A Case for PLC’sWhy change is sometimes good!

What is a PLC?A PLC is a Professional Learning Community.

In simple terms it means the entire school building is working together to make sure all students are working to their fullest potential.

It requires a lot of team work and the ability to be transparent in all you do.

How does it work?Develop Teams

Define Norms and Expectations

Align teaching to Oregon State Standards

Develop Common Assessments

Track Data

Review and Revise

Who has time for that?

Early Release/Late StartMy school went to an early release schedule

14 times a year, the kids get released 2 hours early

During the two hours we meet as teams to design assessments, review data and plan for upcoming units.

Is that really enough time? No it isn’t.

We also meet once per month in kid focused meetings to look at individual students.

What do you really think?Pros

Aligns teaching with standards.

Kids in different classrooms get same materials.

Team work allows for shared ideas and feedback

Common assessment help determine student learning.

Cons

More meetings than ever.

Never enough time to get it all in.

Not everyone is on board yet.

Takes a shift in mindset from “my” kids to “our” kids.

What resources exist?Great conferences and professional

development.

Technology, technology, technology. We use it in our team all the time. Team Blogs, Google Docs, Wikis.

Books, podcasts and You Tube videos.

What about the kids? Struggling students are

now identified quickly

Students know what learning targets are for each unit.

Frequent data analysis allows for students to move between enrichment when doing well to interventions when struggling.

Students identify classrooms as doing “the same thing”. Less teacher competition.

Final Thoughts…….A PLC offers more of a team approach to each

student.

There is no longer a “close your door and teach” approach in my building. I love that.

We always talk about students needing to become problem solvers and being able to work effectively in teams. This model is one in which we ourselves practice what we preach.