look at how school leaders can get started bringing their community together to work toward shared goals.

Successful relationships with the school community aren't developed overnight. It takes time and conscious strategic efforts to build trust and establish credibility.

Over time I've come to learn that effective engagement strategies with one group-whether it be students, staff, or families-can and should play upon and weave into the others, much like the tapestry of a beautiful quilt. As we get to know our students better, it's important to prioritize authentic connections with not just them, but their support systems. Students should know that their teachers at school and their guardians at home are working together on their behalf. Similarly, building a strong foundation with your staff translates to better outcomes for students and their families.

We're all on the same team. Schools thrive when all members of the community are involved and actively contribute toward shared values and goals. Here are some core principles and actions to keep in mind as you meaningfully engage with your school communities at all levels:

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION

If we want to increase levels of involvement at our schools, we have to actively listen to our community-what is both said and unsaid. Leaders are signal senders and receivers, meaning we should be actively attuned to the wants and needs of those we serve through things like surveys, listening sessions, check-ins, and community meetings.

Students: Acknowledging birthdays and successes as well as simple things like calling out their new glasses or shoes can go a long way. When a student writes a thoughtful essay or scores well on their math test, stop by to celebrate them for their growth and achievement. On occasion, I write letters to my students, and their honest responses often provide me with clarity regarding their thoughts on anything from the school lunch menu to recess activities-all information I can use to anchor talking points for our interactions.

Families: Everyone likes to feel seen and appreciated. Show families you notice their contributions by thanking the parents who brought snacks to the soccer game. Follow up by sending some books and resources home with a family who expressed interest in a specific topic. Families also benefit when we approach them with empathy and understanding. Call the new family who just recently transferred to your school to see how their transition is going and how you can help.

Staff: After students, teachers and staff provide perhaps the most valuable pulse in the school building. Biannual feedback surveys provide information about how staff feel and what they perceive to be working well or not in the school-all valuable insights. Try asking questions like "How effective are the professional learning experiences?" or "What curricular modifications and/or resources would be helpful?"

Beyond surveys, nothing can ever replace one-on-one or small group conversations with members of the team. Remember to leverage these more intimate or informal moments to offer appreciation and support.

BE VISIBLE and ACCESSIBLE

Engaging with members of our communities should occur anywhere and everywhere. We have to be in the arena of our school happenings. We can't watch from the sidelines.

Students: Spending time with students during lunch and recess pays huge dividends. I ensure that I have the availability to join recess duty a few times during the week to interact with the kids, in addition to hosting lunch groups in my office. Based on teacher recommendations or my own observations, I invite students who look as though they could benefit from some additional adult support and connection. We eat lunch together, talk, laugh, and play board games. To help my students practice their Spanish, I also conduct one of my "lunch bunches" in the target language.

Families: Morning arrival and dismissal are pivotal times of the school day during which I like to make myself available forimpromptu conversations with families and caregivers. I also try to engage with the school community off-campus when possible. For example, our school hosts information and enrollment events at a local community center where families can see me in person. Many meetings and collaborations can be facilitated virtually-such as our parent-teacher association (PTA) meetings-so even when families cannot be physically present, they can still see the school leader.

Staff: Just because you work in the same building doesn't mean that staff "see" you. Yes, walk the halls often and offer to cover class for a few minutes so teachers can take that bathroom break. But also consider deeper engagement with your staff and how it can help humanize your position.

At the end of my first year as a school principal, members of our staff told me they felt that they didn't know me well. And, they were right. I was reserved and guarded. Now I talk about taking long walks on the weekend, the latest movie I've seen, or books I've read. Not only does this give our team more information about my interests, but also I hope to model a healthy work-life balance. As I let people in, this is often reciprocated with more openness, mutual understanding, and even accountability when necessary as we collectively pursue our goals.

INNOVATE TOGETHER

As you co-design with your school community, tap into the experiences and expertise of those around you to help solve problems or enhance existing school initiatives.

