Lakeland Middle School Professional Learning Communities (PLC) Goal of Professional Learning Communities: To provide effective collaborative teams to impact student achievement in a Professional Learning Community.

Lakeland Middle School Professional Learning Communities (PLC) What are Professional Learning Communities? A strategy for providing professional development that will help in improving and sustaining student learning and achievement. PLC will provide school personnel time to function as a professional learning community. The path to change in the classroom lies within and through PLC and every staff member.

Lakeland Middle School Collaborative Structure and Culture Culture: How we do business Curriculum Teams: Focus on alignment Teacher Leaders: Everyone has a voice Time: How do you know when students are learning

Must Avoid: ‘Three Deadly C’s in Collaboration Team’s Choices: Not Individual; Team Effort Calendar: Do Not Focus Calendar Consequences: Do Not focus on discipline

PLC Teams Should Focus on: First and Foremost: RESULTS! Alignment of Curriculum Grading and Reporting Common Assessments

Benefits of Common Assessments Focus Instruction on Essential Learning Skills Reinforces Common Core Curriculum Creates Better (More Valid and Reliable) Exams Results Identify Curricular Areas and Instruction that needs attention Requires Collaboration Among Teachers Provides Objective Indicators of Effectiveness Dr. Tom Many – Illinois District 96

PLC Teams Should Focus on: Lesson Study Focus on Deepening Teachers’ Content Knowledge Includes Opportunities for Research, Practice, & Reflection Is Embedded in Teachers’ Work that takes place everyday Is Sustained Over Time Is founded on a sense of collegiality and collaboration among teachers and between teachers and principals in solving important problems related to teaching and learning. (Sparks 2002)

Lesson Study: Teacher Learning! Requires Individual Reflection Requires Social Interaction Is accomplished when teachers draw on their own past knowledge and experience as they work with others to examine practice and reach toward new understandings. (Lambert-1995) Occurs when teachers invent and discover methods that enhance student learning. (Lambert, Collay, Dietz, & Richert-1996)

The Lesson Study Cycle Set Goal Conduct Research Plan a Lesson Teach & Observe Lesson Evaluate the Lesson Reflect, Revise, and Repeat Adapted from Boss (2002)

PLC Teams Should Also Focus On: Fifteen Critical Questions for Team Consideration Smart Goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results Focused, & Time Bound Team Building End of Year Team Assessments

Fifteen Critical Questions Teams Should Consider Is each member of our team clear on the intended outcomes of our course in general as well as the specific outcomes for each unit? Have we aligned the outcomes of our course to state goals and high stake testing such as the ISTEP+ and STI? Have we identified the prerequisite knowledge and skills needed to master the intended outcomes of the course and unit? Have we identified strategies and created instruments to assess whether students have the prerequisite knowledge and skills? Pre and Post testing-STI and common assessments Have we agreed how to best sequence the content of the course to help students achieve the intended outcomes? Have we agreed on the criteria we will use in judging the quality of student work in key areas of our course such as writing, speaking, and projects? Have we taught students the criteria we will use in judging the quality of student work and provided them with examples? Have we developed common assessments that help us identify the strengths and weaknesses of individual students?

Fifteen Critical Questions Teams Should Consider Have we established the proficiency level we want all students to achieve on our assessments. Have we identified content and/or topics that can be eliminated so we can devote more time to essential curriculum? Have we analyzed student achievement data and established measurable team goals that we are working together to achieve? Have we identified team norms or protocols to guide us in working together? Do we adhere to our teams norms? Are we continually looking for ways to help students achieve at high levels? Have we done everything we can to support student learning and achievement?

Goals Should Address: Which Steps Should We Take First? What is Our Timeline? What Evidence will we Present to Demonstrate Our Progress?

Identify a SMART GOAL for Lakeland Middle School Strategic and Specific Measurable Attainable Results-oriented Time Bound Connected to Public Law 221

Lakeland Middle School PLC End of Year Assessment Please provide evidence of your PLC Team’s attention to Public Law 221 Goals. Are you focusing on PL 221 goals. Please describe your PLC Team’s efforts to enhance their collaborative performance, knowledge and abilities. Common Assessments: Please describe the types of common assessments used by your team this year. Please describe the PLC Team’s learning that occurred as a result. Please examine your SMART GOALS and provide evidence of measurable student achievement gains as it relates to these goals.

Eric Twadell, Ph.D. Adlai E. Stevenson High School Utilizing Effective Collaborative Teams to Impact Student Achievement in a Professional Learning Community