Professional Learning Communities

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Professional Learning Communities
Creating powerful and effective learning for
teachers and students
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It is not the strongest of the species that
survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one
most responsive to change. - Charles Darwin
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Lets Take a look atWhat Used to Happen!

• We had data
• We shared data
• We complained
• We cried
• We agreed that we needed to improve
• We went back and taught more of the same, in the
  same ways we always had!!

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Suddenly we realizedTHIS IS NOT WORKING!!!

• No Real Improvement!!
• The Horse is Dead!!! Time to Dismount!!
• Common advice from knowledgeable horse trainers
  includes the adage,
• When the horse diesdismount.

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Okay.. That seems simple enough

• However, we didnt always follow that advice!
  Instead, we chose from an array of other
  alternatives
• Buying a stronger whip
• Switching riders
• Appointing a committee to study the horse
• Creating dead horse riding standards

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We All Want to Experience..

• AchievementSuccess
• ConnectionFeeling a Part of a Group
• SignificanceMaking a Difference

But changing what we have always done is
sometimes frighteningand sometimes a little
work!!
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Just maybe we need to ..

• Clean out the barn and reorganize the stables
• Develop a training course for riding a dead horse
• Get an advocate for the horse
• Blame the horses parents.

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Lets begin with our District Goals.

• All schools will earn a grade of an A or B by
  2007-2008
• All schools will earn a grade of A by 2009-2010
• All schools will make AYP in 2010-2011
• The district will make AYP by 2011-2012

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How Can We Do This?
Create Professional Learning Communities Regularly
scheduled time and focus for teachers to
research, study, reflect, plan together
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What is a Professional Learning Community? A team
with an intentional focus on learning which
results in continuous school improvement
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Professional Learning Communities can also be
called a Professional Study Group or
Collaborative Planning Group
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Why Use a Professional Learning Community?

• Focuses the site and individual PD on school
  improvement related to student performance
• Job embedded PD has the greatest chance of
  changing the tradition and culture of an
  educational environment
• Becomes manageable as collaborative teams become
  units of change
• Can be accomplished with a limited budget
• Avoids allowing RESISTERS to stop necessary
  change
• Provides a vehicle for proactively managing
  change, now and in the future!
• Provides a proven method for real results

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• Keep in mind that with a Professional Learning
  Community Professional Development is
• Ongoing
• Job embedded
• Collaborative
• Includes follow up

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A Professional Learning Community...

• IS NOT a prescription
• IS NOT a new program
• IS NOT weekly team lesson plan meetings
• IS NOT a meeting focused on administration and
  management details

Southwest Educational Development Laboratory -
Austin, TX
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Attributes of a Professional Learning Community
(Hord, 1997)

• Shared and Supportive Leadership
• Shared Values and Vision
• Collective Learning and Application of Learning
• Supportive Conditions
• Shared Personal Practice
• Southwest Educational Development Laboratory -
  Austin, TX

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Shared and Supportive Leadership
Principals support a collegial relationship with
teachers, share power and decision-making, and
promote and nurture leadership development among
staff
Shared Values and Vision
An unwavering focus on student learning guides
decisions about teaching and learning, and
promotes accountability for actions.
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory -
Austin, TX
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Collective Learning and Application of Learning
People at all levels work collaboratively to
solve problems and improve learning
opportunities. Together they seek new knowledge
and skills, as well as applying their new
learning to their work.

• Supportive Conditions

Physical conditions as well as personal and
professional interactions support the work of
school staff.
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory -
Austin, TX
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Shared Personal Practice
Teacher interaction occurs within a formalized
structure to provide encouragement and feedback
on instructional practices in an atmosphere of
mutual respect and trust.

• Southwest Educational Development Laboratory -
  Austin, TX

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Job embedded Professional Development
Sustainableif one person leaves, programs
continue
Building trust relationships
Research Basedbest in changing student
performances
Professional Learning Community
Making learning relevant
Reform in learning cultures
Promoting inquiry mindedness
Connecting leaders, teachers, student, others
Louise Stoll (2004)
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It is easy to begin..

• Determine an area of study
• Book Study
• Data analysis
• Review of student work
• Review of teacher work
• Curriculum alignment
• Professional Learning Team formats
• Whole school
• Grade level teams
• Content area teams
• Vertical Teams

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• Professional Learning Communities may do any of
  the following
• Develop school or student improvement plans using
  data
• Plan use and evaluation of instructional
  practices
• Align instructional practices with Sunshine State
  Standards
• Examine teacher work
• Examine student work
• Plan curriculum and/or classroom based
  assessments

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• Create a component..
• Develop and submit Instructional Component to
  Professional Development for approval (to be
  available online)
• Complete SCPS Professional Development Inservice
  Activity Application
• Once your component has been approved.
• Develop Norms for Professional Learning Community
• Meeting Dates
• Meeting Format
• Gathering/Ordering Materials
• Record Keeping (electronic PLC log available)
• How did PLC impact student achievement
• Upon completion of PLC submission of Professional
  Development Folder to ESC

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• What Do I Need To Write A Component..
• Component Identifier Number      
• Title
• Participants      
• Length of Time 2007-2008 School Year
• ______ contact hours
• _____ independent work hour
• Location
• In-service Points _______ points
• Statement of Needs
• General Objective
• Sunshine State Standards
• Specific Objectives
• Description of Activities
• Evaluation Procedures

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Remember..

• Its About
• Proficiency !

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• Resources
• Professional Learning Communityhttps//www.t2tweb
  .us/Mgmt/TTC/SessionFiles/S0042-F01125.pdf
• Example, Ideas, Best Practiceshttps//www.t2tweb
  .us/Workshops/Sessions.asp?SessionID42http//ww
  w.sedl.org/pubs/catalog/items/cha36.htmlhttp//w
  ww.doe.state.la.us/lde/uploads/3855.pdf