ABSTRACT
The practice of instructional rounds derives from medical rounds used in teaching hospitals. In medical rounds, physicians visit patients, analyze their charts, and discuss possible treatment options. This process creates a strong foundational knowledge base among colleagues and builds professional norms around the expected quality of practice. Instructional rounds are different in scope from classroom walkthroughs and peer observations. Walkthroughs and observations are meant to diagnose individual classroom issues and provide feedback to individual teachers. Instructional rounds require a significant time commitment. In a typical rounds process, a group of educators is chosen to participate in a full- or half-day exercise. The size of the group is important; usually a group of no fewer than five and no more than twenty is appropriate. Instructional rounds are a cyclical process that is tied to a school’s goals and improvement plan.
