Region 5 ConnectsLet’s make this work for you!

What a PLC is and is not• PLC Teams DO meet regularly• They DO discuss a common question, an

actual learning situation, artifact, issue, or professional reading

• Such discussions ARE facilitated (protocols) so that the group stays on topic in a timely manner, and that everyone has an opportunity to be heard

• Participants DO reflect and make an action plan.

What a PLC is and is not

• Participants DO work between meetings to implement goals and track progress

• The work IS relative to STUDENT centered outcomes – increased student achievement and motivation – Solution Focused

• Evidence IS collected to gauge progress• The group DOES form a network of learning

and support for one another

A PLC is NOT• A workshop or presenter – Just tell me what to

do• A book discussion group- Just give me a book to

read• Sharing new ideas – Use the Internet for that• Just talk, talk, talk, talk, talk• A complaint session about how hard teaching is

or how difficult students or parents are (That’s called Happy Hour or Therapy)

Time to Celebrate!!!

• What changes did you notice in your teaching practices as a result of your PLC work?

• What changes did you notice in the performance of your students that you attribute to your PLC work?

• Did you get any feedback from your students about the changes that you made?

• How do you plan to continue your growth?

Did you . . . .

• Visit each other’s classrooms?• Each bring something to share?• Share “How do you do . . . ?”• Share “What do you do for (Field Day)?”• Do On-line or virtual meets in addition to the

scheduled meetings?

Celebrate Growth• What are your thoughts about this type of

professional growth model?• What did you like?• What was not helpful?• What would you suggest to make the

experience more effective?

Survey Outcomes• Years Experience:– 22% 3 years– 57% 2 years– 21% 1 year

• Meetings Attended This Year– 42% More than 4– 25% 4 Meetings– 23% 3 Meetings– 11% 2 Meetings

Survey Outcomes: Changes in YOUR Classroom Practice (emergent themes)

• New/motivating ideas/resources/lessons (22)• None/Nothing (19)• New ways to assess/assessment ideas (7)• Increased use of technology (6)• How to better implement Core Standards (3)• Increased focus on student outcomes/response

rather than what I’m teaching (2)• More Open Ended Questions (1)

Changes in STUDENT Outcomes (emergent themes)

• None (22)• Better attent/focus/partic/engagement (16)• Better performance (12) (clearer goals, more

transparent to student, meeting needs)• Happier/enthusiastic s’s (pride in work, see relevance)

(7) • Increase in Higher level/Critical Thinking (4)• Increased self-eval/accountability/ownership (3)• Fewer classrm management issues (2)• More communication = more positive outcomes

Suggestions for Improvement

• More shared experiences/focus on “how” rather than problem solving or goal seeking, observe (9)

• My experience was great/No changes (8)

• Too much extra work/no readings/just share ideas (6)

• More tchrs of same subj. (4)• We choose our own group• Book study is better

• In-house better (4)• Need all to contribute

positively and be accountable (4)

• More guidance/direction (2)• Didn’t follow protocol

– Changed/irrelevant topic– Off topic– No communication

• More frequentmtgs /Less frequent mtgs

• More articles/less paperwork

Celebrations

• Meeting/sharing experience with colleagues/comradery (12)

• Contributing during meetings/hosting meetings (11)

• Meeting/collab. w/Great people/colleagues (11)

• New strategies/info(4)

• Improvement as a tchr (3)• Accomplishing my

goals/lrng/new res (3)• Better know my s’s

progress (2)• Better attitudes in grp,

motivated each other (2)• Given time to improve as

a teacher• Dia deLos Muertos

Future

Summer Contact Desired?

• 31% Yes• 33% No• 36% Maybe

Participate in Region PLC 2014-2015

• 40% Yes• 21% No• 39% Maybe

Info for Principals

• Appreciate the opportunity/being included/the time/the efforts /Enjoyed it(13)

• Haven’t been helpful/waste of time (4)• Time – too busy, needs to be on school-time (4)• Good model but don’t meet often enough to make

it work (2)• Modeling of (specific named) facilitators (2)• Should be mandatory• PLN vs PLC – This is perceived as forced

PLN Versus PLC

• Professional Learning Networks • Asynchronous communication – Communicate

on your schedule rather than someone else’s)• Pros and Cons• Tool Demo:– Twitter– Edmodo

Dr. Debbie Fucoloro

• PLN’s• Twitter

Share/Get Ideas & Resources

Book Studies

New Ideas for Current Topics

Tech Support that Matches Resources

Teaching in Same Setting

Asynchronous Learning – on my time

To be a game changer, we must join in