Professional Learning Communities Practical Application and Implementation

Intended Outcomes Respond to the questions: How are PLCs currently functioning? How do we ensure progress is sustained? How do we ensure our work positively impacts teaching and results in improved student performance?

Organized & Functioning for Sustained Growth FHS Core Values Effective Team/PLC Traits Targeted Annual Focus Project Management Teaching & Learning Essential Questions Refer to schematic handout 3

Ensuring Sustainability Defined and adhered to Core Values A focus on the essential teaching and learning questions Effective Project Management Effective Teams – Professional Learning Communities Targeted Annual Focus – SMART Goals

FHS Core Values “Inspiring and Educating Our Diverse Community to Achieve Excellence” PROFESSIONALISM Florin High School Staff Values: Professional behaviors and qualities we instill in our students. Autonomy and innovation while encouraging and supporting collaboration. STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT High expectations for academic achievement and personal growth. Meeting individual student needs and offering varied paths for student success. FLORIN HIGH COMMUNITY Parents, community members and local businesses as partners in the education of their children. A safe and inviting campus. INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE Critical thinking and problem solving as the focus of instruction. The use of engaging instructional practices.

A focus on the essential teaching and learning questions What are we supposed to teach? How do we prioritize, sequence and deliver our instruction? How do we know they’re learning? What do we do when they’re not learning?

Effective Project Management Date Source – Knowing what to look for Data Analysis Results – Converting data to meaningful information Design, Development and Implementation – Knowing what to do and why you’re doing it Program/Initiative Evaluation – Knowing how you’re doing Professional Learning Needs – Making sure we have what it takes to get the job done

Effective Teams – Professional Learning Communities A focus on student learning A collaborative culture Collective inquiry into research-based best practice Action orientation – professional learning by doing All members mutually accountable for targeted results

Targeted Annual Focus SMART Goals Clearly Defined and specific to student achievement Contributing to the elimination of the achievement gap Routine reporting of progress School wide focus

Why PLC’s? Abundant research indicates they work Collective intelligence is more powerful than any individual Do we believe in this? What questions may be “out there” about their efficacy? Validation we are doing the right thing

PLC’s for Organizational Learning Organizational Learning is based on two assumptions Common meaning is necessary for collective action Change cannot occur unless ideas that challenge the status quo are available

Sustainability Looking beyond inclusiveness and transformation to the difficult task of holding onto – and improving upon – valuable work once it has begun. The literature of educational reform is, unfortunately, replete with examples of beneficial changes that failed the test of time.

Sustainability How can we work to create learning communities that support enduring change that results in: Improved teaching and services to all students Improved student achievement for all students

PLC Effectiveness Not all PLC’s are equally effective We need to bring clarity, precision, rigor, discipline and clear purpose to the work of PLC’s so that it successfully raises both staff and students higher levels of performance.

Measuring PLC Effectiveness There is nothing magical in the PLC structure Rather – success is determined by the degree to which all members commit to the goal of student learning, and embrace their respective roles and responsibilities When some staff commit – some students benefit

Measuring PLC Effectiveness How does your PLC measure up according to our definition of a PLC? A focus on learning A collaborative culture Collective inquiry into research-based best practice Action orientation – professional learning by doing All members mutually accountable for targeted results Part One: How is it going? Have individuals/teams examine their PLC’s in terms of DuFour’s rubric

PLC Rubric Has your PLC had these five elements? What can we do to ensure that we have/maintain these five elements?

Ensuring Flexibility Having the freedom to pursue important tasks for a long period of time (staying the course) Being nimble enough to confront new challenges, to take on new members with alacrity Expanding focus when the need arises Part Two: Ensuring flexibility – How do we balance the need for stability and focus while allowing for individual interest?

Ensuring Flexibility Depth and Breadth Stability and Change Diversity and Focus Networking and Integration

Ensuring Flexibility Each of the previous “tensions” is a component of the larger dilemma, which is how to best maintain productive equilibrium. Diversity, Breadth, Networking and Change may lead to the old pattern of teachers as autonomous entities joined only by a parking lot

Ensuring Flexibility On the other hand . . . Focus, Depth, Integration and Stability may lead to self-satisfied groups that fail to challenge themselves and are content to measure how well they get along vs. improved student achievement Discuss specific steps or guiding principles to balance the need for consistency as well as flexibility

Balancing Act? How do we best maintain productive equilibrium? As a PLC leader? As a Professional Learning Action Team?

