SSRI Secondary School Redesign Initiative Building Professional Building Professional Learning Communities Learning Communities SPN/SSRI Liaison

Primary Function PhysicalsVs.Autopsies Douglas Reeves as quoted in On Common Ground p 53

Even school districts that devote tremendous time and energy to designing the intended curriculum often pay little attention to the implemented curriculum (what teachers actually teach) and even less to the attained curriculum (what students learn). Marzano, 2003

Quality teaching requires strong professional learning communities. Collegial interchange, not isolation, must become the norm for teachers. National Commission on Teaching 2003

5 National Staff Development Council The Standard: “Staff Development that improves the learning of all students organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district.” 9

6 National Staff Development Council The Rationale: Teams that meet on a regular basis for the purposes of Learning Joint lesson planning Problem-solving 10

7 Teacher members of a PLC assist one another in the following ways: Examine the standards students are required to master Plan more effective lessons Critique student work Solve the common problems of teaching 11

8 Teams determine areas in which additional learning would be helpful and do the following: read articles attend workshops or courses invite consultants to assist them in acquiring necessary knowledge or skills observe one another in the classroom invite support staff, administrators, or even school board members to participate 12

What does the Florida DOE say?

1.1.6 Learning Communities “The faculty member participates in learning communities of adults whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district.” “Describe how your school organizes teachers into learning communities.” (Note: Learning communities are small groups of faculty who meet regularly to study more effective learning and teaching practices.)

House Bill 7807 outlines the A++initiative and includes A++initiative and includes the SSRI Act: 10. Professional Development for staff based on data-determined needs with common planning and PLCs for teachers and a network of PD providers for education leaders.

12 SSRI is a PLC..... “Many educators also benefit from participation in regional or national subject-matter networks or school reform consortia that connect schools with common interests.”

13 Dufour Members of Learning Communities take collective responsibility for the learning of all students represented by team members. 14

Critical Friends Groups... The National School Reform Faculty (NSRF) is rooted in four beliefs: that school people, working together, can make real and lasting improvements in their own schools; that teachers and administrators must help each other turn theories into practice and standards into actual student learning; that the key to this effort is the development of a "learning community" based on public, collaborative examination of both adult and student work; that to create this community, practitioners need high-quality training and sustained support. Critical Friends Groups... The National School Reform Faculty (NSRF) is rooted in four beliefs: that school people, working together, can make real and lasting improvements in their own schools; that teachers and administrators must help each other turn theories into practice and standards into actual student learning; that the key to this effort is the development of a "learning community" based on public, collaborative examination of both adult and student work; that to create this community, practitioners need high-quality training and sustained support.

Characteristics of a PLC Shared Mission, Vision, Values and Goals Shared Mission, Vision, Values and Goals Collective Inquiry Collective Inquiry Collaborative Teams Collaborative Teams Action Orientation and Experimentation Action Orientation and Experimentation Continuous Improvement Continuous Improvement Results Orientation Results Orientation

What does a PLC involve? Professional conversation that leads to improved practices. Professional development that translates into improved student learning.

17 What is required of PLC members? Common Purpose Focus on Learning Commitment Willingness to Stretch Comfort Zone Training Continued Support Frequent Conversation

18 First Steps Understanding of and Commitment to PLC Relationships Culture of Safety Staff Readiness

19 Zones of Safety Comfort Risk Danger

20 Low Level of Risk Book Study Relationship Building Examining Standards Text Based Discussions Action Research

Higher Level of Risk Examining Student Work Examining Student Work Examining Teacher Work Examining Teacher Work Consultancy Dilemmas Consultancy Dilemmas Peer Observation and Debriefing Peer Observation and Debriefing

22 What are Protocols? A script or series of timed steps for how a conversation among teachers on a chosen topic will develop Numerous protocols are available from the National School Reform Faculty 22

23 Protocols Enable you to choose the correct strategy Enable you to choose the correct strategy Provide training Provide training Provide guidelines and structure to conversation Provide guidelines and structure to conversation Help enforce timelines Help enforce timelines

Among educators especially, just talking may not be enough. The kind of talking needed to educate ourselves cannot rise spontaneously and unaided from just talking. It needs to be carefully planned and scaffolded. The Power of Protocols: An Educator’s Guide to Better Practice

Quality teaching requires strong professional learning communities. Collegial interchange, not isolation, must become the norm for teachers. National Commission on Teaching, 2003

Resources ๏ (Nat’l Staff Development Council) ๏ (Critical Friends) ๏ onograph08-3.pdf (Action Research) onograph08-3.pdf ๏ awww.just4kids.org

SSRI Secondary School Redesign Initiative Building Professional Building Professional Learning Communities Learning Communities Penny Sell and Chris Kisner Penny Sell and Chris Kisner