PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES

1
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
2
Introduction To Professional Learning Communities

• The Prairie Spirit Model

3
Fundamental Assumptions

• We can make a difference our schools can be more
  effective.
• People improvement is the key to school
  improvement.
• Significant school improvement will impact
  teaching and learning.

4
Need for a Collaborative Culture

• Improving schools require collaborative cultures
  Without collaborative skills and relationships,
  it is not possible to learn and to continue to
  learn as much as you need to know to improve.
• - Michael Fullan

5
Structural change that is not supported by
cultural change will eventually be overwhelmed by
the culture, and it is in the culture that any
organization finds meaning and stability. - Phil
Schlechty (1997, p. 136)
6
The Big Ideas that Should Drive Your PLC Efforts

• We accept learning as the fundamental purpose of
  our school and therefore are willing to examine
  all practices in light of their impact on
  learning.
• We are committed to working together to achieve
  our collective purpose. We cultivate a
  collaborative culture through development of high
  performing teams.
• We assess our effectiveness on the basis of
  results rather than intentions. Individuals,
  teams, and schools seek relevant data and
  information and use that information to promote
  continuous improvement.

LEARNING CULTURE TEAMS RESULTS
7
What are Professional Learning Communities ?

• A collaborative decision-making approach where
  educators focus on how to improve student
  learning.

8
Characteristics of a Learning Community

• Shared mission, vision values
• Collaborative teams
• Collective inquiry
• Action orientation/experimentation
• Commitment to continuous improvement
• Results orientation

9
Key Questions

• What do we expect students to learn?
• How will we know when they have learned it?
• How will we respond when they dont learn?

10
Critical Outcomes

• Definition What do we want the student to know,
  understand or be able to do?
• Endurance Is this learning enduring for the
  student?
• Leverage Will this learning support other
  learnings for the student?
• Readiness Does it support the next level of
  learning?

11
CRITICAL OUTCOME FORMATS

• Demonstrate by using manipulatives and pictures
  the concept of fractions as part of a shape or
  solid.
• The student will be able to read critically and
  purposefully for meaning in a variety of media.
• The student will recognize anger triggers and
  utilize a skill set to engage in emotional
  regulation.
• The student will have a beginning, middle, and
  end when writing a story.
• I will understand and apply ratios, proportions
  and percentages to solve real life problems and
  applications.

12
Group Activity
13
Critical Outcome ModelProfessional Learning
Communities Learning Outcome Component
14
Critical Outcome ModelProfessional Learning
Communities Learning Outcome Component
15
If the purpose of school is truly to ensure high
levels of learning for all students, schools
will

• Clarify what each student is expected to learn.
• Monitor each students learning on a timely
  basis.
• Create systems to ensure students receive
  additional time and support if they are not
  learning.
• Align all resources to support student learning.
• Examine all of the practices, policies, and
  procedures of the school in light of their impact
  on student learning.

16
Successful School Restructuring

• Characteristics of school that can link
  restructuring initiatives with improved student
  learning include the following
• Focus on agreed vision of what student should
  learn
• Teaching that requires students to think, to
  develop in-depth understanding, and to apply
  academic learning to important, realistic
  problems.
• Schools that function as professional learning
  communities in which teachers
• 1. Are guided by a clear, commonly held, shared
  purpose for student learning
• 2. Feel a sense of collective responsibility for
  student learning, and
• 3. Collaborate with one another to promote
  student learning
• 4. Enjoy increased autonomy at the school site.

Newman and Wehlage, 1996
17

• Do not follow where the path may lead
• Go instead where there is no path and leave a
  trail