1. Reframing a Professional Learning Community Transforming Our Adult Education World
NMUSD Adult School
Professional Growth Plan
Martha Rankin
November, 2007

2. 2007 NMUSD Staff Development Survey Question
Of the following professional development best practices, which one would you like emphasized most at your site?

3. 2007 NMUSD Staff Development Survey Results
Professional Development Best Practices
Response
Percent
Total
Using student data to plan professional development
Use of time to improve instructional practices
Leadership
Content and pedagogy
Inquiry and reflection
Collaboration
Accountability
Adult learning
Broad-based support for teacher learning
Planning

4. 2007 NMUSD Staff Development Survey Results
Professional Development Best Practices
Response
Percent
Total
Using student data to plan professional development
3.1% 1
Use of time to improve instructional practices
28.1% 9
Leadership
Content and pedagogy 0%
Inquiry and reflection
Collaboration
Accountability
Adult learning
37.5% 12
Broad-based support for teacher learning
Planning

5. 2007 NMUSD Staff Development Survey Question
What one suggestion do you have that will help improve teacher learning?

6. 2007 NMUSD Staff Development Survey Results
More staff development and technology training
More in-services on technology in the classroom
Share lessons & Websites on specific skill strategies
More training in specific areas
Hands-on instruction
Short strategic workshops or online courses

7. 2007 NMUSD Staff Development Survey Results
Attend to the individual needs of our students as well as the entire group
I need new strategies to teach the content standards.
The classroom visits sparked a lot of discussion about what everyone was doing in their classes.
Collaboration, observation of other teachers’ strategies, just dialogue

8. 2007 NMUSD Staff Development Survey Results
We do this, but others would benefit by time together to bounce ideas and reflect among peers: e.g., at lunch, especially after class.
More collaboration time between all adult education teachers to exchange ideas, teaching strategies, assessment models, and classroom management
Provide more opportunities to collaborate
Peer coaching
Share experiences

9. 2007 NMUSD Staff Development Survey Results
Better communication between staff as a whole group Meetings with AM & PM staff together
More staff development by levels
More time to meet with other faculty
more staff meetings where we could address a topic collectively I feel this can improve our teaching.
Create professional learning communities

10. 2007-2008 Professional Growth Plan NMUSD Adult School
Based on our survey results, our plan has two foci:
Train teachers to use the available technology to enhance instruction and teach the required SCANS and 21st Century skills
Create a professional learning community to examine student learning and share ways to improve learning

11. Professional Growth Plan Components
electronic learning community Adult Education Matters Weblog
peer coaching
small group trainings (differentiated and needs-based)
PLC program teams
PLC site teams
PLC level teams
PLC shared-goal teams

12. Words of Vision
Education is not the filling of a pail, but a lighting of a fire.
William Butler Yeats

13. Words of Vision
Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.
Paulo Freire

14. Words of Vision
Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.
Paulo Freire

15. Words of Vision
Education becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.
Paulo Freire

16. Reframing a Professional Learning Community
5 Simple Steps for Transforming Our World
Newport-Mesa Adult School
Professional Growth Plan

17. Goals of a Learning Community
Ensuring all students learn
Creating a culture of collaboration
Focusing on results
Taken from

18. Attributes of a PLC Supportive and Shared Leadership (Prestine, 1993)
Collective Creativity (Sergiovanni, 1994)
Shared Values and Vision (Isaacson& Bambur, 1992)
Supportive Conditions (Boyd, 1992; Louis & Kruse, 1995)
Shared Personal Practice (Louse & Kruse, 1995)

19. Outcomes for Staff reduction of isolation of teachers
increased commitment and vigor
Shared responsibility
Creation of new knowledge about teaching and learning
Hord, 1997

20. Outcomes for Staff
Increased understanding of roles played in helping all students learn
Greater satisfaction, higher morale, lower absenteeism
More likely to undergo fundamental change
Hord, 1997

21. Outcomes for Students decreased dropout rate and "skipping"
lower absenteeism
increased learning
greater academic gains
smaller achievement gaps
Hord, 1997

22. Step 1: Collaboration Create team norms Sample team norms
Begin and end the meeting on time
Assume positive intentions
Engage in active listening
Be courageous

23. Step 1: Collaboration Establish protocols for team work
Formalized agendas
Focus on results
Focus on learning
Detailed minutes
Collective commitment to action

24. Step 2: Common Curriculum
Define essential knowledge and skills
state and district standards
assessments required of students
Identify prerequisite knowledge and skills
Agree on pacing guides
Agree on and apply criteria for judging work
Teach students criteria for judging their work

25. Step 3: Common Assessments
Develop common assessments
Analyze common assessment data
Collectively build upon strengths & address weaknesses to ensure all students learn

26. Step 4: Instructional Practices
Reflect upon and refine instructional practices to meet student learning needs
Establish best practices
Collectively commit to using best practices
Commit to establishing & using
Collaboration
Common curriculum
Common assessments

27. Step 5: We step forward…
“…sharing to impart, impact, improve and empower.” Martha Rankin
“…lighting a fire… William Butler Yeats
“…participating in the transformation of our world.” Paulo Freire