Mark's Learning Log- Wondering if all teachers in training and graduate teachers are being taught to instruct all students in reading as though they were in the red? September 29, 2024I have this wondering that we are teaching all students in the class – as a whole class lesson – in the junior years as though they all needed the intensive phonic instruction and frequent repetition. Yes some explicit instruction … Continue reading →mwalker
- Why Why is the question we all need to answer! May 31, 2024In my work with school educators this is the question I ask them to resolve for themselves. What drives you to lead / teach young people and why? What happened to you and why is that important. I was reminded … Continue reading →mwalker
- Wondering if all teachers in training and graduate teachers are being taught to instruct all students in reading as though they were in the red? September 29, 2024
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Category Archives: Instructional Rounds
Why aren’t us parents seeing any benefit in smaller class sizes?
I have just responded to this post by a parent: As a parent, the Bloomfield Public School system has sold smaller class sizes as part of their narrative. The experience of my two children has been a DECREASE in group … Continue reading
“Rounds being like a dipstick” part two of a book discussion – Ch 3-5
Well this is the second instalment of our discussion as some points to comment on. The first being I just love the image of “rounds being like a dipstick” (p.110) Comment: there are just so many ways you might … Continue reading
Posted in Instructional Rounds, Leadership, school, Teaching
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School Based Instructional Rounds: a progressive book club discussion (Ch 1 & 2)
In an earlier post I wrote about personal teacher professional learning. One of our teachers is doing a leadership course at Bastow Institute this year and her research project is using instructional rounds at the school level with teachers. One of … Continue reading
Posted in Instructional Rounds, Leadership, Uncategorized
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“education is not a horse race”
Over the holidays I came across an easy to read article by Elliot Einser on Benjamin Bloom. Essentially the article made a some key points about Bloom’s work: education as a process was an effort to realize human potential, indeed, … Continue reading
Posted in Assessment, curriculum, differentiation, Instruction, Instructional Rounds, Teaching
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Instructional Rounds and Data Wise.
Last week I facilitated an Instructional Round at a neighbouring school and tried to embrace some of the principles of Data Wise into the evidentiary analysis of the observations. The initiative was well received so I thought I would share … Continue reading
Data Wise at Elsternwick, a Harvard perspective.
Last month David Rease Jnr from Harvard visited Elsternwick to view our progress in implementing the Data Wise: Inquiry Approach to Improving Instruction in schools. We were quite chuffed at David’s visit and recorded this clip to capture some of his … Continue reading
Instructional Rounds restarts in 2012 in the Beachside Network
Earlier this month the Beachside Network of Schools Instructional Rounds group had its first ‘Round”. Thanks to the generous support of the teachers from Black Rock PS a group of principal class educators gathered to discuss instruction with a focus … Continue reading
2011 Instructional Rounds Evaluation
As I set up our Network Instructional Rounds dates for 2012 I was interested to read and reflect upon another group of principal evaluations of their experiences last year. Overwhelmingly the consistent comment of principals as observers in both groups are … Continue reading
Inspect what you expect
Earlier this year Penny, one of my assistant Principal’s, and I participated in the ASCD summer conference in Boston. One workshop we attended was by Pete Hall the Principal of Sheridan Elementary School in Spokane. Pete spoke about the need to monitor classroom instruction … Continue reading
Reflections on ‘Learning Intentions’ of classroom lessons
Over the past 3 months I have been honoured to observe instruction by teachers in classrooms across a number of schools. One of the indicators of effective instruction is that each lesson has a clear learning intention stated up front to … Continue reading
Posted in Instruction, Instructional Rounds, reflections, Teaching, Uncategorized
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Rounds a constructivist challenge and a tool to build a culture that values the ‘chops’.
I was honoured recently to participate in a 1/2 day conversation with Professor Richard Elmore from Harvard University on Instructional Rounds. He spoke about where the protocols of Instructional Rounds first developed, the pivotal problem of practice, the challenge of … Continue reading
Posted in Instructional Rounds, Leadership, Teaching, Uncategorized
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We are all working on the same thing! Instructional Improvement presentation for the ACT Principals.
I’ve just returned from Wollongong where I was invited by the Australian Capital Territory [ACT] principals to share my journey of school improvement. For those like me who are unfamiliar with the ACT public education system it has approximately 81 … Continue reading