EDUC 4454 – Class 21 P/J Methods Bell Work: With a partner discuss: Professional Learning Communities (or Teams) What Are They And Why Are They Important?

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING LOG PURPOSE: * To help you reflect on and improve your professional practice

TYPES OF LOGS 1. Personal – You maintain a log of your observations, reflections and actions. 2. Professional Learning Team ( PLT) Log- Staff within your division choose to focus on a specific aspect of program improvement and meet regularly to discuss ideas, efforts, and successes.

PERSONAL LOG Areas of improvement are either self-identified or result from a recent Performance Appraisal. Demonstrate your understanding of: - the area requiring improvement - what improved practice in this area looks like, sounds like, feels like

PERSONAL LOGS Provide evidence of personal growth. May contain data or photographs to demonstrate growth. Always keep the focus and purpose of teacher growth defined in student terms ( e.g., Why is your improvement in this area good for your students’ learning?) May focus on growth in a current course you are studying. Sometimes, time is Board or Ministry funded.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TEAM LOGS Usually will take the form of minutes of your team meetings. Should be focused on real data. In a PLT, every staff member takes responsibility for every child’s progress; it’s a division concern, not a grade concern. Should be “strategy of support” focused ( e.g., “ What do we, as a team, need to do to get this improvement in this child?”)

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TEAMS Current Ministry focus is on PLT’s and Numeracy and Literacy initiatives in schools Tracking Boards Provide a very rich form of in-service May be school, Board, or Ministry initiated.

SAMPLES OF LEARNING LOGS Personal Learning Log - Always connect the focus of your professional growth on your students’ learning ( e.g., Is this good for kids?)

Personal Learning Log DATE New Professional Learning Goal What I will now do in my classroom What happened when I tried this Next steps

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TEAM LOG …DATA BASED

PLT MINUTES Identify: * the issue, concern , or problem * everyone contributes to the discussion * precise actions for improvement with a student focus are made

SAMPLE MINUTES TEMPLATE Date Concern Students Discussion Action Plan Reviewed on… Status Update