Professional Learning Communities

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PLC
Professional Learning Communities
Chardon High School Douglas J. DeLong, Ann
Grantham, Allen Herner 2002-2007
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PLC - The answer to 3 core questions

• What do we want the students to learn?
• How will we know they have learned?
• What will we do if they do not learn?

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Common Planning Time
Answers the first two questions
How will we know what the students have learned?
What will the students learn?
Curriculum
Common Assessments
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Curriculum

• Begin with the end in mind What are the
  essential outcomes you want the students to
  master?

• Establish Specific, Measurable Standards or Goals
• Develop common assessments
• Analyze results
• Identify improvement strategies

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Teams write SMART goals

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Results-based
• Time-bound

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Common Assessments

• Teachers will continue to choose their own
  teaching style, class format and classroom
  management.

• Common short cycle assessments will be written by
  each team throughout the school year.

• Common assessments can be tests, projects,
  research papers or whatever the team decides is
  the best evaluation.

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Common Assessments

• Students will be assessed at the same time of the
  year.

• A rubric or common grading scale will be used to
  evaluate their progress.

• Results of the assessment will be compiled and
  discussed. Interventions will occur within the
  classrooms.

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Common Planning Time

• Collaborative teams focus on LEARNING.
• This time will allow teachers to collaborate,
  share ideas, share materials and help each other
  with strategies.
• It emphasizes the importance of working together.
  (interdependently)

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Common Assessments...

• Science teacher I have really learned a lot
  from looking at these common assessments. It has
  given me so many ideas about how to do things
  differently next year and more importantly, it
  has given us the opportunity to revisit any
  concepts that the students did not get the first
  time.

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Goal setting with Selected Response Tests
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Advantages of Teachers Working in Collaborative
Teams

• Gains in student achievement
• Higher quality solutions to problems
• Increased confidence among staff
• Ability to test new ideas
• Teachers able to support one another with ideas,
  materials, and methods
• More support for new teachers
• Time available for vertical articulation

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Bell Schedules Teams meet from 715-812

• Tuesdays
• 1 Regular 5 Team Meeting Day
• 1 730 - 823 1 817 858
• 2 827 - 915 2 902 - 943
• 3 919 - 1007 3 947 - 1028
• 4 1011 1059 4 1032 -1118
• 5 1103 - 1126 5 1122 -1144
• 6 1130 1153 6 1148 1210
• 7 1157 1220 7 1214 -1236
• 8 1224 - 1247 8 1240 - 102
• 9 1251 - 139 9 106 - 147
• 10 143 - 231 10 151 - 231

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Freshman Advisory
Answers the third question
What will we do if the students do not learn?
Pyramid of Interventions
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Progress Reports
Progress reports are mailed home every three
weeks
Progress reports are discussed with
individual ninth graders in advisory
Students with failing grades receive
intervention beginning in advisory
Report cards are also reviewed with ninth
grade students
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Tutoring

• Mentor tutoring in advisory
• Peer tutoring in advisory
• National Honor Society tutoring

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Academic Labs

• Labs are staffed by teachers
• Students may get help during studyhall
• 07-08 Math, Science, Social Studies, Spanish,
  French, Special Education

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Guided Studyhalls

• Volunteers/educational aides/staff
• Students complete homework during this time or
  before school
• Books, pencils, materials are provided

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Student Guided Study Folders
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Building Asst. Team Meeting

• Parents may need to meet to discuss concerns with
  faculty advisor, counselors, and
  administrators.
• Students are invited to this meeting.
• Parent communication, weekly updates, email may
  be established .

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Advisory Team Potential Results

• Schedule Change
• Referral to outside agencies
• Alternative placement
• IAT referral

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"Good Friend"

• Counselor assigns a volunteer teacher to an
• at risk freshman.
• Teacher establishes a positive relationship
• with this student.
• Eighth grade at risk students are identified.
• Student is unaware that he/she has been
• assigned a good friend.

