PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIESCOMMUNITIES

A Faculty Seminar A Faculty Seminar

for Curie Metro High School for Curie Metro High School

hosted by hosted by

Leonard Witucki, NBCTLeonard Witucki, NBCT

Today’s Pop QuizToday’s Pop Quiz

Fill in the blank:Fill in the blank: _______ is partly system and partly _______ is partly system and partly

process. process. As a system it delivers powerful As a system it delivers powerful

professional development via professional development via comprehensive staff collaboration. comprehensive staff collaboration.

As a process it brings about improved As a process it brings about improved learning and increased student learning and increased student achievement by regular and consistent achievement by regular and consistent examination of instructional practices.examination of instructional practices.

How did you fill in the blank?How did you fill in the blank?

Did you think about naming a trendy Did you think about naming a trendy program or philosophy?program or philosophy?

Or did you think.....Or did you think.....

Curie High Curie High SchoolSchool??

For now, we can safely fill in the For now, we can safely fill in the blank withblank with

A ProfessionalA Professional Learning Learning CommunityCommunity (PLC)(PLC)

ULTIMATE GOALULTIMATE GOAL

But…our ultimate goal is to But…our ultimate goal is to make Curie High School a make Curie High School a highly effective model of a highly effective model of a

Professional Learning Professional Learning Community!Community!

So in the Future….So in the Future…. Some day, we will be able to say Some day, we will be able to say

confidently:confidently: Curie High SchoolCurie High School is partly system and is partly system and

partly process. partly process. As a system, As a system, CurieCurie delivers delivers powerful powerful

professional developmentprofessional development via via comprehensive staff collaboration. comprehensive staff collaboration.

As a process, As a process, CurieCurie brings about brings about improved improved learning and increased student learning and increased student achievementachievement by regular and consistent by regular and consistent examination of instructional practices.examination of instructional practices.

What is a PLC?What is a PLC?

The professional learning community The professional learning community approach is a school structure whose approach is a school structure whose instruction depends on regular instruction depends on regular professional collaboration and using professional collaboration and using data to assure that all students learn.data to assure that all students learn.

It is not “trendy”, but rather has It is not “trendy”, but rather has shown very promising results. shown very promising results.

What is the basis of a PLC?What is the basis of a PLC?

The PLC approach rests on three "big ideas":The PLC approach rests on three "big ideas": The core mission of formal education is not The core mission of formal education is not simply to ensure that students are simply to ensure that students are taughttaught,, but to ensure that theybut to ensure that they learnlearn.. Educators recognize that they must workEducators recognize that they must work together to achieve their collective purpose together to achieve their collective purpose of learning for all.of learning for all. Judging the effectiveness of all efforts must Judging the effectiveness of all efforts must be based on their results.be based on their results.

Richard DuFour, Richard DuFour, Educational LeadershipEducational Leadership 61:861:8 May 2004 May 2004

Big Idea #1Big Idea #1

The core mission of formal education is not The core mission of formal education is not simply to ensure that students are taught, simply to ensure that students are taught, but to ensure that they learn.but to ensure that they learn.

What school characteristics and practices have What school characteristics and practices have been most successful in helping all students been most successful in helping all students achieve at high levels?achieve at high levels?

How can we adopt these practices in our school?How can we adopt these practices in our school? What commitments would we have to make to What commitments would we have to make to

each other to create such a school?each other to create such a school? What indicators would we monitor to assess our What indicators would we monitor to assess our

progress?progress?

Three Three Critical QuestionsCritical Questions arise arise from this analysis that drive the from this analysis that drive the work of work of everyoneeveryone in in anyany PLC: PLC:

1) What do we want 1) What do we want

each student toeach student to

learn?learn? 2) How will we know 2) How will we know

when each student when each student

has learned it?has learned it? 3) How will we 3) How will we

respond when a respond when a

student has difficultystudent has difficulty

in learning it?in learning it?

3) How will we respond when a 3) How will we respond when a student has difficulty in learning it?student has difficulty in learning it?

