Post on 27-Mar-2015
“Quality teaching requires strong professional learning communities.
Collegial interchange, not isolation, must become the norm for teachers.
Communities of learning can no longer be considered utopian;they must become the
building blocks that establish a new foundation for America’s schools.”
–National Commission on Teaching, 2003, p.17
S.A.E.L.P Distributive Leadership Plans
Delcastle Technical High Schooland
Sussex Central High SchoolUpdates
How we got involved
Process was started at our schoolsGrant was opportunity to seek funding to
continue our workBoth schools wrote the action plans and
received the grant
PLC Definition
Places in which teachers pursue clear shared, purposes for student learning, engage in collaborative activities to achieve their purposes, and take collective responsibility for student learning
Why are we doing this?
A cultural change in the way we do business
A process not a projectDistributed Leadership and
Professional Learning Communities
Advantages of PLC’s
Gains in Student AchievementHigher Quality Solutions to ProblemsIncreased Confidence Among All StaffTeachers able to share strengths resulting
in collective capacityAbility to test new ideasExpanded pool of ideas, materials,
methods
A Professional Learning Community
Looks like
Learning for all
Collaborative culture
Collective capacity
Focus on results
Assessment for learning
Widespread leadership
Self efficacy
Doesn’t look like
Teaching for some
Teacher isolation
Individual development
Focus on activities
Assessment of learning
The charismatic leader
Dependency
Delcastle’s Journey
Establishing PLC’sTraining co-facilitatorsWriting a Vision StatementInternalizing our valuesSetting measurable goals
Sussex Central’s Journey
Establish a Learning Focused School (LFS)Train teaches to lead teachersUtilize action research, data and curriculum
mapping to prioritize an instruction planEstablish a consistent and pervasive format for
lessons - EATS school-wideModify school schedule to support a learning -
focused environment and professional learning community (PLC)
SCHSCritical questions that guide LFS and PLC
What is it we expect students to learn? How will we know when students have
learned it? How will we respond when students do not
learn? What will we do if students already have
learned it?
“Any school hoping to become a Professional Learning Community,
regardless of the grade levels served, must decide how to respond as a school when it
becomes evident that some students are struggling to learn essential skills and
concepts.” - Whatever it Takes, p. 94
Challenges
1. Developing and applying shared knowledge
2. Sustaining the hard work of change
3. Transforming school culture
Potential Barriers to Overcome
Instructional staff turnoverFinding enough qualified mentors and
effective leadersCountywide system makes inclusion of
community difficultParadigm shift from traditional roles to
new onesNew schools/Retirements
Closing Thoughts
Ultimately, we will know our school is successful if we are able to establish a
system of collaboration and communication that exists regardless of
the current administrative staff, the current instructional staff, and the
current composition of the student body.
Because we believe that an exemplary school is our goal, all of
our initiatives are the methods to reach the goal, and PLC’s are ways to ensure that those initiatives are
successfully implemented and
evaluated. (Linden, 2006)
Our Conclusion
Teacher Testimony
How has the culture of our school changed
What has been a major accomplishment as a result of this process
Our next steps as a PLC