Welcome Back to Day Two Q and A Professional Learning Communities SMART Goals Mission Statement for improving parent-school relations Book Study “ The Changing Role of the 21 st Century Teacher” Parent Communication Saying what you mean and meaning what you say Teacher Leadership Book Assignment

Professional Learning Communities

What are PLCs? Educators committed to working collaboratively in ongoing processes of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, & Many, 2006).

What are the benefits of PLCs? Decreases teacher isolation Increases commitment to the mission Fosters shared responsibility Creates more powerful learning Leads to a higher likelihood of fundamental, systemic change

What are the key characteristics of PLCs ? Shared Norms and Values (Vision/Mental Image) Collective Responsibility for Shared Norms and Values Focus on Student Learning De-Privatization of Practice Collaboration/Collective Creativity

What conditions and structures are necessary for PLCs? School leadership support, school autonomy and shared decision- making Time for teacher planning and analysis Professional development opportunities Resources Training in the skills required to facilitate collaborative work

PLCs Set SMART Goals Specific/Strategic Measurable Attainable Realistic /Results Oriented Tangible/Time bound

SMART Goals Requirements Individuals with strong team skills Team action and experimentation Ability to understand and use data Willingness to engage in continuous improvement

The SMART Plan Emphasizes the measurement and tracking of progress toward the goal Guides the work of the PLC Provides a means of analyzing the student work data

PLCs Produce Real Products PLC logs PLC Action Plans PLC Portfolios PLC Mission Statements

Observed Outcomes for Staff Increased commitment to the mission and goals of the school Greater satisfaction and morale, and lower rates of absenteeism Positive advances in adapting teaching to student learning

Commitment to making significant and lasting changes Greater willingness to undertake fundamental systemic change Shared responsibility for students' success Reduction of isolation of teachers

Powerful learning that defines good teaching and classroom practice Increased meaning and understanding of the content that teachers teach Higher likelihood that teachers will be well informed, professionally renewed, and inspired to inspire students

Observed Outcomes for Students Decreased dropout rate and fewer classes “skipped” Lower rates of absenteeism Greater academic gains in math, science, history, and reading than in traditional schools Smaller achievement gaps between students from different backgrounds

When do PLC teams work together? Common Plan Time During In-service Time During Meeting Times After School During School (release time)

What does ALL PLC work have in common? Focus on Student Learning Analysis of Student Work and/or Performance Collaboration/Collective Creativity Teacher Reflection on Practice

Examples of PLC Projects Lesson Study Differentiating Instruction Developing Interdisciplinary Units Integrating Community Resources Using MAP Data to Drive Instruction Incorporating Instructional Technology Using Formative Assessments Designing and Implementing Mission Statement

“None of us is as smart as all of us.” Japanese Proverb