Students: Our learners can not only offer ideas but also provide help to facilitate creative solutions. At our school, students have selected new book titles for our school library and launched interest groups, like a hair club. Elected student council representatives also poll their classes to identify problems and propose student-generated ideas. Although we can't install a swimming pool and water slide (at least not yet), it was clear that our students enjoyed sharing their ideas to help make the school better.

Families: Be transparent with families and the school community when both setting and measuring school goals. Provide families with concrete strategies to implement at home that align with the school's priorities. For example, we are working to improve our youngest students' reading proficiencies, so we encourage our families to have their children read or read to their children for at least 20 minutes a day. Viewing families as active partners in this work not only leads to stronger relationships but helps the students to benefit as well.

Staff: Welcome and encourage your staff's expertise where you can. Our teachers and staff designed a student marketplace, which they use to teach about artisanal and entrepreneurial skills that promote financial literacy. Additionally, we know that educators can and do learn a lot from their colleagues, so it's important to leverage their skills. At my school, we are continuing to develop more vertical planning opportunities so that teachers across grade levels can more deeply understand the intersection of what students should know now and be able to do in the future.

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Engaging Staff, Students, and Families: A Schoolwide Approach

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Administration & Leadership A look at how school leaders can get started bringing their community together to work toward shared goals. Successful relationships with the school community aren't developed overnight. It takes time and conscious strategic efforts to build trust and establish credibility.

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https://blog.edmentum.com/education-leadership-building-your-school-community

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When schools engage families and neighbors in meaningful ways, they gain support, and in turn reinforce healthy behaviors in multiple settings-at home, in school, in out-of-school programs, and in the community.

A community is created by and involves many different participants working together to build trust and support. When a school looks to build a strong community, it must include all of them to get a successful integration and support. Let's take a look at some of the bodies who with the power of teamwork, communication, and passion, can help take your school community from good to great.

Neighborhood

To involve the surrounding community, schools can utilize the resources they have close by. Not only can you promote the talents of local businesses and individuals, but you can also get families excited about your school's group activities.

Celebrate Contributors: To get more families to your events, talk up the benefits or freebies when publicizing them, and be sure to mention when outside organizations help out. For example, recruit the library or local businesses to contribute to hosting a family reading night, where families can get a free book and parents can learn ways to support reading at home. Have the library participate or reach out to local business for book donations.

Connect New People: Bring together different groups for a common project. See if the school Dads Club and choir parents can work together to serve food at Bingo Night. Connect families who may not have met each other. Pair new volunteers with veteran families who know the school in and out. Look beyond the usual fundraiser or family event to something new that will bring in families who might not otherwise participate.

Get Creative: Research incentive programs, be creative. Offer opportunities to work with and alongside local business, other schools, local artists-there are possibilities.

Additionally, with help from school leaders, community agencies and groups can collaborate with schools to provide valuable resources for student health and learning. In turn, schools, students, and their families can contribute to the community through service-learning opportunities and by sharing school facilities with community members.

Students

An essential part of building a strong network with enthusiastic of participating members must be the students. Having them part of the conversation is critical. After all, they make up the core component of your school community!

Take a Whole-Child Approach: Emphasize common purposes and ideals that strive to develop the whole individual, not just academics. In addition to academic achievement, schools with a strong sense of community, stress the development of qualities essential to good character and citizenship, such as fairness, concern for others, and personal responsibility.

Find the Right Opportunities: Provide developmentally appropriate opportunities for independence and influence. When students have a say in establishing the agenda and climate for the classroom it creates buy in and a sense of fairness.

Teachers

Besides students, educators are the other main ingredient to any school community. Collaborating and contributing to the school and classrooms are not just part of the job; they are teachers' responsibilities. Teaching is not a nine-to-five job where you can clock in and clock out at the same time every day without a thought to things being left undone; it's a vocation where building relationships and being involved is just as important as instruction.

Provide Input: Tell the community how you can be supported. Funding for the classroom and tools can build a connection especially if there is a transparent process of application and review. If you are successful in getting the funding, share the project or passion back.

