1. The Work of a Team Professional Learning Communities
What Does It Look Like If We Really Meant It?
Janel Keating and Bob Eaker

2. Our goal was not to become a PLC.
Our goal was to improve student learning.
A PLC is simply a way of thinking.
We worked to make sure everyone understood that PLC concepts and practices were a means to an end.

3. Start With the Why by Simon Sinek
Dr. King was absolute in his conviction. He knew change had to happen in America. His clarity of WHY, his sense of purpose, gave him strength and energy to continue his fight against often seemingly insurmountable odds…and that speech was about what he believed, not how they were going to do it. He gave the “I have a dream speech”, not the I have a plan speech. (p )

4. Is It Good Enough For My Own Child?
The standard for “If we really meant it” should be this: “Is it good enough for my own child?”
Every School
Every Classroom
Every Teacher
Every Lesson

5. Promises to Keep
Think about it! Each day parents send to us the most precious thing in their lives—their children! Here’s what they want us to promise them in return—
We will keep them safe.
We will make them feel special.
And, we will ensure that they learn!

7. Jon Saphier believes teachers should be consistently and constantly sending this message”
“I believe that all my students have the intellectual ability to do rigorous work and meet high standards. Unfortunately not all my students share that belief. It is my job to help them come to believe this, along with the conviction that is would be worth their while to do well in school. Therefore, in our minute to minute interactions, I communicate to students in every way I can the message:

8. This is important.
You can do it.
I won’t give up on you.
--Jon Saphier

9. Four Questions to Guide PLCs Eaker- Keating 2012
What do we expect students to learn?
CCSS, NGSS, C3, CTE, essential outcomes, power standards, learning targets, pacing, clarifying standards, what standards look like in student, instruction/engagement and rigor
2. How will we know if they learn it?
Pre-assessment,, quick checks for understanding, ommon assessments benchmark assessments, state assessment, ACT, SAT, results analysis
3. How do we respond when students experience difficulty in learning?
Differentiated instruction, Interventions in the CORE, POI, RTI and PBIS
4. How do we respond when students do learn?
Differentiated instruction and rigor

10. The Prerequisite Conditions of a True PLC
Educators work in collaborative teams and take collective responsibility for student learning rather than working in isolation.
Collaborative teams implement a guaranteed and viable curriculum, unit by unit.
Collaborative teams monitor student learning through an ongoing assessment process that includes frequent, team developed common formative assessments.
Educators use the results of common assessments to:
Improve individual practice
Build the teams capacity to achieve its goals
Intervene/enrich on behalf of the students
The school provides a systemic process for intervention and enrichment Dufour 2015

11. The Prerequisite Conditions of a True PLC
Attention…… “You don’t get to pick 3 out of 5! You must do them all deep and well.” Rick Dufour 2015

12. Organizing Into Collaborative Teams
Team Structure
Grade Level
Department
Interdisciplinary
Singletons
Music - PE - Library
Special Education – Title Programs
Support Staff
Every aspect of district culture will be addressed in collaborative teams

13. Team Effectiveness
Establish Norms Establish Accountability Protocols

14. #8 Teacher clarity John Hattie
Teacher clarity defined as organization, explanation, examples and guided practice, and assessment student learning.

16. The Learning Mission: Simultaneous Loose–Tight Leadership
Teams
Time
4 Critical Questions
Repeating Process
Chapter 9 in Learning by Doing
Norms
Accountability Protocol
Clear on the products generated by the team
Agenda
Bookshelf Instruction
Unit Planning template non-negotiables
Data tool/TACA
Celebration for adults and kids

17. Role of the Principal Communicate the WHY
PLC time weekly for teams within the school day
Appropriate team structure/Vertical team time
PLC work is organized under the 4 critical questions of learning
Understand that a PLC is not just a data meeting
Monitor/feedback to the products generated by the team with the team and the principal
Focus on next steps
Ensure master schedule reflects the values
Evidence, Evidence, Evidence/Layers of Accountability

18. Repeating Process for Each Unit: Tight
(Eaker & Keating, Every School, Every Team, Every Classroom, 2012)
Set SMART Goal
Identify essential standards.
Create the end-of-unit formative assessment.
Write learning targets/design instruction/engagement.
Design checks for understanding aligned with learning targets - and feedback.
Additional time and support aligned to the target and check for understanding.
Come to the team meeting prepared to discussed what the students have learned based on the check for understanding – data or student work.
Give the assessment.
Score and analyze the assessment/protocol.
Written reflection process
Look at data and student work.
Apply interventions and extensions.
Review SMART Goal
Repeat.

19. Team Meeting—Collaboration
What Does It Look Like?
What did you teach last week? Are we prepared?
Standards – Learning Targets – Quick Formative Assessment – Feedback
What evidence do you have of student learning?
Data—Student work
Then what?
Time and support in the classroom, team support, move to next lesson.
What standards and targets are we working on this week?