Teaching is Contagious

The Power of a PLC(Professional Learning Community)

Karen Correia and Delina Wester

What is the purpose of a PLC?

• In groups, discuss what you feel the purpose of a PLC is.

• Also discuss what happens during your PLC in your school.

• Share

What a PLC is NOT

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YXYC6NneQ8

What a PLC is NOT

• It is NOT a program. It is a process.

• It is NOT a book club.

• It is NOT a meeting.

What does PLC mean?

• An on going- process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the student they serve.

• PLCs operate under the assumption that the key to improved learning for students is continuous, job embedded learning for educators.

• DuFour, DuFour, Eaker and Many (2010)

There are two goals for a PLC

• 1) To persuade educators that the most promising strategy for meeting the challenge of helping all students learn at high levels is to develop their capacity to function as a professional learning community and

• 2) to offer specific strategies and structures to help them create PLCs in their own schools.

• DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, and Many

The Purpose is Simple:

Student Learning

Ensure that ALL Students Learn at High Levels

•We accept learning as the fundamental purpose of our school and therefore are willing to examine all practices in light of their impact on learning.

• “the fundamental purpose of the school is to ensure that all students learn rather than see to it that all students are taught-an enormous distinction.” from Raising the Bar and Closing the Gap-Whatever it Takes

A PLC is…Data Driven

Members of a PLC realize that all of their efforts must be assessed on the basis of results rather than intentions.

DuFour, DuFour, Eaker and Many (2010)

SLDS Growth Model-ELA

SLDS Growth Model-Reading

SMART Goals  % Meeting / Exceeding Standards 4th grade students will increase the % of those meeting/exceeding in Reading from 94.5% to 97% on the 2014 CRCT. (100%) 4th grade students will increase the % of those meeting/exceeding in LArts from 86.25% to _90% on the 2014 CRCT. (97.75%) 4th grade students will increase the % of those meeting/exceeding in Math from 88 % to 90% on the 2014 CRCT. (93.5%) 4th grade students will increase the % of those meeting/exceeding in Science from 84.75% to 90% on the 2014 CRCT. (93.75%) 4th grade students will increase the % of those meeting/exceeding in Social Studies from 81% to 90% on the 2014 CRCT. (96.75%)

Exceeding the Standards• % Exceeding Standards

• 4th grade students will increase the % of those exceeding in Reading from 47.5% to55% on the 2014 CRCT. (63.75%)

• 4th grade students will increase the % of those exceeding in ELA from 40.75% to

45 % on the 2014 CRCT. (47.5%) • 4th grade students will increase the % of those exceeding in Math from 49% to

52% on the 2014 CRCT. (65%) • 4th grade students will increase the % of those exceeding in Science from 44.5% to

50% on the 2014 CRCT. (60.25%) • 4th grade students will increase the % of those exceeding in Social Studies from 28.5% to 35%

on the 2014 CRCT. (56.25%)

STAR SMART Goals• STAR Reading goal:• Currently 11.5% of the students are below 25%. By the end of the year 0% of the

students will be below 25%. (1%)• • Currently 38% of the students are above 75%. By the end of the year 48% of the

students will be above 75%. (49%) • • • STAR Math goal: • Currently 5.8% of the students are below 25%. By the end of the year, 0% of students

will be below 25 %. (0%)• • Currently 46.55 % of the students are above 75%. By the end of the year, 50% of the

Students will be above 75%. (81%)•

A PLC is…Collaboration

A PLC is composed of collaborative teams whose members work

interdependently to achieve common goals for which members are mutually

accountable.DuFour, DuFour, Eaker and Many (2010)

Collaboration

• “Collaboration is a systematic process in which teachers work together interdependently in order to impact their classroom practice in ways that will lead to better results for their students, for their team, and for their school.”

• DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, and Many

4 questions

1. What is it that we expect them to learn?

2. How will we know when they have learned it?

3. How will we respond when they don’t learn?

4. How will we respond when they already know it?

• A Functioning PLC Video

How will we know when they have learned it?

A Balanced Form of Assessments

Types of Assessment

Why Should We Use Formative Assessments

• “Formative assessments are one of the most powerful arsenal. An effective standards-based, formative assessment program can help to dramatically enhance student achievement throughout the K-12 system.”

• Marzano, 2006

Formative Assessments

• www.allthingsplc.info

Changing Our FocusOld Focus

• Every student can learn

• Focus on teaching

• Isolation

• Assessment OF learning (Summative)

• Failure is an option

New Focus

Every student will learn

Focus on learning

Collaboration

Assessment FOR learning (Formative)

Failure is not an option

Cultural Shifts• Shift in Fundamental Purpose

…… From teaching to learning• Shift in Use of Assessments

…… From summative to frequent formative• Shift in the Work of Teachers

….. From isolation to collaboration• Shift in Response When

Students Don’t Learn ….. From remediation to intervention

Killing Two Birds With One Stone:PLCs and TKES

• Standard 1: Professional Knowledge• Standard 2: Instructional Planning• Standard 3: Instructional Strategies• Standard 4: Differentiated Instruction• Standard 5: Assessment Strategies• Standard 6: Assessment Uses• Standard 8: Academically Challenging Environment• Standard 9: Professionalism• Standard 10: Communication

Final Words

• “Professional learning communities set out to restore and increase the passion of teachers by not only reminding them of the moral purpose of their work, but also by creating the condidtions that allow them to do that work successfully.”

» DuFour, DeFour, Eaker, and Many (2010)

What is the Purpose of a PLC?In Review

• 1. To ensure that all students learn at high levels.• 2. Understanding that helping all students learn

requires a collaborative and collective effort.• 3. To assess our effectiveness in helping all

students learn we must focus on results- evidence of student learning- and use results to inform and improve our professional practice and respond to students who need intervention or enrichment.

• DeFour, DeFour, Eaker, and Many 2010)

Become Contagious and Be A Change Agent!!!!!

• In groups, fill your cup with ideas that you can take back to your PLC to make teaching contagious and become a change agent!!

Encouragement• Remember:

• We have always worked hard!! Choose now to work SMARTER!!!!

Resources

• Learning by Doing- DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, and Many (2010)

• Raising the Bar and Closing the Gap-Whatever it Takes- DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, and Karhanek (2004)

• www.solution-tree.com• www.allthingsplc.info