This document summarizes a leadership instructional rounds meeting at Forest Hill CLC focused on identifying evidence that students are supported to complete extended response questions. The goals of the meeting were to build relationships, develop instructional observation skills, and identify patterns in classroom data. Participants observed classrooms looking for evidence of extended response preparation, then identified reflective questions to guide Forest Hill's work. Patterns observed included a lack of opportunities for students to practice and receive feedback on extended responses. The team generated questions to push Forest Hill to provide more support and preparation for students to improve on extended responses.

1. What evidence is there that students are supported and prepared to complete extended response? October 22, 2011 Forest Hill CLC Akron Leadership:Instructional Rounds

2. Goals Build relationships and trust within the group. Develop the ability to observe instruction through fine-grained, non-judgmental description. Identify patterns that emerge from the classroom data that the teams collected. Be able to use observational data to generate reflective questions to help Forest Hill discover some actions that would move them to the next level of work.

3. Agenda Welcome, Forest Hill CLC Introduction Prepare for Observations: Focus on Extended Response Observe in classrooms and debrief observations LUNCH Identify the reflective questions that will lead to the next level of work Reflection on rounds process and making connections to your own work

4. Ice Breaker: Getting to Know YOU At your table, introduce yourself by name, school and job in the district. Take turns discussing a professional highlight from this week.

5. Norms Review posted norms Questions and clarifications Implications for our work today and when we go back

6. Cohort 3 Group Norms Remain “professional” and practice strict confidentiality on details in our work. Agree to disagree and push one another out of our comfort zone to deepen learning. Be a positive and active member. Show mutual respect by being open to ideas and listening to others.

7. A Close Look at Forest Hill Demographics of the school

8. Problem of Practice District and state test data indicate that students are not proficient in completing extended response questions. We believe that students are not given enough opportunities to practice and complete extended response questions. We expect all teachers to provide lessons and activities focused on extended response questions at least three times each week. Focus question: What evidence (instruction, content, and student work) do you see that will support and prepare our students to improve on completing extended response questions?

9. The Extended Response Experience Answering an Extended Response Question Scoring an Extended Response Question Reflecting on the Process

10. Reflections Please Record Your Reflections on Chart Paper What did you learn from experiencing an Extended Response question as a student? What did you learn from the scoring process? What strategies in the classroom would help support and prepare students to answer Extended Response questions?

11. Classroom Observation Reminders: Describe what you see and hear Be specific (fine grained) Pay attention to the instructional core (students, teacher and content) Observation Etiquette: Fine to ask students questions when it seems appropriate Refrain from talking to each other in classrooms

12. Debriefing Classroom Observations On your own: Read through your notes. Underline evidence that seems relevant to the problem of practice and/or that seems important. Select 5-10 pieces of evidence and write each on an individual sticky note. (put the classroom visit number on the sticky note)

13. Debriefing Classroom Observations Share observations of each classroom you visited. Help each other stay in the descriptive (not evaluative voice). “What did you see/hear that makes you think that?” As you discuss each classroom, use the matrix to sort your sticky notes. Add observations to the relevant/important category on a separate chart. These observations may not fit on the matrix but are relevant to the problem of practice. Identify patterns and record on a new piece of chart paper.

14. Lunch

15. Debriefing Classroom Observations Merge with another observation team. Look at the two charts together. Share what patterns you saw. Ask each other: After observing several of the same classrooms, did we come up with similar patterns? Star your agreed upon patterns.

16. Prediction Predict what students are learning. If you were a student in these classrooms and you did everything the teacher had asked you to do, what would you know and be able to do ?

17. Gallery Walk Select a playing card from the table. View the posted charts of the other observation teams. Find your like card group. Discuss: Patterns Contrasts Evidence for the problem of practice Questions and wonderings Share with the whole group.

18. Identify the Next Level of Work Based on the evidence gathered, formulate 2-3 reflective questions for the Forest Hill staff to consider re: their problem of practice. Its purpose is to push the building to the next level of improvement. It is designed to get the staff thinking, talking and collaborating. Write your group’s questions on chart paper and post. Each group shares their reflective questions. Select your top 3 questions and vote with dots.

19. Partner School Follow up with host school team one to two weeks after the visit (brief meeting or conference call). Possible question to address: What have you done with the patterns and the reflective questions? What are you learning? What assistance/support do you need? What are your next steps?

20. Homework As a rounds team, discuss how you will help your staff understand your problem of practice. Determine how well the staff understands the problem of practice.

21. Reflecting on the Learning Process What did you learn? Observing in classrooms and debriefing visits Brainstorming the next level of work for the schools/districts Group focus on learning What helped you learn? What would help you learn more? As a team, how can the learning impact your school?

22. Group Reflection: Plus/Delta + Delta

23. Next Session December 2, 2010 at Innes CLC Bring 6 copies of your POP. Happy Thanksgiving to you, Sharon, Kristi, and John