PLC’s Currently In Place Voluntary Leadership “Voluntary” participation Positive Teacher Feedback Significant increase in buy-in and accountability for professional learning

Assessment What have we studied? “Assessment and Classroom Learning” by Paul Black & Dylan William Our focus Current Topical Instructional and Assessment Research Multiple effective classroom applications of formative assessments presented by peers Innovations in assessment on Florin’s campus

Academics and Athletics What have we studied? Assorted articles including those authored by Carol Dweck Research articles on schools and small learning communities Surveys completed by Florin High student athletes created by the Athletic PLC Our focus better serving athletes on campus exploring the possibility of creating a small learning community based on careers and athletics creative solutions in the issues of eligibility, athletic fund raising, and community connections

SDAIE-ELL What have we studied? Our focus Sonia Nieto and her definition of Multicultural Education Vocabulary instruction strategies using Kate Kinsella & Jim Burke “What do second language learners look like?” from National Education Association (NEA) magazine Our focus exploring SDAIE teaching strategies for second language learners, as well as low performing students discussions with your colleagues about teaching methodologies, and student engagement researching which strategies and methods will make a difference with our students

Mindset What have we studied? Mindset: the new psychology of success by Carole Dweck Our focus Lesson planning Growth-Minded lessons Mindset: creates our whole mental world explains how we become mastery-oriented or helpless shapes our attitude toward work, learning, and relationships guides us in establishing students' mindset, and in turn, their future efficacy and resilience in an ever-changing world goals students create; responses to setbacks; beliefs about effort; strategies for success

Challenge Day fewer suspensions and other student disciplines on campus stereotypes broken down understanding and acceptance of others and other groups build time for positive student and teacher interactions research how other schools use Challenge Day at their schools research on student/staff activities to improve school climate researching ways/benefits for using school time for activities

How do we respond when students are not learning? Intervention How do we respond when students are not learning?   START Goals 1. All students on track to graduate by the end of their 10th grade year. 2. All students are productive and engaged members of the Florin High School community.    What have we studied? Carol Dweck’s research on growth mindsets Association of School’s and Curriculum Development articles on classroom climate and cultural responsiveness Culture and core beliefs with Richard Parkhouse/Josten’s

Reading Rhetorically What have we studied? Reading Rhetorically by John C. Bean, Virginia Chappell and Alice M. Gillam Our focus Review, scoring and norming of student work Questions: How do students tackle unfamiliar vocabulary when reading expository text independently? How can rhetorical strategies transfer to the critical viewling of films?

California Academic Partnership Of the over 330 California Partnership high school academies, 39 are business and finance related.  Our Business Education & Technology academy is one of them.  Our goal is to: Develop more cross-curricular projects Establish a common planning period Recruit more business partners Improve the scheduling of academy students Recognize student achievement Jumpstart ninth grade students into the academy

Organized to Support PLC’s PLC Leaders Professional Learning Action Team Leadership Development What training is needed? Do you have: Clearly defined PLC purpose? Clearly defined measurable outcomes? A detailed action plan? System/s to monitor progress?

Applying These Principles to existing organizational structure Departments Grade-level/course teams Steering Committee

2009-2010 PLC’s Begin Their Work Day One This requires strong teacher leaders Influencing school culture Adhering to core values Building and maintaining a successful team Equipping future teacher leaders Improving student achievement

2009-2010 Pre-Service A move from Action Teams . . . The Organization . . . to a focus on PLC’s Teaching/student learning Part Four: Develop the 2009-2010 Pre-Service Plan

PLC’s as an integral cog in the school organization A focus on sustained growth

Organized & Functioning For Continuous Improvement Refer to schematic handout

Ensuring Sustainability Defined and adhered to Core Values A focus on the essential teaching and learning questions Effective Project Management Effective Teams – Professional Learning Communities Specific Team Norms

Thank You Feel free to email me for any/all information mcerutti@egusd.net 916.689-8600