EASTSIDE UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT
Instructional Rounds (IR)
Debrief
The basic premise of Instructional Rounds is that people best learn about the meaning of high quality instruction
by observing teachers, students, and the work students are asked to do, followed by meaningful conversation
and analysis.
Theories of Practice: Single Loop Learning
Single-loop learning involves adapting our action strategies based on feedback; if a solution doesn‘t work, we
try a new solution without ever questioning our core assumptions (without making our theory of action
explicit).
Theories of Practice: Double Loop Learning
Double-loop learning is single-loop learning with the additional stage of reflection on the process by which we
gather feedback and adapt to the consequences of our actions. Double-loop learning involves questioning our
assumptions and trying to improve not only our actions but how we learn from our actions.
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Ladder of Inference
Interpretive and Abstract
•
•
•
•
Assumptions
Beliefs
Values
Attitudes
• What teachers are saying and doing
• What students are saying and doing
• What the task is
Descriptive and Concrete
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Observation of Practice Debrief Protocol
Independent Observation Reflection (20 minutes)

 Highlight the observations that seem relevant to school-wide reform initiatives, professional
development, theory(ies) of practice, and/or problem of practice
 Select 3-5 exemplars for each focus question from your observations
Small Groups Observation Reflection (30 minutes)
 Share out your description of each classroom observation
 Share out your exemplars related to each focus question
 Group what you see into mutually agreed-upon categories and make connections based on how the
categories are related to each other
 Discuss and identify patterns and/or anomalies
Whole Group Observation Reflection (20 minutes)
 Share out your description of each classroom observation
 Share out your exemplars related to each focus question
 Group what you see into mutually agreed-upon categories and make connections based on how the
categories are related to each other
 Discuss and identify patterns and/or anomalies
Prediction (10 minutes)
 Using the evidence of observation and analysis, make causal arguments about what kind of student
learning we would expect to see as a consequence of the instruction we have observed.
Next Level of Work (10 minutes)
 What is the next level of work for this week, for next month, and by the end of the year in this
classroom, school, or system?
Transfer to Practice (10 minutes)
 In what ways do you (the individual member of the network) intend to refine your own practice as a
consequence of this experience?
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Observation of Practice Debrief Worksheet
Part Ia. Independent Observation Reflection (Description)
Identify 3-5 exemplars, which are related to the school-wide initiatives, professional development, theory(ies)
of practice, and/or problem of practice. Each exemplar must be written as a description, without judgment or
evaluation, and must include what the teacher said or did and what the student said or did.
Focus Question:
Focus: Task/Content
 How are students demonstrating their understanding of the content (task)?
 How do students know when they have learned the content/skill (learning targets)?
 How do students know if what they have produced is of good quality (criteria for success)?
Example:
I saw…I heard…Which led to…
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Part Ib. Independent Observation Reflection (Description)
Identify 3-5 exemplars, which are related to the school-wide initiatives, professional development, theory(ies)
of practice, and/or problem of practice. Each exemplar must be written as a description, without judgment or
evaluation, and must include what the teacher said or did and what the student said or did.
Focus Question:
Focus: Instructional Resources (Teacher and Student)
 What resources are teachers accessing to support their instruction?
 What resources are students accessing to support their learning?
Example:
I saw…I heard…Which led to…
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Part Ic. Independent Observation Reflection (Description)
Identify 3-5 exemplars, which are related to the school-wide initiatives, professional development, theory(ies)
of practice, and/or problem of practice. Each exemplar must be written as a description, without judgment or
evaluation, and must include what the teacher said or did and what the student said or did.
Focus Question:
Focus: Levels of Inquiry
 What questions are being asked and who is asking them?
 What is the level of the questions being asked or the activity assigned?
 What is the level of the responses to each question being asked or the activity assigned?
Example:
I saw…I heard…Which led to…
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Part Id. Independent Observation Reflection (Description)
Identify 3-5 exemplars, which are related to the school-wide initiatives, professional development, theory(ies)
of practice, and/or problem of practice. Each exemplar must be written as a description, without judgment or
evaluation, and must include what the teacher said or did and what the student said or did.
Focus Question:
Focus: Checking for Understanding
 How do teachers know what students know during the lesson?
 What do students do if they don’t know the answer?
Example:
I saw…I heard…Which led to…
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Part II. Analysis (Patterns and/or Anomalies)
Identifying patterns and/or anomalies. As a team, group what you see into mutually agreed-upon categories and
make connections based on how the categories are related to each other.
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Part III. Analysis (Prediction)
Using the evidence of observation and analysis, make causal arguments about what kind of student learning you
would expect to see as a consequence of the instruction you have observed. Consider the following:
 If students in this school did exactly what teachers asked them to do (based on your observation of the
instructional core) what do you predict students would be able to do?
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Part IV. Analysis (Next Level of Work)
As you reflect on the school’s school-wide reform initiatives, professional development, theory(ies) of practice,
and/or problem of practice, what advice would you give to the administration and teachers about the next steps?
Consider the following:
 As we look at the data and how we group the data, what do students need next in order to deepen the
level of their thinking and quality of their learning?
 As we look at the data and how we group the data, what do teachers and administrators need next in
order to deepen the level of their thinking and quality of their instruction?
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Part V. Analysis (Transfer to Practice)
As you reflect on the Observation of Practice related to school-wide reform initiatives, professional
development, theory(ies) of practice, and/or problem of practice consider how you will transfer what you have
learned to your practice. Consider the following:
 How has the Instructional Rounds helped you to define high quality teaching?
 How has the Instructional Rounds visit helped you to improve your skills as an instructional
practitioner/leader?
 What did you learn about your own school’s instructional practices as a result for the Instructional
Rounds?
 In what ways do you (the individual member of the network) intend to refine your own practice as a
consequence of this experience? Consider the following questions:
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