Encourage Collaboration: Having your teachers work together can significantly impact community. More experienced teachers will be recognized for their best teaching strategies. Younger teachers will be given validation that the things that they are trying, and new techniques and knowledge they can bring to the table. Leverage professional learning communities to create a more formal structure for collaboration.

Reclaim the Weekend: A full life includes time for recreation, hobbies, personal relationships, and downtime. Plus being out in the community for these activities, when we can do that safely again, builds connections and humanity.

Administration

Administrators can support educators-and by extension, the whole community-by nurturing the physical and mental health of both school students and faculty. Set the tone from the top by celebrating success and achievement, acknowledging hard work and effort at every level, and establishing strong lines of communication throughout the community.

Prioritize Health and Wellness: Healthy school members are more productive and less likely to be absent. Take the time to build a strong staff community. Filling teachers' cups with positive interactions and specific praise from both colleagues and administrators will help them feel cared for and providing resources for student social emotional learning can help reduce stress so students can recognize school as a safe place where they ca focus and learn. By extension, this will give your team more strength in their ability to care for their students, and your students a stronger shot at success.

Plan Smart: Use community input throughout your school or district planning cycles. Start by interviewing last year's new teachers. What helped them at the start of the year? What do they wish they had or wish they'd known at the beginning of the year? What suggestions do they have for supporting new teachers? Then survey the community. Prove that feedback can be put into action.

Community groups and local businesses can create partnerships with schools, share resources, and volunteer to support. Schools, students, and their families can contribute to the community through student activities and by sharing school facilities with community members.

It truly does take a village to raise a child; but the needs of the village must be met, too. When school community members work together, amazing things can happen. Federal, state, and local governing will help, but it is the community that will nurture local schools. By working together with our neighborhood business, leaders and families, pride, understanding and a better stronger learning environment can be established.
Interested in learning more about the Edmentum Educator Network? Get the details and join our community today!

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[Education Leadership] Building Your School Community

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When schools engage families and neighbors in meaningful ways, they gain support, and in turn reinforce healthy behaviors in multiple settings-at home, in school, in out-of-school programs, and in the community.A community is created by and involves many different participants working together to build trust and support.

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https://cdnprincipals.com/attributes-of-an-educational-leader/

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CAP - Canadian Association of Principals

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Education leaders are charged with supporting communities of teachers, principals, parents, families, and students.A leader can turn a school or community around for the better, ensuring success for students and educators alike. Effective leaders understand the value of coaching and mentoring, for themselves as well as for teachers. School leaders know they need to completely support teachers and staff, encouraging them to constantly learn, grow, and, perhaps most importantly, be leaders themselves. With successful school leadership, schools become efficient incubators for learning, places where students are challenged, nurtured, and encouraged, as well as being taught.

Leadership is not just about being in charge, it's about being able to influence your students and the community at large in a way that fosters growth and success.

There are many ways that educational leaders can nurture a safe, healthy environment for learning. Educational leaders can create an inclusive environment for all students, regardless of background or ability level. They can also encourage students from different backgrounds to come together and learn from one another (American University, 2020). Leaders also play a role in setting good examples for students by modeling behaviors that are authentic and supportive of their goals (Driscoll, 2022). Leaders who inspire others through their actions will have an impact on their schools as well as their communities.

Principals who create collaborative leadership teams are empowered to share their vision for standards and success for all students. A leader can turn a school or community around for the better, ensuring success for students and educators alike. Just as teachers are the center of a classroom, inspiring student success, education leaders are at the center of the community, leading students, teachers, schools, and even the entire district to success (Anderson, 2021). Every individual can be a leader to some degree, but education leaders are uniquely charged with supporting communities of teachers, principals, parents, families, and students (Mitha, 2021).

Just as a teacher guides children in their classrooms every day through activities designed to develop their skills in math or writing or reading comprehension, so too does an education leader guide youth toward academic success through activities designed to develop their skills in critical thinking and problem solving. An education leader should see themselves as a guide-someone who helps others achieve their goals by providing resources and expertise whenever needed (Mitha, 2021).

