Crysten Caviness Curriculum Management Specialist Birdville ISD

What qualities of professional development do you most appreciate? Round 1: Name, District, Position What qualities of professional development are not so desirable? Round 2: Name, District, Position

Birdville ISD’s Learning Platform Professional Development Plan Put the “L” in PLC - eCourses - Learning on Demand - Virtual Coaching Tools of the Trade Questions?

Professional learning community (PLC) An ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. Professional learning communities operate under the assumption that the key to improved learning for students is continuous job-embedded learning for educators.

20 CPE credits available 30 GT credits available 913 active enrollments

Business Model PLC Coaching Planning for Learning More Access to Expertise Expanding Scope of PD and Coaching

Regular PLC Meetings Virtual Coach Webcam, Desktop Sharing, Document Sharing Planning for Learning Process Curriculum Management System

I feel that virtual coaching could help PLCs and the curriculum team two-fold: 1.Current positives and negatives of the curriculum, data, assessments could be easily relayed. It may also give the curriculum team information on what support is needed on the campus level; 2. The PLC teams will feel connected to the curriculum writing team and will open up a line of communication between the teams. I see a positive potential for professional development and use in other district PLCs. The ability to have someone coach us through forethought was helpful, and I believe it could serve to be helpful in the future, if any other questions come up. Virtual coaching has the potential to empower PLCs by providing teachers with an open forum for seeking clarification on district philosophy and for expressing concerns regarding the living document that is the curriculum; this will inevitably result in professional development and growth among other PLCs. The virtual coaching was quite helpful and a great way to share ideas and ask questions. The setting was convenient, as we were able to meet in the same place, and also very comfortable. I gained further knowledge of forethought to improve the amount of time it takes to put lessons into the program. I also felt that the coach was helpful in answering questions the PLC had, like questions about the CBA, and I could see this as something helpful in the future. Because I am comfortable with the instructor, I was very relaxed during the coaching sessions. It was clear from the get-go that this was an instructional session, not a “gotcha” session, which made it easier to function as a normal PLC.

I would want further virtual coaching in the future. I see this as a helpful tool for PLCs because many questions come up during our time together, and I believe that a coach would be helpful in answering some of those questions. As a new teacher, I find it extremely beneficial to have my questions answered right when I ask them, by someone who is knowledgeable. I think that it would be a wonderful idea to pipe into each PLC at least once a month to keep the line of communication open. Happy educators are those who feel the most connected. I think that keeping that line open would benefit this district greatly! I could envision having a virtual coaching session to help PLCs better align classroom instruction with the way skills are actually assessed on the state test. The virtual coach joined our PLC easily and seamlessly. There was no awkwardness or sense of scrutiny, so the PLC proceeded for the most part as it normally would at this point in the semester by drafting and debating exam questions. Though some teachers seized the opportunity to voice frustration with district CBA questions, the coach responded patiently and professionally to each question posed, offering valuable insights into the practical purpose behind the CBA. I wouldn’t mind seeing where we could go if implemented from the beginning of the year. I would recommend virtual coaching- start ‘em early!

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