Would the "Instructional Rounds" Concept Work in Your School District?

Recently, as I have traveled to several school districts in the United States, I have been invited into some conversations about the concept of “instructional rounds”.  As I have listened, I have learned about the application of using the concept of “rounds” in the educational setting, which is quite similar to what is used to develop new interns and residents in the medical profession.

Since I work with leaders at all levels in school systems, I began to wonder how a school district would implement the instructional rounds model, so I did some investigating. I came across a new book by City, Elmore, Fiarman, and Teitel (2009) that is dedicated solely to this concept. The book, titled Instructional Rounds in Education:  A Network Approach to Improving Teaching and Learning provides a thorough view of the concept, and the authors make some recommendations that potentially could transform some systems.

Essentially, the premise of instructional rounds assumes that educators usually do not have a common set of shared practices that are effective - meaning that educators ranging from teachers to superintendents do not have a core set of shared practices. This distinguishes education from other professions. Instructional rounds are a process for bringing effective shared practices to the forefront of a school system:

“The basic idea is to put all educators – principals and central office administrators as well as teachers – into common practice disciplined by protocols and routines and organized around the core functions of schooling in order to create common language, ways of seeing, and a shared practice of improvement (City, Elmore, Fiarman, and Teitel 2009).”

The authors of Instructional Rounds in Education (2009) have tested this concept in several school systems in the United States and have found it to be successful.

My questions to the educational leadership blogosphere are:

1.       Does the concept of “instructional rounds” have the potential to be implemented into your school system? What would it take to do so?

2.       Do you think this idea will bring about successful practices if implemented?

3.       What systemic changes would cause the “rounds” concept to succeed?

4.       What systemic barriers would cause the “rounds” concept to fail?

 

 

Comments

[Term papers]

This is a fantastic presentation which captures the Instructional rounds concept of schools district.....

[MIchael Russo]

Thanks for the information on the new book - this is a concept I've not thought about much, but makes absolute sense. My 2 cents on your questions:

1. Does the concept of “instructional rounds” have the potential to be implemented into your school system? What would it take to do so?
-There is the potential, but no such system really exists, so I think time to study and implement would be necessary.

2. Do you think this idea will bring about successful practices if implemented?
-I cannot foresee how conversations focused on the "patients needs" could do anything but improve practice.

3. What systemic changes would cause the “rounds” concept to succeed?
-Creating a culture where rounds are seen as a routine, necessary part of instruction.

4. What systemic barriers would cause the “rounds” concept to fail?
-Current culture where once educators enter the classroom, they are the in control. Not to say they would not remain in control, but instructional rounds introduce a new layer of communication that would make many uncomfortable, I believe.

A new book to add to my reading list!
http://www.shelfari.com/o1517391644/shelf

[Jill Conrad]

okay, matt... will do! i am eager to see how it plays out in DPS as well...

[Matthew Seebaum]

Hi Jill - Please keep me in the loop with the work DPS is doing with instructional rounds and I will do the same as I work with more clients who are utilizing this framework.

[Jill Conrad]

Hi Matt! Guess what? DPS is just beginning to explore/implement the instructional rounds process. All principals and instructional superintendents have been reading the book and discussing ways to implement it. Dr. Tilton (DPS' new Chief Academic Officer) has been working with Elmore on this...and I think he's coming to Denver in January. Would love to know more about what you've learned.