1. Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES

2.  Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)  Learning Teams  Leadership & PLCs  Action Planning 2

3.  Describe concepts related to professional learning communities, learning teams and distributed leadership  Identify how to change the way that professional development is thought of and conducted  Describe various strategies for building instructional capacity and improving student achievement 3

4.  The core mission of formal education is not simply to ensure that students are taught but to ensure that they learn. - Richard DuFour 4

5.  What is a professional learning community?  Getting Started PLCs: Introduction  http://www.allthingsplc.info/tools/samples.php http://www.allthingsplc.info/tools/samples.php 5

6.  What is your definition of a professional learning community?  Review voicethread submissions:  http://voicethread.com/share/1328446/ http://voicethread.com/share/1328446/ 6

7. Characteristics of PLCs 7

8.  PLC framework: 1. A solid foundation consisting of collaboratively developed and widely shared mission, vision, values and goals 2. Collaborative teams that work interdependently to achieve common goals 3. A focus on results as evidenced by a commitment to continuous improvement Source: Getting Started by Robert Eaker, Richard DuFour, & Rebecca DuFour 8

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10.  Learning Teams:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9O8VOfOx_E http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9O8VOfOx_E 10

11.  Small Group Activity:  Select a facilitator, reporter, recorder and timekeeper  Group 1 = Identify the key principles of learning teams  Group 2 = Identify how learning teams benefit schools  Group 3 = Identify how learning teams are similar to PLCs and how they are different  Large Group Activity:  Reporters from each small group will share responses 11

12.  Six learning team principles & practices: 1. Shared values and goals 2. Collective responsibilities 3. Authentic assessment 4. Self-directed reflection 5. Stable settings 6. Strong leadership support 12

13.  Getting Started PLCs: Resources & Leadership:  http://www.allthingsplc.info/tools/samples.php http://www.allthingsplc.info/tools/samples.php  Large Group Activity:  Using a modified final word protocol, identify major themes from the article entitled Investigating the Links to Improved Student Learning 13

14.  Effective leaders:  Provide direction and influence  Focus on improving teaching and learning  Promote collective leadership  Create a school-wide focus on goals and expectations for student achievement 14

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16. Benefits of PLCS 16

17.  Reduction of isolation  Increased commitment to the mission and goals of the school  Shared responsibility for student success  Greater job satisfaction and higher morale  Lower rates of absenteeism (Hord, 1997)  Sustained school improvement efforts (DuFour & Eaker, 1998) Source: http://www.centerforcsri.org/plc/literature.htmlhttp://www.centerforcsri.org/plc/literature.html 17

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19.  Small group activity:  Using the PLC gap analysis worksheet, determine how the creation of or maintenance of a professional learning community can be incorporated into your action plan. 19

20.  www.polleverywhere.com www.polleverywhere.com  In a word or phrase, describe today’s RISL experience:  To: 22333  Subject: 29692 and your message 20

21.  The remaining RISL sessions will be held in the East Conference Room (School Services Building) on:  Thursday, January 13 from 8:00-4:00  Friday, January 14 from 8:00-12:00 Happy Holidays! 21