October Day1 Handouts
October Day1 Handouts
October Day1 Handouts
(adapted from Learning by Doing)
1. Shared mission, vision, values, goals
Educators in a PLC benefit from clarity regarding their shared purpose, a common
understanding of the school they are trying to create, collective communities to help move the
school in the desired direction, and specific, measurable, attainable, results‐oriented, and time‐
bound (SMART) goals to mark their progress.
2. Collaborative teams focused on learning
In a PLC, educators work together interdependently in collaborative teams to achieve common
goals for which they are mutually accountable. The structure of the school is aligned to ensure
teams are provided the time and support essential to adult learning. “Collaboration is a
systematic process in which we work together, interdependently, to analyze and impact
professional practice in order to improve our individual and collective results.”
3. Collective inquiry
Teams in a PLC relentlessly question the status quo, seek new methods of teaching and
learning, test the methods, and then reflect on the results. Building shared knowledge of both
current reality and best practice is an essential part of each team’s decision‐making process.
4. Action orientation and experimentation
Members of a PLC constantly turn their learning and insights into action. They recognize the
importance of engagement and experience in learning and in testing new ideas. They learn by
doing.
5. Commitment to Continuous improvement
Not content with the status quo, members of a PLC constantly seek better ways to achieve
mutual goals and accomplish their fundamental purpose of learning for all. All teams engage in
an ongoing cycle of:
• Gathering evidence of current levels of student learning
• Developing strategies and ideas to build on strengths and address weaknesses in that
learning
• Implementing the strategies and ideas
• Analyzing the impact of the changes to discover what was effective and what was not
• Applying the new knowledge in the next cycle of continuous improvement
6. Results orientation
Educators in a PLC assess their efforts on the basis of tangible results. They are hungry for
evidence of student learning and use that evidence to inform and improve their practice. “The
success of the PLC concept depends not on the merits of the concept itself, but on the most
important element in the improvement of any school—the commitment and persistence of the
educators within it.” —Richard DuFour
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Developing Norms
Comments to the Facilitator: This activity will enable a group to develop a set of operating
norms or ground rules. In existing groups, anonymity will help ensure that everyone is able to
express their ideas freely. For this reason, it is essential to provide pens or pencils or to ask that
everyone use the same type of writing implement.
Supplies: Index cards, pens or pencils, poster paper, display board, tape, tacks
Directions
1. Explain to the group that effective groups generally have a set of norms that govern
individual behavior, facilitate the work of the group, and enable the group to accom-
plish its task.
6. Shuffle all the cards together. Every effort should be made to provide anonymity for
individuals, especially if the group has worked together before.
7. Turn cards face up and read each card aloud. Allow time for the group members to
discuss each idea. Tape or tack each card to a display board so that all group mem-
bers can see it. As each card is read aloud, ask the group to determine if it is similar
to another idea that already has been expressed. Cards with similar ideas should be
grouped together.
8. When all of the cards have been sorted, ask the group to write the norm suggested
by each group of cards. Have one group member record these new norms on a large
sheet of paper.
9. Review the proposed norms with the group. Determine whether the group can sup-
port the norms before the group adopts them.
Used with permission of the National Staff Development Council, www.nsdc.org, 2006. All rights reserved. Adapted
from Tools for Change Workshops by Robby Champion. Oxford, OH: National Staff Development Council, 1993.
Time
When do we meet?
Will we set a beginning and ending time?
Will we start and end on time?
Listening
How will we encourage listening?
How will we discourage interrupting?
Confidentiality
Will the meetings be open?
Will what we say in the meeting be held in
confidence?
What can be said after the meeting?
Decision Making
How will we make decisions?
Are we an advisory or a decision-making body?
Will we reach decisions by consensus?
How will we deal with conflicts?
Participation
How will we encourage everyone’s participation?
Will we have an attendance policy?
Expectations
What do we expect from members?
Are there requirements for participation?
Used with permission of the National Staff Development Council, www.nsdc.org, 2006. All rights reserved. From Keys to Successful
Meetings by Stephanie Hirsh, Ann Delehant, and Sherry Sparks. Oxford, OH: National Staff Development Council, 1994.
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Learning by Doing © 2006, 2010 Solution Tree Press • solution-tree.com
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The Professional Learning Communities at Work™ Continuum:
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DIRECTIONS: Individually, silently, and honestly assess the current reality of your school’s implementation of each indicator
listed in the left column. Consider what evidence or anecdotes support your assessment. This form may also be used to
assess district or team implementation.
We have a clear sense of our collective purpose, the school we are attempting to create to achieve that purpose, the commitments we must make and honor to
become that school, and the specific goals that will help monitor our progress.
PLC Day 1
learning for all is our
members view the school through the clarity regarding the clearly established They demonstrate
core purpose.
mission of the school as development of a formal mission of learning for expectations for student that commitment by
teaching. They operate mission statement. all. Steps are being learning and systematic working collaboratively
from the assumption Few people were taken to clarify what, processes to monitor to clarify what students
that although all involved in its creation. specifically, students student learning. They are to learn in each
students should have It does little to impact are to learn and to are becoming more unit, creating frequent
the opportunity to professional practice or monitor their learning. analytical in assessing common formative
learn, responsibility for the assumptions behind Some teachers are the evidence of student assessments to monitor
learning belongs to the those practices. concerned that these learning and are each student’s learning
individual student and efforts will deprive them looking for ways to on an ongoing basis,
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Collective
not yet articulated the or a committee been developed that been engaged in the commitments are
Commitments articulates the specific process to articulate the embraced by staff,
attitudes, behaviors, of teachers have
(Shared Values) or commitments created statements commitments staff have collective commitments embedded in the
We have made they are prepared to of beliefs regarding been asked to embrace that will advance the school’s culture, and
must behave in order learning for all and the Staff members have closer to its vision. The commitments and seek help define the school
to achieve our shared vision of what the school reviewed and reacted commitments are stated ways to bring them to and what it stands
vision. might become. to those statements. as behaviors rather life in the school. for. Examples of the
Initial drafts have been than beliefs. Many staff commitments are
5
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Indicator Pre-Initiating Initiating Implementing Developing Sustaining
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Common School No effort has been Goals for the school Staff members have The school goal has All staff members
made to engage the have been established been made aware of been translated into pursue measurable
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Walk Around Survey
My thoughts...
PLC’s are
like _____
because
_____
Ideas from
Survey
Partner 1
Ideas from
Survey
Partner 2
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