PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES:A STUDY GROUP APPROACH DEFINING A PLC

Teacher Development, HRD

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WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME…

Deepens professional practice

Provides opportunities for collaboration

Grassroots professional development

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OBJECTIVES

Define PLCs

Identify a topic of study

Identify PLC membership

Incorporate technologies into PLCs

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SCOPE AND SEQUENCE….. Getting on the same page A commitment to continuous improvement Gathering evidence of current levels of student

learning Developing strategies and ideas to build on

strengths and address weaknesses in that learning

Implementing those strategies and ideas Analyzing the impact of the changes to discover

what was effective and what was not Applying new knowledge in the next cycle of

continuous improvement4

“Inherent to a PLC is a constant

search for a better way to achieve

goals and accomplish the purpose of

the organization.”--Rick DuFour

COURSE REQUIREMENTS….

Attend each session of your PLC (if an emergency arises provisions for make-up

will be offered) Portfolio that includes:

-Agenda, minutes for all meetings-Communications (emails sent,

received from their participants)-Artifacts documenting their journey

Rubric6

WHAT IS A PLC?

Think about what a PLC is and what it entails.

Discuss with a partner or table group.

Share out whole group

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THE DEFINITION OF A PLC….

Educators committed to working collaboratively in the ongoing processes

of collective inquiry to achievebetter results for the students they serve

operating under the assumption that the key to improved student learning

is continuous job-embedded

learning for educators.Learning By Doing, Dufour, et.al. 2006

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THE 6 CHARACTERISTICS OF A PLC..

Focus on learning Collaborative culture Collective inquiry into best practice and the

current reality Action orientation Commitment to continuous improvement Results orientation

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Activity 1

Use Tool 1.2 to think about your professional development.

Each of these statements is characteristic of quality professional development and when properly implemented, PLCs can address all of these areas.

YOU HAVE A PLC WHEN A TEAM OF EDUCATORS….

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1. Place improving student learning at the center

2. Meet regularly for a sustained and focused time

3. Observe each other’s practice and give feedback

4. Build Trust5. Make their work public6. Value diversity

7. Draw on expertise8. Engage in reciprocal

learning9. Share leadership10. Hold themselves

accountable11. Are facilitated by a

coach12. Continuously challenge

one another13. Employ an action

research cycle of inquiry

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http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/hrd/podcasts/video/2006/mp4/PD11.DeliveryPLC.mov

Activity 2 Prof Design Team

Will collaboration work for us?

What barriers might need to be addressed?

How will we arrive at consensus?

Arriving at consensus

1.All of us can embrace the proposal

2.All of us can endorse the proposal

3.All of us can live with the proposal

4.All of us can agree not to sabotage the proposal

5.We have a majority--at least 51%--in support of the proposal.

SELECTING A TOPIC FOR STUDY…..

YOURS Based on data Begin with the end in mind recognizing that action

must be taken Must be of such significant interest to the membership

that they will be able and willing to study the topic for the school year.

Use the school name and topic to name the PLC, e.g., Happy Dale School-Using High Yield Strategies to Address the Needs of the ESE Subgroup

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GROUP REFLECTION (MINUTES)…..

1 per meeting Use as a template for the minutes Completed at the meeting as a team Share electronically with team members

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TECHNOLOGY THAT ASSISTS IN PLCS…. CAB is the best

way to communicate in between sessions

Wiki-you will have your own page

http://seagullhigh.pds-hrd.wikispaces.net/

PowerPoint Try Elluminate

or Twitter

DO YOU WIKI?

WIKIs are an online journal and can also be used for updates and information sharing

Have you visited our wiki?

http://seagullhigh.pds-hrd.wikispaces.net/

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Check out topics around the room. Find one that speaks to you or one that with a little tweaking, you’d like to explore.

A PLC should have no more than 10 participants.

WEBSITES THAT WILL ASSIST…

www.allthingsplc.info www.ncpublicschools.org/profdev/

resources/proflearn/ www.sedl.org

Google professional learning communities and you will get about 50,000,000 hits!!!

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REFERENCES….

Conzemius and O’Neill DuFour, Eaker, Many Marzano Reeves Schmoker

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FOR SESSION 2…

Scheduled PLC meeting is 10/28/09

Follow up--Visit our wiki. Hit Discussion. Make a comment about your PLC and what you hope to discover.

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For now:

Follow up is due for Critical Thinking.

You were suppose to write one question using Bloom’s higher order thinking.

Remember to use three documents

Q AND A…..

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SELF REFLECTIONS…..

Use the guiding questionsto think about PLCs and their ramifications on

yourpractice and student achievement:

How do/should PLCs impact my daily practice? Why?

What parts of my daily practice should be addressed next in a PLC?

Which of the 6 characteristics/13 elements are/are not evident? What do I do about it?

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