Using Instructional Rounds to Cultivate High-Quality Learning in Schools

Updated to include lessons for today’s teachers and students, this five-day program moves beyond topics covered in Instructional Rounds in Education to feature interactive discussions, experiential learning, protocols you will use and take home for your colleagues, and in-depth collaborative planning. Participants will delve deeply into the concepts of the instructional core, task, and problem of practice.

During the on-campus program, teams will visit local schools, experiencing rounds firsthand and conducting classroom observations. In addition, participants will interact with educators from these schools to understand their approach to using instructional rounds to support strategic, integrated improvement efforts.

Time is dedicated each day for team meetings, where participants will determine a theory of action for improving student learning and define, develop, and hone specific plans for how instructional rounds can support this work. Upon program completion, teams will have the skills, protocols, and tools needed to implement instructional rounds in their learning environment.

Participants should read Instructional Rounds in Education (not included in program tuition; participants are responsible for acquiring their own copy) before arriving at HGSE and prepare responses to the study guide questions provided.

Team members must also complete a classroom observation and hold one team meeting where participants will craft a group essay and plan for program projects. 

Detailed instructions for pre-program work will be supplied to all accepted teams, and individuals should expect to spend about 20 hours on these assignments, including time spent reading the required text.

• Understand the instructional core and practice identifying and analyzing learning tasks in order to foster student improvement.
• Understand and identify ways that educators engage in four key activities to support improvement in the instructional core:
  • Building a collaborative learning community.
  • Focusing on learning tasks.
  • Diagnosing stuck points and learning needs.
  • Developing a shared vision of high-quality learning and teaching.
• Learn to use a structured process to observe classroom instruction and analyze these observations in a collaborative and strategic manner.
• Gain perspective into the ways in which schools and districts design and integrate the instructional rounds practice into ongoing, multi-faceted professional learning opportunities.
• Better understand the power of identifying problems of practice and learn specific approaches to engage the larger school community in identifying these student and educator struggles.
• Generate a specific theory of action and draft an initial action plan that customizes instructional rounds to participating teams’ existing organizational landscape, professional learning structures, and instructional improvement efforts.

Team enrollment is required (minimum of 4 people on a team; 4–8 is recommended), and teams are strongly encouraged to include a combination of teachers and school leaders. Schools and districts should send teams that are collaborative, experienced in coordinating professional learning, and well-positioned to integrate instructional rounds into existing improvement efforts. Teams should include a cross-section of stakeholders, including:

• School staff: principals, teachers, department directors, coordinators, curriculum specialists
• District staff: superintendents, chief academic officers, union leadership, instructional coaches

This program only accepts teams. First-time applicants need to create a Professional Education account to apply.

Designate one participant as the Coordinator.

• The Coordinator should click the "Apply" button at the top of this page to log into their Professional Education account and access the application page.
• Proceed with the team form, including providing the name, email address, and job title of each participant in your team.
• The Coordinator can choose to receive a team invoice.
• Contact us if you need to make any changes to your team after submitting the form.

Invoices will only be available upon your acceptance.

The tuition covers all instructional materials except for the textbook Instructional Rounds in Education, a daily continental breakfast, and beverages and light refreshments during our scheduled breaks between sessions.

Travel, lodging expenses, and most lunches and dinners are not included in this fee. We have blocked a limited number of rooms in select hotels in the Cambridge/Boston area. The daily rates for these hotels typically range from $250 to $375 per room, plus applicable taxes. Once your applicants are accepted into the program, they will receive detailed information about these hotel options.