Lead with Instructional Rounds by Vicki Wilson (Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc., 2020)
Looking for a cost-effective, personalized form of professional development that gets immediate results? That is the focus of Lead with Instructional Rounds, the sixth book in the popular Lead Like a Pirate series from Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. In this slim volume, Vicki Wilson offers a robust and practical guide for organizing instructional rounds as a way of improving teaching and school culture.
Wilson blends personal experience with research as she walks school leaders through a step-by-step method to begin these mini-observations, where teachers and at times school leaders visit their colleagues' classrooms to get inspiration and help in their own teaching. From what to say in the pre-meeting to how to keep the program going, the book gives a thorough description of how long the process takes, how much it costs, and potential roadblocks to long-lasting success. The key, Wilson stresses, is positivity. Instructional rounds focus on positive feedback and strengths, are never considered in formal evaluations, and are voluntary. Her method earns trust, builds confidence, and encourages—but never mandates—broad participation.
The teachers at Wilson's school found instructional rounds compelling and inspiring—and readers will feel similarly about this book. Don't be surprised if you finish it in the morning and want to start trying Wilson's method (even via Zoom for now) that very same afternoon.
