A Proven System Trusted by 15,000+ Leaders
Take the Instructional Leadership Challenge
So you can…
Confidently get into classrooms every day
Have feedback conversations that change teacher practice
Discover your best opportunities for school improvement
Plan, Track, and Organize Your Visits
Start getting into classrooms immediately with our one-sheet Classroom Walkthrough Tracker. No prep needed—just print and go.
The Tracker will guide you through your first three cycles of visits over a 4-week period.
Then, you’ll be ready to use the Classroom Visit Index Cards to stay on track for the entire school year.
Record the date, return the card to the bottom of the stack, and you’re on the path to 500 walkthroughs a year—putting you in the top 1% of instructional leaders.
Schedule for Sustainability
Ever block out time for walkthroughs—only to get interrupted again and again?
Use the Classroom Walkthrough Schedule Generator to build a realistic, sustainable schedule that gets you into classrooms—with plenty of flexibility to handle interruptions and emergencies.
Plan your visits (Excel and Google Sheets versions included), then add them directly to your Google, Outlook, or Office365 calendar.
The Walkthrough Model Trusted By 15,000+ K-12 Leaders
In Now We’re Talking! 21 Days to High-Performance Instructional Leadership, you’ll learn classroom walkthroughs that are:
1. Frequent—18 biweekly visits per teacher per year
2. Brief—around five to fifteen minutes
3. Substantive—more than just making an appearance
4. Open-ended—focused on instructional decision-making
5. Evidence-based—centered on what actually happens
6. Criterion-referenced—linked to shared expectations
7. Conversation-oriented—designed to lead to rich conversations
3 a Day = 500 Walkthroughs A Year
The sad reality: almost everyone tries to get into classrooms, and almost everyone fails miserably.
Why? Because conventional wisdom steers us wrong—into approaches that are too complicated, too time-consuming, and just plain unpleasant.
Here’s the secret: classroom walkthroughs can and should be FUN! Done right, they take just a few minutes a day, and they’re the BEST minutes of the day.
In the Instructional Leadership Challenge, you’ll learn how to develop a permanent new habit of visiting three classrooms a day, every day.
Put Systems In Place To Protect Your Time
Experienced leaders know we’ll never “find” time for classroom walkthroughs—we have to make time.
The conventional wisdom says to “block off” a large chunk of protected time—but for most leaders, that’s a huge mistake. Interruptions are inevitable.
You’ll discover a flexible approach to planning time for your visits, so you can deal with whatever each day brings—while still getting into classrooms three times a day.
Program Table of Contents
Welcome & Introduction
Module 1
Get Current
Module 2
Get Into Classrooms
Module 3
Get Into Feedback Conversations
Module 4
Get Aligned and Specific
Powerful Tools for Better Walkthroughs
Everything you need to start getting into classrooms—at a fraction of the price of our high-end training programs.
3-Cycle Startup Plan
$29 value
Build trust and make teachers feel good about your visits. Ramp up gradually so no one feels singled out.
Classroom Walkthrough Tracker
$19 value
The fastest way to get started—just print and go. Guides you through your first three cycles of visits.
Schedule Generator
$29 value
Interactive quiz finds the right plan for you. Schedule visits on your calendar with one click. Google Sheets & Excel.
Visit Record Index Cards
$19 value
Keep each teacher’s schedule at your fingertips. Take the top 3 cards each day and never miss anyone.
Teacher Evaluation Organizer
$27 value
Customize up to 50 steps in your evaluation process for unlimited staff. Google Sheets & Excel.
Interruption Matrix
$19 value
Get on the same page with your office staff about what should interrupt your visits—and what shouldn’t.
7 Keys To Sustainable Impact
$49 value
Find the sweet spot between too complicated and too casual. Maximize impact while keeping walkthroughs simple.
Communication Scripts
$19 value
Specific language for announcing your walkthroughs and answering questions from students and staff.
Feedback Phrase Bank
$19 value
Sentence-starters for introducing difficult topics, clarifying concerns, setting expectations, and sparking reflection.
Start the Challenge Today
Get instant access to the full program
Take the Instructional Leadership Challenge »Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I start right away?
Yes, you’ll get instant access to the full program, plus the audiobook of Now We’re Talking!. You can print the Tracker right away and complete your first cycle of visits within an hour. Then, we’ll send your welcome package via Priority Mail with the book and pre-cut Index Cards.
Q: Who is the Challenge designed for?
School administrators, instructional coaches, and district leaders.
Q: Do I get to keep the Challenge no matter what?
Yes. While the Challenge is exclusively for ILA members, you’ll get to keep it even if you cancel. You’re also welcome to keep any members-only tools you download during your 14-day free trial.
Q: Is it really just $99 to take the Challenge?
Yes, and you’ll get a 14-day free trial of the ILA with full access to all programs. After the free trial, membership is $99/month—cancel any time by emailing info@principalcenter.com.
Justin Baeder, PhD
Director, The Principal Center
The Instructional Leadership Challenge was created by Justin Baeder, PhD. Dr. Baeder has been a full-time author and consultant since 2012.
He is the author of Now We’re Talking! (Solution Tree) and Mapping Professional Practice, and host of Principal Center Radio, featuring 365+ distinguished guests.
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
If you are not satisfied with the Instructional Leadership Association for any reason, contact us within 30 days for a full refund.