Chamberlain and Beyond: Building Collaborative Teams Research connects collaboration to teaching and learning Chamberlain process/background Elements of the effective collaborative team Most beneficial practices and difficulties Discussion of a start-up process for other schools Tuesday, April 23, 9:45-10:40 a.m. Room 101, Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

Research shows that professional learning communities do positively impact teaching and learning.

How important is the professional learning community model? What makes the model effective? What is essential in developing the professional learning community?

How important is collaborative school culture or professional learning community? Two leading researchers in the field of educational leadership, Rick DuFour and Michael Fullan, argue that a professional learning community model is the best vehicle for school improvement.

What makes the professional learning community model effective? Four researchers, Hopkins, Fullan, DuFour, and Robbins, offer insight into the issue of effectiveness of learning communities.

What makes the professional learning community model effective? –a focus on learning –a collaborative culture –collective inquiry into best practice –an action orientation –continuous improvement –focus on results

Continuous improvement This can be compared to the difference between taught curriculum and learned curriculum. –Professional development is what is taught. –Professional learning community is what is learned.

Continuous improvement PLC for educators is much like an effective classroom. There is opportunity to –learn theory –engage in dialog –practice new ideas –get feedback –differentiate learning –assess learning – be accountable for learning

Focus on results One of the difficulties educators have with PLC is to move beyond the book studies and get to transparent teaching. Educators and schools are willing to engage in some safe PLC, but are reluctant to move to the deprivatization of teaching and learning.

Tim Mitchell, Superintendent Chamberlain process/background

The Three C’s of Community Building C onfront the Brutal Facts C ommunication (Effective) C ollaboration

Communication “I wonder how many children’s lives would be saved if we educators disclosed what we knew to each other" Roland Barth (2001)

Collaboration “The ability to collaborate—on both a large and small scale—is one of the core requisites of post modern society…In short, without collaborative skills and relationships it is not possible to learn and to continue to learn as much as you need in order to be an agent for social improvement” Fullan (1993)

Characteristics of Professional Learning Communities Shared mission, vision, values, goals Shared mission, vision, values, goals Collaborative teams focused on student learning Collaborative teams focused on student learning Collective inquiry into “best practice” and our “current reality” Collective inquiry into “best practice” and our “current reality” Action orientation/experimentation Action orientation/experimentation Commitment to continuous improvement Commitment to continuous improvement Results orientation Results orientation

MaryLou McGirr, TIE partner

Outcome: To gain knowledge and information while engaging in activities to prepare for joint planning, team teaching, and collaborative coaching to ensure successful partnerships will exist that affect the academic achievement of students.

Structure and format August, 2005 –Outcome: Understand people are our greatest asset! –4 critical questions February, 2006 –Benchmark –4 essential questions August, 2006 –Outcome: To deepen communication and facilitation skills –4 critical questions

Structure and format February, 2007 –Outcome: To understand the power of Cognitive Coaching SM in team work. –4 critical questions August, 2007 –Outcome: To continue developing the knowledge of the staff to deepen their skills for successful collaboration which will ultimately affect the academic achievement of students. –4 critical questions

Four Critical Questions for a Professional Learning Community: What do we want each student to learn? How will we know when each student has learned it? How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning? How can we extend and enrich the learning for students who have clearly achieved the intended outcomes?

Most beneficial practices and difficulties Tami Schwartz and Jeff Tveit, teachers

Q and A Discussion of a start- up process for other schools

“Successful organizations do not experience fewer problems, they deal with them differently.”

What is essential in developing the professional learning community? Fullan writes that recent development has changed from what makes PLC work to how to establish a PLC.

Curriki

Essential factor is change itself Fullan contends that change is even more difficult than people think. Robert Marzano (2005) contends that education is always experiencing change and change comes in two shapes: first order change and second order change.

“Successful organizations do not experience fewer problems, they deal with them differently.”

Bibliography Bens, Ingrid (2005). Facilitating with ease: Core skills for facilitators, team leaders and members, managers, consultants, and trainers. San Francisco, CA: Jossey- Bass. DuFour, Richard, DuFour, Rebecca, Eaker, Robert, and Many, Thomas (2006). Learning by doing: A handbook for professional learning communities at work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree. Fullan, Michael. (November 2004). Leading professional learning. The school administrator. (pp ). Hopkins, Gary. (2006). Teachers teaching teachers: Professional development that works. Education World. Downloaded Richardson, Joan (1999). Norms put the ‘Golden Rule’ into proctice for groups. National Staff Development Council. Robbins, P. & Alvy, H (2004). The new principal’s fieldbook: Strategies for success. Arlington, VA: ASCD.