MSTP PLC Facilitator’s Training Linda Harvieux Cristy Bloch

Fortune Cookie Warm-Up How does your fortune relate to your experience working in a team?  Professional learning community  Grade-level or content-area team  Leadership team

Agenda Introductions and structure “Evolution of the Professional Learning Community”  Technical vs Cultural Change  First and Second Order Change The Role of the PLC Leader and The Four PLC Questions Structure of the PLC  Agendas  Learning Logs  Weekly plan

Professional Learning Communities PLC’s operate under the assumption that the key to improved learning for students is continuous, job-embedded learning for educators. DuFour, et. al, 2006

What’s Different About a PLC? Read, “Evolution of the Professional Learning Community.” Discuss the article using the “talking chips” strategy In small groups list differences between a PLC and a “traditional team meeting”. List on chart tablets

Roadblocks Using the set of road signs on your table, reflect on the roadblocks you have experienced in the past. “What barriers have you experienced in implementing your PLC?” Brainstorm solutions.

Teamwork Teams bring together complementary skills and experience that exceed those of any individual on the team.

Teams are more effective with problem solving.

Teams provide a social dimension that enhances work.

Teams motivate and foster peer pressure and internal accountability.

Teams have more fun! - Wisdom of Teams, Katzenbach and Smith

Scheduling How will your team schedule your 4 – 1 hour meetings?  Ideas, suggestions, support from leadership

The Four Questions What is it we expect the students to learn? How will we know when they have learned it? How will we respond when they don’t learn? How will we respond when they already know it? -DuFour, DuFour, Eaker 2008

Six Characteristics Shared Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals Collective Inquiry Collaborative Culture Action Orientation and Experimentation Continuous Improvement Focus on Results

Technical Change (First Order) Developing Team  Full participation  Rotating jobs  Collecting and sharing data

Cultural Change (Second Order) The Believers The Tweeners The Survivors The Fundamentalists

The Principal/Leader’s Role Initiate structures and systems Pose the right questions Model what is valued Celebrate progress Lead for change

In order to influence change… Change in values, beliefs, practice  Change in student achievement *In reality ….  Change in practice  Change in student achievement  Change in beliefs  Thomas Guskey

Group Process Facilitator One who contributes structure and process to interactions so groups are able to function effectively. A helper and enabler whose goal is to support others as they achieve exceptional performance. Group Process Facilitation A way of providing leadership without taking the reins. A facilitator’s job is to get others to assume responsibility, to take the lead, and engage in meaningful collaboration. -Facilitation At A Glance

Group Process Facilitators: Do not have all the answers, are not content experts Stay neutral, if you must move out of facilitator role and into role as participating member of group identify that move. Are responsible for room set up that supports effective teams Listen; demonstrate that you are by using verbal and non verbal cues. Paraphrase or clarify for the benefit of all members of the group. Watch the time (or appoint a timekeeper) Play “ping pong” redirect questions by sending to others rather than answering yourself Use humor – appropriate humor! Call and identify sidetracks Encourage all group members to acknowledge dysfunctional behaviors as they occur! Park it sheets – record all sidetrack items Use the imaginary spell check button – spell creatively Facilitators At A Glance

Processes for Groups Everyone participate: Round Robin, Talking Chips Set the stage Focus Attention: How do you feel about being here today? Check in: Something positive that happened in your professional life since the last meeting? Check the group to see where it’s at: Round Robin Check for agreement: Thumbs Up, Fist to Five Get unstuck: Look for commonalities, agreement Identify polar points – What would it take for this to work for you? Take a break – get up and stretch Move on and come back to issue Check to see if it can hold until the next meeting. Perhaps the group needs more information.

A team is people doing something together. The something that a team does isn’t what makes it a team... th e together part is.

Facilitator Role Process The Job of a Facilitator is… The Job of a Team Member is… The Job of a Facilitator is not… The Job of a Team Member is not…

Developing Norms What are norms and why are they important? Who should set the norms? How should we enforce our norms?

Norms Non-Negotiables  Define essential learnings and use common assessments  Everyone participates and works toward the common goal – achievement for all students  Teams make individual norms and honor their team norms -adapted from DuFour, et. al.

Team Agenda and Log Guides the meeting  Norms  Topics  Questions  Reflections Provides information for next meetings  For next time…

Meeting Reflections/The Log What was the focus of our discussion? What did we learn about teaching our content? What did we learn about our students?

Action Plan Norms Meeting time Agenda Jobs Others

Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it’s the only thing. Albert Schweitzer

Contact Information Linda Harvieux