A leader is someone who influences others to follow a certain path. They have a vision and can communicate that vision in an effective manner. A leader also works with their team, setting goals and plans that build strength for students and teachers with whom they partner. They understand the value of coaching and mentoring, for themselves as well as for teachers in their schools. An effective leader builds relationship and works collaboratively with staff, parents, businesses, and communities in order to communicate their vision and to support student learning and progress (Latham, 2020). Effective education leaders set a good example, continually seeking new information in a variety of areas-from education innovations to important scientific advances-and sharing what they find with teachers and other employees (Anderson, 2021). Educational leaders recognize that every school is a highly dynamic environment striving to prepare students to succeed in a fast-evolving world (Lynch, 2020). Great school leaders know they need to surround themselves with great teachers and colleagues because these people are essential to the success of their school (Lathan, 2020).

The future of education is dependent upon the quality of leadership in schools. However, schools are not a single entity, but rather a community that is made up of many different organizations with their own unique needs and goals. As such, it is important that leaders work together to ensure that each organization has the resources they need to succeed. For this to happen, leaders must be able to understand each other's goals and needs, as well as build relationships with other leaders within the school community (Driscoll, 2022).

Effective school leaders are those who are willing to create change and impact the lives of students, parents, and teachers that they serve. Communication, passion, drive, authenticity, community-building, and reflection are hallmarks of an educational leader who is willing to create change and impact the lives of students, parents, and teachers that they serve. Effective teachers and education role models not only play leadership roles throughout their careers, but they also lead lives that demonstrate the qualities of teacher leadership. Other leaders, like principals, apply leadership qualities including organizational skills and communication in order to effectively run schools (University of Wisconsin-Superior, 2018). Educational leadership also exists beyond the classroom, wherever those with influential positions seek to direct teachers, students, parents, or policymakers towards common education-related goals.

School leaders play an important role in creating the future. They are responsible for shaping policies, planning programs and activities that help students learn, managing finances and supplies, implementing systems that make it easier for teachers to teach effectively (Ministry of Education, 2018). Educational leaders work with parents and other community members who want their children educated well. It is our job as educators to create an environment where everyone has access to quality education (University of Kansas, 2019).

Communication is another hallmark of effective school leadership; they can effectively communicate with people at all levels within their organizations-from administrators who oversee curriculum and instruction to teachers who cater lessons for each grade level and student. The most effective school leaders share passion for learning, devotion to their work, empathy toward others, patience, curiosity, commitment, creativity, and humility.

In the education system today, there are many non-profit leaders and foundation leaders who offer classes, programs, funding, and education enrichment for students. Good schools are led by teachers, and principals passionate about making a difference for the children in their care. A passionate education leader deeply cares about his or her community and is enthusiastic about making each school day better than the last (Lynch, 2020; Knerl, 2018).

The first step to becoming an effective leader is to fully understand the needs of your community. The second step is to decide what you want your community to look like when it comes time for you to retire (Knerl, 2018; Lynch 2020). Once you have decided what you want your community to look like when you retire from teaching or running an organization (Knerl 2018), it is time to start implementing change through your actions. This may include acting towards improving social issues in your community such as poverty or lack of access to resources (Knerl 2018).

The world of education is changing. The way people learn and the way they teach are evolving. We have new tools at our disposal that can help us reach more students and improve education. These tools include technology which can be used in innovative ways to help us understand what motivates our kids as well as engage them in meaningful ways.

In this era of rapid change, it's important for educators to focus on what really matters: improving student outcomes with every lesson, every day.