The answer to this third question, The answer to this third question, according to Richard DuFour, according to Richard DuFour, separates a separates a learning communitylearning community from from a a traditional schooltraditional school..

What is the What is the typicaltypical scenario in a scenario in a traditional school when students do traditional school when students do

not learn the content in a given not learn the content in a given period of time?period of time?

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8

A's B's C's D's F's

In a In a LEARNING COMMUNITYLEARNING COMMUNITY::

Struggling students receive additional time Struggling students receive additional time and support. and support.

The school community’s response is:The school community’s response is: Timely;Timely;

Based on intervention rather than Based on intervention rather than remediation;remediation; Directive, in that it Directive, in that it requiresrequires students to students to participate in the intervention participate in the intervention rather than invites them to do so.rather than invites them to do so.

Sample Intervention System:Sample Intervention System: Students receive a progress report every three Students receive a progress report every three

weeks.weeks. Teacher/Counselor/Homeroom Teacher meets Teacher/Counselor/Homeroom Teacher meets

with individual students to help resolve the with individual students to help resolve the problem and make suggestions:problem and make suggestions:

Go to a study hall during school hours that Go to a study hall during school hours that includes a tutoring centerincludes a tutoring center..Work with an older student mentor-tutor Work with an older student mentor-tutor

whowho will help with homework during advisory will help with homework during advisory period/homeroom.period/homeroom.

(Continued)(Continued)

Sample Intervention System: Sample Intervention System: (cont.)(cont.)

Students falling short of expectations on two Students falling short of expectations on two consecutive three-week progress reports....consecutive three-week progress reports....

are required to attend study hall tutoring, are required to attend study hall tutoring, andand

have their progress checked weekly by have their progress checked weekly by counselors.counselors. Students who do not improve within the next six Students who do not improve within the next six

weeks are assigned a daily guided study hall with weeks are assigned a daily guided study hall with ten or fewer students. ten or fewer students.

Guided study hall supervisor ascertains exact Guided study hall supervisor ascertains exact homework assignments and monitors completion homework assignments and monitors completion of the work.of the work.

What About Mom and Dad?What About Mom and Dad?

In this sample program, parents had In this sample program, parents had attended a required meeting at the attended a required meeting at the beginning of the year. beginning of the year.

At this meeting the PLC program and At this meeting the PLC program and intervention methods were explained. intervention methods were explained.

A contract was signed by the parents, the A contract was signed by the parents, the classroom teachers, the counselor and the classroom teachers, the counselor and the student that details each person's student that details each person's responsibility.responsibility.

Big Idea #2Big Idea #2

Educators recognize that they must Educators recognize that they must work together to achieve their work together to achieve their collective purpose of learning for all.collective purpose of learning for all.

"Despite compelling evidence that working "Despite compelling evidence that working collaboratively represents best practice, collaboratively represents best practice, teachers in many schools continue to work teachers in many schools continue to work in isolation. Even in schools that endorse in isolation. Even in schools that endorse the idea of collaboration, the staff's the idea of collaboration, the staff's willingness to collaborate often stops at willingness to collaborate often stops at the classroom door." the classroom door."

Richard DuFour, Richard DuFour, Educational LeadershipEducational Leadership 61:8 May 61:8 May 20042004

The collaborative component of a The collaborative component of a PLC requires creating structures to PLC requires creating structures to

promote a collaborative culture:promote a collaborative culture: Teachers work together to analyze and Teachers work together to analyze and

improve their classroom practice.improve their classroom practice. Teachers work in (content area) teams Teachers work in (content area) teams

that identify the essential that identify the essential knowledgeknowledge and and skills their students must attain in each skills their students must attain in each unit.unit.

Teachers determine critical outcomes that Teachers determine critical outcomes that will indicate knowledge/skill attainment.will indicate knowledge/skill attainment.

