What are Professional Learning Communities? This presentation explores PLCs and what is needed to begin one at a specific campus.

1. PROFESSIONALLEARNINGCOMMUNITIEs What are they and why do we need them?

2. What are PLCs? Professional learning communities are teams of educators systematically working together to improve teaching practice and student learning. Characteristics include: supportive and shared leadership shared values and vision collective responsibility for pupils learning the promotion of personal reflection and team collaboration supportive physical and personal conditions Linda StarrEducation World®Copyright © 2006 Education World

3. What are PLCs? According to Richard and Rebecca DuFour in the book On Common Ground, “the PLC concept is specifically designed to develop the collective capacity of a staff to work together to achieve the fundamental purpose of the school: high levels of learning for all students.”

4. Why do we need them? The general consensus in most schools concerning teachers has been the more knowledgeable the teacher, the more successful the classroom and the school. Teachers working in isolation; however, do not necessarily equate to more success for student learning.

5. Why do we need them? In order to build a “collective capacity,” teachers need to work together. Sharing our ideas and concerns will result in improved practices and increased learning for both students and teachers.

6. What do they look like? Indicators of a Professional Learning Community □ Demonstrates a shared vision of goals and expected results □ Achieves repeated short-term gains over extended periods of time and reports these to students and parents □ Uses trial and error to discover more effective ways to differentiate instruction and improve learning □ Engages members in ongoing dialogue about their work □ Requires all members to design teaching materials, align assessments, and select resources together □ Establishes daily times for professionals to come together to plan, restructure, refine and improve lessons Copyright©2007 by Timothy Berkey

7. What do they look like? Indicators of a Professional Learning Community □ Promotes incremental improvements in teaching and learning driven by a sense of urgency □ Enables professionals to learn from each other while performing their jobs □ Creates communities of professionals who research and learn together in order to better serve their students □ Engages professionals in working, reflecting and exchanging together. □ Builds strong relationships between the home and school □ Expects results that are confirmed by internal and external audits Copyright©2007 by Timothy Berkey

8. How do we get started? Within the core subject areas at Kenedy High School, there are three teachers for each subject; English, Math, Science and History. While each subject area should incorporate its own PLC, I also feel it would be beneficial to consider meeting with all of the groups at least once each grading period.

9. How do we get started? To begin the process, we will need to meet and discuss goals and visions. These goals and visions should be driven by: data assessments needs assessments overall campus/district goals

10. How do we get started? By using the chart on the next slide, we will work together as a team to discuss our common vision and goals.

11. Instruction _____________ _____________ _____________Curriculum Assessment ______________ ____________________________ ____________________________ ______________

12. How do we get started? Each department will be given a common planning period. Departments will meet at least once a week during this planning period to assess progress and make adjustments as necessary.

13. How do we get started? Teachers will be encouraged to “team teach” at least one class period (or more) each grading period to gain feedback on best teaching practices. (Substitutes will be made available in order for this to happen!)

14. How do we know if it’s working? Clarifying essential outcomes Continually monitoring progress Common formative assessments Consensus on the criteria used to judge student work Working together to analyze the data and working on improvements needed

15. Kenedy High School as a PLC In order to improve our school, we must first acknowledge we cannot work individually – we must work as a team. Second, we must agree that data-driven change is both necessary and essential for improvement in the classroom. Finally, we must believe in the concept of a professional learning community and strive to make this type of learning environment a reality in our school.