POSTER TEMPLATE BY: Waldon Elementary School Everyone Learning Everyday Tamara Skordahl Principal – Implementation of Professional Learning Communities EDLD 655 Poster Project Barriers What is a Professional Learning Community? Introduction Positive Outcomes Waldon Elementary School’s goal is to ensure that all children learn. There is a school data team in place and teachers collect data on students. The data team places students in Response to Intervention groups using the spreadsheets that are turned into the team every nine weeks. The Problem: How can Waldon train all staff members to use the collected data to have positive outcomes for all students at the classroom level? Options: Teachers attend data trainings at the local ESD. Bring in ESD trainers during curriculum days. Have the principal and members of the data team lead data groups. Issues: Research shows that these types of trainings have little impact on the classroom. There are only a few curriculum days scattered throughout the year. There is no teacher buy-in. According to Richard DuFour (2012), the only thing that will cause a change in the classroom is data. The Decision: In 2011 Waldon was placed in School Improvement status because not enough 5 th and 6 th grade Special Education students met the state benchmark in math. A school improvement coach was provided to assist the school. After attending the DuFour’s Professional Learning Community conference the principal and the team of teachers that attended the conference decided that the time had come to start the PLC process and change the culture of the school.  The focus is on student learning  Teachers collaborate instead of working in isolation  All kids are receiving the best instruction  Standards are aligned with curriculum  Learning goals are identified  All students are monitored and provided with additional help  There are multiple opportunities to demonstrate learning  Curriculum is aligned both horizontally and vertically  Data is used to make instructional decisions  Working together makes less work for the group  Sharing resources and knowledge  Teacher isolation is a cultural norm  Feelings of being judged or evaluated  Finding time to meet  Some staff may not be comfortable working in a group  Funds and staff for interventions  Personal conflicts within the school or group  Ineffective leadership in the school or district  Scheduling issues  Blaming outside forces – SES, parents, rural school, effort, society, TV, video games, etc… Second Semester The very essence of a learning community is a focus and commitment to the learning of each student.  Staff embrace high levels of learning for all students  The PLC is guided by a clear vision of what they must do to help all students learn  Commitments are made that clarify what each member will do in the PLC  Results orientated goals will help mark progress  Members work together to clarify exactly what each student must learn  Student progress is monitored  Interventions are provided when students are struggling  Extended and enriching learning opportunities are provided when students have mastered the goals. (DuFour, 2006) Establish Team Protocols Use Data Identify Standard Develop Smart Goal Design Instruction TeachAssess Data Sources Sources: All things PLC website. Carrol, T. & Doerr, H. (2010) Learning Teams and the Future of Teaching. Education Week: Spotlight on Professional Learning Communities DuFour, R. (2006) Learning by Doing DuFour, R (2012) Professional Learning Teams Conference Medford, OR Honawar, V. (2008) Working Smarter by Working Together. Education Week: Spotlight on Professional Learning Communities 4-5 Popham, W. (2003) Test Better, Teach Better Rebora, A. (2007) Team-Oriented Teaching. Education Week: Spotlight on Professional Learning Communities, america.org. Teaching as Leadership White, S. (2005) Beyond the Numbers Structure of a PLC – Horizontal and Vertical DATEEVENTSTAKEHOLDERS SEPTEMBER 2011WALDON IS TARGETED FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT STATUS (SI) ALL STAFF ODE SI COACH OCTOBER 2011OREGON DATA PROJECT TRAINING WES TEAM NOVEMBER 2011CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING MATH STRAND TRAINING WES TEAM DECEMBER 2011UNWRAPPING THE STANDARDS TRAINING ALL STAFF ESD SUPPORT JANUARY 2012DUFOUR – PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES TRAINING WES TEAM ODE SI COACH JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2012 BEGIN PLC TRAININGS FOR WALDON ELEMENTARY ALL STAFF ESD SUPPORT ODE SI COACH FEBRUARY – JUNE 2012 PLC GROUPS MEET THREE TIMES A MONTH ALL STAFF ESD SUPPORT ODE SI COACH MARCH 16 and MAY CURRICULUM DAYS DEVOTED TO UNWRAPPING STANDARDS/PLC GOALS ALL STAFF ESD SUPPORT ODE SI COACH Establish a team leader Develop and set group norms Jointly identify learning goals – start with standards Find or develop assessments that will measure the goals Adopt promising approaches or practices that will address goals Plan and deliver lessons Use data to evaluate lessons Reflect on student gains Determine next steps Resource Impacts Common VisionCollective ResponsibilityAuthentic AssessmentsSelf –Directed ReflectionStable School Supportive Leadership Carrol, Doerr, 2010 DuFour, 2012 DIBELS Easy CBM Scholastic Reading Inventory Accelerated Math Success for All quarterly assessment summaries OAKS Classroom assessments from curriculum and teacher made Teams need time to meet, this year we are using educational assistants to provide extra time. In the following years schedule changes may have to be made to provide time. Materials may need to be purchased, but when teachers collaborate they share ideas and curriculum. School Improvement money is a bonus, but may not be available next year. Highly Effective Team Practices KEEP ASKING THE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: What do we want our students to learn? How do we know they have learned it? What do we do if they didn’t? What do we if they did? DuFour, 2006