Collegial Collaboration: A New Way of Life for Professional Educators EDUC – 503 Session IX Original PLC presentation developed by faculty of Holly Springs High School, NC Modified by Kimberly Beck, April 2011

Forward thinking… In times of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The “learned” usually find themselves beautifully equipped to live in a world that no longer exists. Eric Hoffer, 1972

The essential question for ALL educators must be: What do schools look like when they are organized around the commitment of high standards by all students? (Describe or draw)

We know that part of the answer has to collaborative efforts of all those engaged in the process of educating these learners. One current “buzz word” for such collaboration is professional learning communities.

Include ongoing discussions about current reality and best practice Whatever collaborative efforts are part of your professional life, constantly seek to have those efforts: Include ongoing discussions about current reality and best practice Have a commitment to continuous improvement (Good enough is NOT good enough) Be results oriented Involve more and more colleagues over time

Professional Learning Communities (PLC) for Collaboration

A PLC is . . . PROFESSIONAL? “Every teacher is a leader; Every leader is a teacher.” LEARNING? In a PLC School, learning applies as much to teachers, administrators, and parents as to students. Focus on instruction, curriculum and assessment. COMMUNITY? Support Cooperation vs. competition Focus intensely on the mission, vision, goals, and values. Improvement of the whole vs. striving to get ahead individually.

PLCs at Work: Core Elements Mission, Vision, Values and Goals Collaborative Teams Changing Your School’s Culture Planning a PLC-Model School

The Four Keys to a Successful PLC Mission: Clarifies Priorities/ Sharpens Focus Vision: Gives Direction Values: Guides Behavior Goals: Establish Priorities

Mission “Why do we exist?”

Schools exist because their Questions to ask as Educators Mission Schools exist because their mission is “learning”. Questions to ask as Educators What is it we expect all students to learn? How will we know when they have learned it? How will we respond when they don’t learn? How will we respond when they already know it?

“You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going because you might not get there.” Yogi Berra, 1947

Vision “What do we hope to become at some point in the future?”

Educators with a Vision Questions to ask as Educators with a Vision What are the essentials for our students? If we did an excellent job with the essentials, what would that look like?

Values “How must WE (the professionals) behave to create the school that will achieve our purpose?”

Values Question to ask as Educators with Values What attitudes, behaviors, and commitments must WE demonstrate in order to create the school of our vision?

Goals “What results do we seek and how will we know we are making progress?”

Goals Questions to ask as Educators with Goals Which steps should we take first? What is our timeline? What evidence will we present to demonstrate our progress?

Professional Educators. . . Emphasize learning Emphasize active student engagement and significant content Collaborate with colleagues Focus on student performance and production Function as leaders

Separated by their classrooms and packed teaching schedules, teachers rarely work or talk together about teaching practices. Linda Darling-Hammond, 1995

Collaborative Teams Engaged in Collective Inquiry You cannot have students as continuous learners and effective collaborators, without teachers that have the same characteristics. Michael Fullan, 1993

PLC Assumptions about Collaboration If schools are to improve, staff must develop the capacity to function as professional learning communities. If schools are to function as professional learning communities, they must develop a collaborative culture.

PLC Assumptions about Collaboration If schools are to develop a collaborative culture, they must overcome traditional teacher isolation. If schools are to overcome their tradition of teacher isolation, teachers must learn to work in effective, high performing teams.

In a PLC school with high performing teams. . . Collaboration is embedded into every aspect of the school culture Time for collaboration is built into the school calendar Products of collaboration are made explicit Teams have access to relevant information

In a PLC school with high performing teams. . . Teams pursue specific and measurable performance goals: Strategic & Specific Measurable Attainable Results-oriented Time bound

The best way to improve schools is to develop the people within them The best way to improve schools is to develop the people within them. — Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker The SMART Goals process creates the motivation for team action and experimentation. But in order to apply the SMART Goals process effectively, individuals need strong team skills, the ability to understand and use data, and a 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

David Salisbury & Daryl Conner, 1994 If you intend to introduce a change that is incompatible with the organization’s culture, you have only three choices: modify the change to be more in line with the existing culture, 2) alter the culture to be more in line with the proposed change or 3) prepare to fail. David Salisbury & Daryl Conner, 1994

A School’s Culture Might Mean. . . Shared decision-making and teamwork Effective meetings Focus on goals Continuous Improvement Results Oriented

Richard DuFour, et. al., Learning by Doing “Perhaps the greatest insight we have gained in our work with school districts across the continent is that schools that take the plunge and actually begin doing the work of a PLC develop their capacity to help students learn at high levels far more effectively than schools that spend years preparing to become PLCs through reading or even training.” Richard DuFour, et. al., Learning by Doing

Planning a PLC Model Key Questions to ask: How do we develop a shared vision and goals? How can we effectively use data in all aspects? What are some additional ways to get collaboration among colleagues?

PLC Resources DuFour, Richard and Robert Eaker. Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement. Bloomington, IN: National Educational Service, 1998. --and Rebecca DuFour. Professional Learning Communities at Work. Educational Workshop. Kennewick, WA, May 16-17, 2006. --et. al., Ed. The Power of Smart Goals. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree, 2006. --et. al., Ed. On Common Ground: The Power of Professional Learning Communities. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree, 2005 www.allthingsplc.info/about/aboutPLC.php www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues61.html www.teachinflorida.com/teachertoolkit/PLC.htm www.nsdc.org/standards/learningcommunities.cfm

Collegial collaboration thru data teams Another framework Collegial collaboration thru data teams

What is a Data Team? Data teams are groups of professional educators, working collaboratively to analyze the effect of their actions on identified student outcomes. “Data teams adhere to continuous improvement cycles, examine patterns and trends, and establish specific timelines, roles, and responsibilities to facilitate analysis that results in action.” S. White, Beyond the Numbers, 2005, p.13) KIM

What are the similarities between PLCs and Data Teams? By definition… What are the similarities between PLCs and Data Teams?

Four types of data teams District: District Data Team School: School Data Teams Classroom: Instructional Data Teams Student: Student Assistance Teams KIM

Why Data Teams? To create a consistent and comprehensive framework for improvement planning that translates from district to school to classroom to individual students ELLEN

HOW and WHY are data teams effective? Are Research-based Empower teachers * Focus on what adults can do differently to improve instruction Create coherence within the district/school Provide a mechanism to set achievement and instructional priorities ELLEN

HOW and WHY are data teams effective? Provide time for collaboration and planning Follow the five-step process: Collect and Chart Data Analyze strengths and obstacles Establish goals: set, review, revise Select instructional strategies Determine results indicators Provide opportunity for training and resources ELLEN

What is the work of the Data Teams? District Data Team Meets monthly Identifies District: Goals Student Outcome Indicators District Targets Adult Action Indicators Develops District Strategic Improvement Plan ELLEN

What is the work of the Data Teams? School Data Team Meets monthly Identifies School: Goals Student Outcome Indicators School Targets Adult Action Indicators Drafts School Strategic Improvement Plan ELLEN

What is the work of the Data Teams? Instructional Data Teams Meets frequently Focused on groups of students Engaged in collaborative, cyclical process Identifies specific strategies for targeted timeline Assesses short term results ELLEN

By description… How are PLCs and Data Teams similar? How are PLCs and Data Teams different?

Collegial Collaboration What do you think? Select one quote and “respond” to it. How do you think collegial collaboration effects student learning? What are the benefits? What do you predict are the challenges?