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Advisory Team 2002-2007
SENIOR MENTORS
FACULTY ADVISOR
COUNSELORS
FCS TEACHERS
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Faculty Advisor Expectations
A faculty advisor will oversee student academic
progress throughout the freshmen year.
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Faculty Advisor Expectations
  Faculty advisors will monitor
approximately 25 freshmen for one ½ period per
day.
      During the other ½ period the faculty
advisor will have a duty or additional
free twenty-two minutes.
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Faculty Advisor Expectations

• Facilitate the advisory each day, take attendance
  and oversee the daily activities.
• Review progress reports with students every three
  weeks and provide intervention through senior
  mentors.
• Communicate with counselors about needs and
  options of failing students.

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Faculty Advisor Expectations
   Faculty advisors will be accompanied by 5
senior mentors who will help facilitate the
22- minute sessions.
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FCS Teacher Expectations

• FCS teachers will meet with freshmen 2 out of 6
  days

• FCS teachers will teach mini-lessons to freshmen
  during faculty advisory time on Personal School
  Management

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FCS Teacher Expectations

• FCS teachers are responsible for meeting with the
  senior mentors and coordinating the weekly PSM
  activities.
• Will meet with mentors during the common planning
  time.

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FCS Teacher Expectations

• FCS teachers will communicate with the faculty
  advisor to determine needs of students so that
  they may incorporate these into their lessons.

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Counselor Expectations

• Will run freshmen discussion groups 1 out of 12
  days

• Will meet and become acquainted with his/her
  incoming students

• Will be able to talk about necessary topics
  (credits, electives, courses, etc) with the
  students as a group

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Counselor Expectations

• Will allow time to answer questions for students
  who may not be able to schedule time at his/her
  office

• Talk about career/college counseling, character
  building and other related guidance topics

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Senior Mentors

• Senior mentors will assist faculty advisors and
  FCS teachers

• Senior mentors will meet with approximately 5
  freshmen students daily during freshmen advisory
  time

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Senior Mentors

• Senior mentors will tutor struggling freshmen in
  their areas of concern

• Senior mentors will teach mini-lessons that
  correspond with the FCS lessons

• Senior mentors will update students on school
  events

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Senior Mentors

• Senior mentors will attend mentor training
  sessions

• Senior mentors will meet with the FCS teachers on
  an as needed basis to coordinate their weekly
  activities

• Senior mentors will go over handbook with
  students and will also test the freshmen on the
  material

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Chardon High School
In recognition for the accomplishment of
Academic Excellence
Excellence Award
presents this award to
__________________________________________ Signatu
re __________________________________________ Sign
ature __________________________________________ S
ignature Signature ________
__________________________________ Signature _____
_____________________________________ Signature
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How did we begin?

• Principal attended a DuFour workshop in October
  of 2002
• Team of nine staff members attended a two-day
  workshop with Dr. DuFour in January 2003.
• These nine individuals began working on an action
  plan for the 2003-2004 school year.

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Jan - August 2003 Timeline

• Team members met and developed the FMP schedule.
• FMP application for prospective seniors was
  written.
• Counselors visited classes to explain the program
  and to recruit mentors.
• Team scored applications and selected the 60
  mentors.

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Timeline continued...

• Training for seniors mentors in May by FCS
  teachers.
• Letter sent by principal to all ninth grade
  parents about the PLC program.
• Special faculty meeting with PowerPoint
  presentation in March.
• Board of education presentation in May.

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Timeline continued...

• Principal asked for volunteers (teachers) to be
  faculty advisors.
• Picnic for senior mentors and faculty advisors in
  August to prepare for the FMP.
• Principal created subject area teams and
  individual booklets for each team member.

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Begin informally......

• Discuss the ideas over lunch, happy hour, staff
  parties, one on one.
• Gather a core group to hear it for themselves.
  Select open minded teachers.
• Address any potential union issues from the
  beginning.
• Allow the core teachers to spread the word.
  Allow them to work on implementation.

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... make it formal

• Present/talk to superintendent/assistant
  superintendent-support and understanding.
• Have the core present the PLC to the rest of
  the faculty.
• Have the core present the PLC to the board and
  community.
• Knowing vs. Doing DO IT!