Instructional Practices Inventory Protocols 

Sue Updegraff, Organizational Development
Sarah Lehmann, Schools in Need of Assistance

• Observe a typical school day: no unusual circumstances occurring on that day that would disrupt normalcy of the day.
      **Fridays are avoided when possible

• Observers use a map to systematically move throughout the school and observe every class in proportion to all classes.

• Each classroom is observed for a short period of time, typically one to three minutes.

• Observers focus on the students’ learning experiences during the first few moments of the observation. Transitions may occur while the observer is in the classroom, but the first learning experience observed is coded.

• Each observation is coded anonymously; IPI observations should never be used for purposes of teacher evaluation.

• When a learning experience is borderline between two categories, the observer records the category that represents the most favorable learning experience—the profile being created is an “optimum” profile of student learning.

• Classes are not observed (coded) during the first five minutes or the last five minutes of a class at the middle or secondary level or during content transitions at the elementary level.

• One hundred observations per day should be considered a minimum (125-150 is preferred and more typical).

• Special education classes are coded as core or non-core based on the content that is occurring at the time of the observation.

• Classes of substitute teachers are not coded into the profile unless higher-order thinking is evident.

• Classes of student teachers are coded like a regular teacher.

• Following the analysis and discussion of IPI data by the stakeholders in the district/building, GOALS for improvements (as warranted) must be developed.  A copy of those goals must be submitted to the IPI team at Keystone AEA before future requests for IPI will be considered.

Information taken from: Middle Level Leadership Center. Jerry Valentine, Director  8-05