References
Anderson, C. (2021). 6 Key Education Leadership Traits. https://audioenhancement.com/6-key-education-leadership-traits/ American University (2020). Setting the Right Example: Teacher Leadership Qualities That Make a Difference. https://soeonline.american.edu/blog/teacher-leadership-qualities
Driscoll, D. (2022). Top 10 Characteristics of Awesome 21st Century School Leaders. https://thinkstrategicforschools.com/top-10-characteristics-21st-century-school-leaders/
Integrity Coaching (2022). The 10 Key Skills of Successful School Leaders. https://www.integritycoaching.co.uk/blog/skills-school-leaders
Knerl,.L.(2019). Three Essential Elements of Educational Leadership. https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/educational-leadership/
Lathan, J. (2020). 10 Effective Educational Leadership Qualities - University. https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/effective-educational-leadership
Lynch, M. (2020). What Makes a Great Educational Leader? https://www.theedadvocate.org/what-makes-a-great-educational-leader/
Mitha, C. (2021). How to be an effective school leader. https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2021/11/01/how-to-be-an-effective-school-leader
Ministry of Education (2012). Leading from the Middle: Educational Leadership for Middle and Senior Leaders. https://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Leadership-development/Key-leadership-documents/Kiwi-leadership-for-principals/Qualities
University of Kansas (2019). What makes an effective leader in education? https://educationonline.ku.edu/community/what-makes-an-effective-leader
University of Wisconsin-Superior (2018). 5 Qualities of Strong School Leaders. https://online.uwsuper.edu/degrees/education/msed/educational-administration/5-qualities-of-strong-school-leaders/

AUTHOR:
Truman Spring, PhD is the Associate Director of the MEd in Leadership program, as well as the Director of Continuing Education for City University in Canada.

Heather Henderson, EdD is the Canadian Director of the MEd in Leadership program for City University in Canada.

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Attributes of An Educational Leader - CAP

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Education leaders are charged with supporting communities of teachers, principals, parents, families, and students. A leader can turn a school or community around for the better, ensuring success for students and educators alike. Effective leaders understand the value of coaching and mentoring, for themselves as well as for teachers.

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Instructional leadership and why it matters - THE EDUCATION HUB

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What instructional leadership means, why it is important, and how leaders and other teachers can engage in effective instructional leadership.

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Using Instructional Rounds to Develop High-Quality Learning

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Center for Student Achievement Solutions

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Instructional Rounds can help promote a collaborative Professional Learning Community for your teachers and provide space for teachers to individually reflect on their own instructional practices. This week, we want to help you implement Instructional Rounds in your school to create a better learning environment.

Definition: What are instructional rounds?

Rather than instructional leaders being the ones responsible for observing and sharing feedback to improve teaching and learning, instructional rounds allow teachers to observe and share feedback to learn from one another through three main components:

Each of these components can be helpful on their own, but instructional rounds incorporate all three for more bite-size actionable planning and next steps.

Step by Step: How to conduct instructional rounds

Step 1: Organize a network of teachers who plan to work together over time.

It may make sense to split up teachers into networks based on the subjects they teach, their level in the organization (e.g., superintendents, principals, teachers), the grade level they teach or based on other criteria. Each network should be made up of teachers dedicated to working with one another to improve student achievement over the long term, with regular meetings. Elizabeth A. City from the Harvard Graduate School of Education suggests your networks be composed of between 8 - 30 members.

Step 2: Define some problems of practice.

Use data about your school and student performance to define these problems of practice. What are some problem areas your network would like to focus on solving? Based on student achievement data, where does your school or department tend to struggle? The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) lists some example problems of practice if you have trouble brainstorming.

Step 3: Then select a teacher whose instruction will be observed.

When you select the teacher to be observed, choose someone within the network with a proven track record of improving their students' achievement. Provide teachers in the network with the following information:

The subject, teacher and classroom that will be observed during this instructional round

The date and time the instructional round will take place

List of teachers who are invited to observe (We recommend limiting the invitation list to 3-5 teachers per session, including a well-respected lead teacher or instructional coach who leads the round.)

Copy of the lesson plan and classroom seating chart, if available

Step 4: Create a Focus Sheet for teachers who will be observing this round.

