Discussing Instruction with
Your Teachers: A How To
Dr. Richard Machesky
Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Instruction Troy Schools
Learning Objectives

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The audience will identify an important
component regarding instruction in their building.
The audience will be introduced to instructional
rounds and be given several items for further
consideration.
Who owns instruction in your school?
Current Reality

How is time spent in conversation with
your teachers?
Students
Management
Collegial Discussion
Evaluation
Personal
Problem or Opportunity
Problem or Opportunity?

How do we create a system of practice
that allows for:
 Ownership
of instruction
 Open, honest and impactful dialogue
between professionals
 Cost effective – “Job embedded PD”
 Help manage new legislative requirements
 Most importantly – Improve instruction for
the students we serve
Discussing Instruction with Teachers

Instructional Rounds

Everyone has a responsibility to work on
improving their own practice as well as the
school/district wide responsibility to the
improvement of instruction. Everyone’s practice
should be subject to scrutiny, critique and
improvement.
Current practice among secondary
instructional leaders in TSD

On our journey we started with one
important question?
 How
do you know what exceptional
instruction looks like when you see it?

To answer this question we dedicated
our professional learning to the process
of instructional rounds.
How do you know what exceptional
instruction looks like when you see it?

Professional learning
 90
minutes per meeting
 Book
study
 Article
 Video examples
 90
Minutes per month is dedicated to Instructional
Rounds
Is your job getting easier?
Instructional Rounds


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Teams of 3-4 individuals that visit three to four
classrooms for 10-15 minutes at a time and gather
information to discuss during a debrief
Debrief takes place immediately following the
classroom visits. Usually does not include the
teachers that were observed
Visits and debriefs can take on many variations –
but key - conversations remain non-judgmental.
What works for you and your situation
Instructional Rounds

Make it easy!
 Ask
your colleagues the important question: How do
you know what exceptional instruction looks like when
you see it?
 Walk the talk
 Be willing to see the process through!
References
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Instructional Rounds in Education: A
Network Approach to Improving Teaching
and Learning (2009). City, Elizabeth A.,
Elmore, Richard F., Fiarman, Sarah E. and
Teitel, Lee.
Email for PDF articles to be used with
colleagues and staff
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[email protected]