Collaborative Component Collaborative Component (continued)(continued)

Formative assessments are developed to Formative assessments are developed to monitor each student's mastery (more on monitor each student's mastery (more on this later).this later).

Team determines the most authentic and Team determines the most authentic and valid ways to assess mastery of valid ways to assess mastery of knowledge/skills.knowledge/skills.

Overall results to common formative Overall results to common formative assessments are reviewed to determine assessments are reviewed to determine what is working and what is not.what is working and what is not.

Team discusses new strategies to raise Team discusses new strategies to raise student achievement.student achievement.

Assessment TypesAssessment Types

As you may know, As you may know, there are generally there are generally two types of two types of assessment in our assessment in our classrooms:classrooms:

• summative summative • formativeformative

Summative AssessmentSummative Assessment

Assessment at the end of a unit Assessment at the end of a unit meant to assess student’s mastery of meant to assess student’s mastery of the content knowledge and/or skills.the content knowledge and/or skills.

Given just before moving on to the Given just before moving on to the next skill set.next skill set.

The traditional classroom The traditional classroom assessment tool.assessment tool.

Formative AssessmentFormative Assessment

Takes place in the course of the unit, Takes place in the course of the unit, possibly several times;possibly several times;

Is typically short and focused;Is typically short and focused; Provides students with immediate Provides students with immediate

feedback about their achievement;feedback about their achievement; Allows students to find strategies to fill Allows students to find strategies to fill

gaps in their own learning;gaps in their own learning; Allows teachers to find individual and Allows teachers to find individual and

collective gaps in learning in order to collective gaps in learning in order to develop new strategies.develop new strategies.

Formative AssessmentFormative Assessment

A PLC thrives onA PLC thrives onformativeformative

assessment!assessment!

Formative AssessmentFormative Assessment

Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam documented the tremendous documented the tremendous difference formative assessment can difference formative assessment can make in instruction in their 1998 make in instruction in their 1998

report, report, Inside the Black Box: Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment.Classroom Assessment.

Back to Back to CollaborationCollaboration PLC Collaboration asks team members to PLC Collaboration asks team members to

make public what has been traditionally make public what has been traditionally private:private: goals, strategies, materials, goals, strategies, materials, pacing, questions, concerns and resultspacing, questions, concerns and results..

The collaboration gives everyone The collaboration gives everyone someone someone to turn to and to talk toto turn to and to talk to..

The collaboration is specifically structured The collaboration is specifically structured to to improve the individual and collective improve the individual and collective practice of classroom teacherspractice of classroom teachers..

For PLC Collaboration to occur:For PLC Collaboration to occur:

The school mustThe school must::• Ensure that everyone belongs to aEnsure that everyone belongs to a

team focused on student learningteam focused on student learning Ensure that teams have time to meetEnsure that teams have time to meet

during the school day and during the school day and

throughout the yearthroughout the year

For PLC Collaboration to occur:For PLC Collaboration to occur:

Each teacher team mustEach teacher team must::• Focus its efforts on critical questions related to Focus its efforts on critical questions related to

learning;learning;• Reflect that focus as it generates lists of Reflect that focus as it generates lists of

essential outcomes, different types of essential outcomes, different types of assessments, analyses of student achievement assessments, analyses of student achievement and strategies for improving results;and strategies for improving results;

• Clarify expectations regarding roles, Clarify expectations regarding roles, responsibilities and relationships among team responsibilities and relationships among team members.members.

What Are We Teaching?What Are We Teaching? What Are They What Are They LearningLearning??

According to Robert According to Robert Marzano in Marzano in What What Works in Schools: Works in Schools: Translating research Translating research into actioninto action, the , the amount of attention amount of attention schools and school schools and school districts pay to three districts pay to three different types of different types of "curriculum" might "curriculum" might look something like look something like this chart.this chart.

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10

20

30

40

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% o

f Tim

e

IntendedCurriculum

ImplementedCurriculum

AttainedCurriculum

Three Curricula or One?Three Curricula or One?

