Perspective Matters

Vicki Wilson is an educator, author, consultant, and professional development presenter who has served children and educators for over 30 years as a teacher and principal. She is passionate about education - especially about adult learning and the value/impact it has on student learning.  Vicki's interests include educator learning, leadership, organizational change, progressive and innovative practices in education, and leveraging best practices at school to make an improvement so that all students get the best possible education. Vicki is especially proud of the journey she took as a 16-year principal where she lead a school through a closing and merger, instituted a strength-based approach to instructional rounds empowering teachers to learn and grow from each other's strengths, and eventually led her school to become a nationally recognized Model PLC School by Solution Tree.  Under Vicki's leadership, Monroe became known as a student-centered school that values both student and adult collaborative learning. 
In 2020, Vicki Published Lead With Instructional Rounds: Creating a Culture of Professional Learning, a Lead Like a Pirate Guidebook, with Dave Burgess Consulting. This book shares the journey of a difficult school merger and how it healed and grew into a healthy school culture using a unique school-centered approach to instructional rounds. In 2021, Vicki was part of a 100 author collaboration to write 100 No-Nonsense Things That All Teachers Should Stop Doing and 100 No-Nonsense Things That All Administrators Should Stop Doing, both published by Pushing Boundaries Consulting.Currently Vicki trains and develops schools to implement her grassroots approach to instructional rounds with a strength-focused lens that empowers school staff to learn and grow from and with each other. She also works with Solution Tree as an associate to deliver professional development in Professional Learning Communities at Work, consults and leads professional learning with schools/districts through the transition and change process associated with school closings and mergers, and coaches/mentors school leaders.  
Vicki enjoys connecting with a professional learning network (PLN) through Twitter, Twitter chats, blogs, and events.
Key Takeaways: Instructional rounds, when leveraged, create a common vocabulary and understanding among staff. We often have no idea all the positive things teachers are doing in their classrooms unless we are getting into classrooms on a consistent basis. Solid, successful systems take time to build and must start with culture. Start instructional rounds slow, but use the framework of 10 minutes in the class, 5 minutes dialog outside of the class, and then a complete dialogue, all based on what positives we're seeing how it positively impacted students. Make sure that all comments are positive. Don't always focus on deficits when you're trying to make improvements. Focus on strengths so they can be leveraged. Initiatives need to be grassroots if they're going to be successful. Remember to Collaborate:
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