Building the Foundation of a Professional Learning Community: Mission and Vision Chapter 4 Professional Learning Communities at Work Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker

The First Building Block Mission/Purpose Why do we exist? Mission Statement Personal Philosophy page 58

Four Basic Beliefs in Education …and we will establish high standards of learning that we expect all students to achieve Page 59

Ask Yourself and Others….. What is it we expect all students to learn? How will we respond when they do not learn? “without resolution to these crucial questions, mission statements will contribute little to the creation of a professional learning community” Don't ask, "How smart is the child?" Ask "HOW IS THE CHILD SMART?" page 85

Second Building Block VISION *What do we hope to become? page62

Creating a Vision of a Learning Community…… Creating a Vision of a Learning Community……..Five Ways of Looking at Groups/Vision Telling - dictate Selling - persuade Testing - react Consulting - encourage Co-Creating – collaborate page 65

Writing a Vision Statement District or School Site Level? Both district and individual schools School Personnel or Community? Both the school personnel and the community Inform the Community and Personnel. Past vision drafts, school policy, achievement data, survey results, statistical information, research on effective schools page 66-68

Research, Research, Research.. Positive Indicators of a Productive School Culture Predispositions *student-centered orientation *improvement orientation *success orientation/high expectations Collaborative Work Behavior Professional Productivity *strong knowledge base supported by staff development *sense of group goals and commitments *staff is focused, involved, and concerned page 70-71

More RESEARCH….. Some Characteristics of Effective Schools *Safe and orderly environment *Climate of high expectations for success *Instructional leadership (coach, cheerleader, leader, and partner) *Clear and focused mission *Opportunity to learn and student time on task *Frequent monitoring of student progress *Home-School Relations *NOTE OTHER CHARACTERISTICS CAN BE FOUND ON 71-74 page 71-72

Assessing the Present, Envisioning the Future Gather your research…. Discuss your research…. Begin a plan…. (Current Reality vs. Our Future Ideal – Inventory pg. 75) page 75

What do you see in 5 years? Some of many questions….. -What is our purpose? -How will we treat each other? -What values will we incorporate? -What school functions will happen? -How will we treat our students? -How will students remember the school in years to come? page 78-79

The Writing Process Individual Post-its Group – Post Ideas on Large Chart Paper Read Ideas Aloud in Group Arrange Post-its in Categories Classify the Category Writing Committee Collects and Writes Draft Share Draft –Revise, Critique Writing Committee Rewrites 2nd Draft Review 2nd Draft Discuss Ask if each individual could “own” the statement page 79-80

Check The Vision Statement Imaginable? Desirable? Feasible? Focused? Flexible? Communicable? Will it withstand time? page 81-83

Evaluate the Vision Statement IS IT CLEAR AND BENEFICIAL? Does it energize and motivate people? Does it create a proactive orientation? Does it give direction to people within the organization? Does it establish specific standards of excellence? Does it create a clear agenda for action? page 84

DOES IT ANSWER? What is it we expect all students to learn? How will we respond when they do not learn? AGAIN……“without resolution to these crucial questions, mission statements will contribute little to the creation of a professional learning community” page 85

APPLY “The shared vision must be used to guide the daily operation and improvement initiatives of the school, and its importance must be communicated constantly.” page 86