The curricular goal of a PLC approach is for The curricular goal of a PLC approach is for the intended and implemented and the intended and implemented and attained curricula to be one and the same attained curricula to be one and the same curriculum for every student. curriculum for every student.

Teachers are given time to analyze, Teachers are given time to analyze, discuss and implement state and district discuss and implement state and district standards and goals, standards and goals, andand they are given they are given the time and resources to ensure that the time and resources to ensure that every student can reach them.every student can reach them.

Alone or With Others?Alone or With Others?

However, researchers (e.g., Richard However, researchers (e.g., Richard DuFour, Roland Barth, Robert DuFour, Roland Barth, Robert Marzano) have noted that teachers Marzano) have noted that teachers feel safer working alone. They find it feel safer working alone. They find it easier than working with others. easier than working with others.

Research also has shown that the Research also has shown that the PLC approach can turn schools PLC approach can turn schools around and result in significant gains around and result in significant gains in student achievement. in student achievement.

Will We?Will We?

DuFour asserts, then, that building a DuFour asserts, then, that building a PLC is a question of PLC is a question of willwill. The staff of . The staff of a school can overcome any a school can overcome any perceived obstacles - including any perceived obstacles - including any preference to work in isolation - to preference to work in isolation - to building a PLC if they have the building a PLC if they have the willwill..

http://www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues61/outcohttp://www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues61/outcomes.htmlmes.html

Big Idea #3Big Idea #3

Judging the Judging the effectiveness of effectiveness of all efforts must all efforts must be based on be based on their results.their results.

Collaboration Collaboration focused on focused on improving learning improving learning becomes becomes everyone's routine.everyone's routine.

The RoutineThe Routine Teachers determine current levels of Teachers determine current levels of

student achievement (e.g., formative student achievement (e.g., formative assessment);assessment);

They establish goals to increase that They establish goals to increase that level of achievement;level of achievement;

Teachers work together to achieve that Teachers work together to achieve that goal;goal;

Periodic evidence of progress is Periodic evidence of progress is provided (e.g., summative assessment);provided (e.g., summative assessment);

The focus of team goals will shift to be The focus of team goals will shift to be more data-based.more data-based.

A PLC is data-driven A PLC is data-driven

DuFour claims that many schools DuFour claims that many schools suffer from the suffer from the DRIPDRIP syndrome: syndrome:

DD Data-Data-

RR Rich, Rich,

II Information-Information-

PP Poor Poor

Data vs. Useful InformationData vs. Useful Information Teachers have standardized test data, Teachers have standardized test data,

their own assessment data and other their own assessment data and other types of data about their students.types of data about their students.

But they have minimal time and resources But they have minimal time and resources to use this data to effect a difference for to use this data to effect a difference for the struggling student.the struggling student.

The PLC collaboration allows teachers to The PLC collaboration allows teachers to use data to get use data to get informationinformation about what is about what is working and what is not. It promotes working and what is not. It promotes discussion of interventions, re-teaching, discussion of interventions, re-teaching, and revising instructional strategies.and revising instructional strategies.

Making Data UsefulMaking Data Useful

Let's watch a short clip of a portion Let's watch a short clip of a portion of a real PLC teacher team meeting of a real PLC teacher team meeting and using data. The subject is 6th and using data. The subject is 6th grade mathematics.grade mathematics.

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkhttp://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=eb96a64a3254ca7b50d8ey=eb96a64a3254ca7b50d8

Summarizing…Summarizing…

The PLC approach has been shown to The PLC approach has been shown to be effective in all types of schools.be effective in all types of schools.

The PLC approach lets teachers The PLC approach lets teachers efficiently help all students to learn.efficiently help all students to learn.

The PLC approach makes teachers The PLC approach makes teachers more artful in their practice and their more artful in their practice and their instructional repertoire.instructional repertoire.

How Can we Say NO?How Can we Say NO?

QuestionsQuestions ObstaclesObstacles ConsensusConsensus Where do we go from here?Where do we go from here?