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Creating a Climate for Professional

Learning Communities

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Change is a process

not an event

PLC Tools and Processes

Logistics:

Who, when, where

Topic for discussion

Collaborative Work

Analyzing and

Interpreting Data

Interventions

Ways of talking

Norms of collaboratio

nTeam

inventories

Student data:Classroom, local,

state

School data: demographics,

programs

Teacher data: degrees, years teaching, pd experiences

Community data:Demographics, support,

volunteers

Curriculum

Instruction

Assessment

Building a Professional Learning Community Read Handout: Variations on a Theme:

All Kids Can Learn… Star one variation that best describes

the beliefs that are operating in your school or schools you are working with.

Stand by the chart with the variation of the school you starred.

Discuss whether or not you agree with the belief (why or why not.)

© 2008 Corwin Press. All rights reserved. From A Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for All Students

by N. Love, K. E. Stiles, S. Mundry & K. DiRanna

Building a Professional Learning Community Stand by the variation that best represents the school you would want to send your own child/grandchild/relative to.

Discuss why you chose that school. Look at the lists of what the schools do when

students do not learn and what teachers see as the causes for students not learning.

Discuss your reactions to these lists: Does this lens on the school alter your choice? Why or why not?

Do any of you want to change your selection? If so, move to another corner.

© 2008 Corwin Press. All rights reserved. From A Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for All Students

by N. Love, K. E. Stiles, S. Mundry & K. DiRanna

Reflection

What description did I choose for my school(s) and why?

How comfortable am I with this description?

How might a PLC make our school(s) more like School D?

Ways of TalkingConversation

Deliberation

Suspension Balcony view

Discussion

Understanding Decision

Dialogue

NOC Cards Work in partners One person deal the cards Separate your “hand” into those you know and those you don’t Play a card that you know: explain

and give examples Alternate At your table, get help with the ones you

don’t know

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Norms of Collaboration

Pause Paraphrase Probe Put ideas on the table Presume positive intent Pay attention to self and others Pursue a balance between advocacy

and inquiry

A and I Role Play

At your table, select 1 advocate (A), 4 inquirers (I) and 2 observers (O)

Advocate selects a topic for which they have passion and for which inquirers mighthave other ideas.

Begin discussion--with A advocating, I trying to understand A and the O takin’ it all in!

Stop at the signal; O share what they noticed

Reflection Review the NOC inventory Think about your behavior in team

meetings Select a norm that you want to

practice Rank your current use of the norm Set a goal for your next meeting How might you use the inventory

with your team?

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"Community and leadership cannot occurif teachers remain isolated from eachother. Departments and schools mustinstitute policies and procedures thatsupport teacher collaboration, risktaking, collegiality with other teachers aswell as with expert s outside of the schoolenvironment, and teachers taking onleadership roles within, and outside of,the school. Developing this communityrequires a recognition that professionallearning is a life-long process that is bestnurtured within the norms and culture ofthe school."-Susan Loucks Horsley (1999)