A Focus Sheet helps the observing teachers take notes on important parts of the lesson. Your Focus Sheet can list:

Relevant problems of practice to keep in mind during this observation session

Specific things to look out for, such as student engagement, teaching and learning instructional strategies, classroom management and student on and off-task behaviors

Types of notes teachers should take while observing - Teachers should be encouraged to only note what they observed during the instructional period and not to make any inferences or annotate their personal opinions only document the teacher's instructional strategies and the student's response to instruction

Step 5: Debrief, Glow, Reflect, and Grow

Once the observation session is over, teachers should debrief with each other. As you debrief, remember: We want to focus on improving student achievement, and on addressing the problems of practice listed on your Focus Sheet. Try to avoid dwelling on the negative parts of the lesson, and instead emphasize "glows" - What were the strong points of the lesson, teaching strategies, and student engagement? What specific strategies had a direct impact on student achievement?

Observing teachers should begin questions with the phrase, "I am wondering..." instead of prescribing their opinions on what should have been done differently by the observed teacher. This phrase naturally leads into a positive reflection on how lesson planning can be improved by building on instructional strategies that are already working.

Elizabeth A. City recommends including the following elements in each debriefing session:

Describe - Have observing teachers look at their notes to describe specific instructional strategies the observed teacher used in the lesson, especially related to the problems of practice.

Analyze - Find patterns in the observed teacher's instructional habits, response to the instruction, the way the classroom functioned, and students' engagement in the lesson.

Predict - Based on what was observed, have the teachers predict what students would know and be able to do, and where they may continue to have questions and need help following the lesson.

Step 6: After several observation sessions, reflect on what positive changes can be made.

Once your network has been able to observe several teachers in their classrooms, the teachers should be able to identify recurring patterns that could be contributing to the problems of practice. Brainstorm how teachers can support one another, and what supports they may need from the school or district to make significant improvements in these areas.

Outcomes: Why are instructional rounds worth the time and effort?

Instructional rounds require lots of planning and teamwork, and you may struggle to see their value. When schools implement instructional rounds with fidelity, they support a culture of excellence and equity by:

Focusing collective attention on problems of practice which are rooted in data

Promoting consistency across all classrooms, so all students receive the same quality, level of instruction, differentiation, and intervention supports needed to be successful

Offering all teachers, the opportunity to improve their lesson planning and teaching strategies

Next Steps: How to move forward from here

A vital part of this strategy is the lead teacher or instructional coach who is experienced and skilled in leading instructional rounds. CSAS has coaches and consultants who can work with your school to implement instructional rounds and other transformational practices to improve student achievement dramatically. Learn how we can support your school or district with a free consultation call.

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Guide: How to implement Instructional Rounds in your school this year

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Instructional Rounds can help promote a collaborative Professional Learning Community for your teachers and provide space for teachers to individually reflect on their own instructional practices. This week, we want to help you implement Instructional Rounds in your school to create a better learning environment.

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When teachers conduct instructional rounds, they focus on why a problem of practice persists schoolwide—and on what they can do about it.

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Creating the future is about adopting a mindset, then a passion, then a plan, rather than choosing a path offered by the present... The future is a place we are creating, and the task of creating a path forward will change both us and where we are going.

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The Instructional Rounds process helps schools determine the appropriate use of technology. One of the key foundational principles in the Instructional Core is "Task Predicts Performance." When we look at the types of tasks students are doing, we ask the question, "What do we predict students will be able to do by performing a task their teacher requests?" When the "Rounds Teams" visit classrooms, they describe what students and teachers are doing and saying. In order to get the best snapshot of what students are learning, we look at what teachers are asking them to do and compare it to what students are actually doing. We ask, "What is taking place on the top of student desks?" and "Does the use of technology result in student performance that lines up with the learning objective for that classroom?"

When we look at student tasks and ask the right questions, we inherently know the value of using technology in light of learning outcomes. Through this process, we keep what works and can make changes where necessary.

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corcoron unified school district califronia

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Welcome to the official website of the Corcoran Unified School District. Located in In the middle of California's Central Valley in the small agricultural town of Corcoran, CUSD boasts a reputation for high-quality programs and student success.

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Teachers need real feedback - Bill Gates

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Update Article: Instructional Rounds: Supporting a Culture of Quality Instruction and Student Learning

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Goose Creek piloting program at 6 schools

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All campus administrators and teachers are familiar with classroom walkthroughs.