At Acton Elementary, we believe powerful teaching begins with powerful learning, both for students and for educators. Our Instructional Rounds process was developed to take school improvement to the next level by fostering a shared understanding of effective instruction, building collective efficacy among staff, and ensuring all students have access to high-quality teaching every day.
Modeled after medical rounds in hospitals, Instructional Rounds provide educators with a structured process to observe, analyze, and reflect on teaching and learning practices across classrooms. Our model is sustained and led by our Instructional Leadership Team, a collaborative group that includes classroom teachers from each grade level, instructional coaches, and our campus administration team. Together, this team identifies a Problem of Practice (POP) based on schoolwide data and trends, conducts targeted classroom observations, and uses the insights gained to drive continuous improvement across the campus.
The purpose of Instructional Rounds is multifaceted: to deepen our collective understanding
of effective teaching and learning, reduce variability across classrooms, strengthen our shared commitments to best practice, and place educators firmly in charge of their own learning. The process also generates meaningful data that directly informs our professional development, allowing us to design learning experiences that are responsive to teacher and student needs. Ultimately, every aspect of the process is grounded in one goal, improving student achievement. Rather than evaluating individual teachers, the focus of Instructional Rounds is on studying our system of practice. This lens allows us to identify schoolwide patterns, celebrate strengths, and address opportunities for growth through shared ownership and collaboration.
Before each round, our team begins by identifying the Problem of Practice, a precise area of focus aligned to our campus goals. In recent years, our focus areas have included engaging all students, improving the quality of student participation, and most recently, enhancing guided discourse to strengthen academic conversations. Once the focus is established, the team develops clear “look-fors” and a rubric aligned to the corresponding T-TESS dimensions of focus, ensuring that observations and discussions are grounded in a shared understanding of effective instructional practice. The team then engages in instructional learning to calibrate what optimal teaching and learning look like before entering classrooms.
During the classroom observation phase, observers enter rooms as quiet learners, scripting only objective, descriptive evidence related to the Problem of Practice. Each visit lasts about 20 minutes and follows a consistent observation protocol, ensuring that data is focused, valid, and reliable.
Following the visits, the team gathers for a structured debrief using a “plus/delta” format, first highlighting strengths and effective practices, then identifying questions or patterns that suggest areas for professional growth. This reflective conversation often leads to deep professional dialogue about teaching and learning, helping the team define the next level of work and determine how to refine instruction campuswide.
Guided by clear norms that promote a growth mindset, confidentiality, and a culture of risk-taking, Instructional Rounds at Acton Elementary provide a safe and empowering space for teachers to learn and grow together. Sustained through the ongoing work of our Instructional Leadership Team, this process has become an integral part of our professional culture, one that empowers teachers as learners, builds shared language around effective practice, and aligns professional development to what matters most: improving outcomes for all students. At Acton Elementary, we know that when educators learn together, students thrive.
TEPSA member Maggie Walton is a principal in Granbury ISD. With over 15 years in education, she is passionate about cultivating culture, developing staff, and creating schools where students and teachers thrive.
