Tool for implementing Professional Learning Communities in your school

Global Learning Development
By
Erin Dobson
Michael Horwitz
Janelle Salmon-Person
Mary Worthy

Successful Professional Learning Communities - EDD 8125 Leadership
Development Through Theory & Practice - Nova Southeastern University
Presented on 8/13/2011 1

 Global Learning Development, LLC – multi-national
nonprofit organization committed to the
implementation of successful Professional Learning
Communities.
 Vision- insuring that effective learning takes place.
 Mission – successful implementation defined by
student outcomes.
 Values – trust, openness, and engagement.
 Learning and growth based on innovative practices.


 International nonprofit organization specializing in
collaboration in Professional Learning Communities.
 Locations in United States (Florida), China, and
Australia.
 Governed by a diverse board comprised of leaders in
various disciplines.
 Very flat structure – hires experts as needed.


Board of Directors

Executive Director
Technical
Principal Consultants - PLC Group
Team

North America Australia China Production

National
State Program Program Program
Program Development
Coordinators Coordinators Coordinators
Coordinators

Sustained Superior Performance of learning outcomes

Financial Primary and Secondary Customer needs
Perspective

Social
Responsibility
Learning & Growth
Operational Innovation Feedback
Systems &
Perspective Processes


Adapted from DuFour, R. DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Karhanek, G. ,2004; Wells, C. & Feun, L. ,2007)


 Collaborative teams whose
members work interdependently
to achieve common goals linked to
the purpose of learning for all
(DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, &
Many, 2006, p. 3).


Based on supportive and shared leadership as the
relationship between the school leader and
subordinates; the guiding theme of a PLC is built on
the collective research, learning and seeking solutions
to school improvement and student achievement by
the leader alongside the subordinates.
A shared vision, mission and values separate a PLC run
school from an ordinary school.
(Hord, 1997; DuFour & Eaker, 1998)


 “Collaboration is a trusting, working relationship
between two or more equal participants involved
in shared thinking, shared planning and shared
creation of integrated instruction”.(Montiel-Overall, 2008, p150)


 Determine and define learning outcomes.
 Learning targets for ALL students established and
common standards based formative assessments
developed by teams of teachers.
 Assessment results are analyzed and timely
interventions based on student need established.
 SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic,
and timely) goals established and collaborative
meeting time noted and protected during the
regular school day.


 Schedule opportunities and provide accommodations
for teacher meetings to occur on a regular basis.
 Implement teams, interdisciplinary projects.
 Team classes in same vicinity, common areas.
 Great School-wide system for communication - to
exchange knowledge and information.
 Empower teachers to make decisions – nurturing
independency.
 Alternate school roles and responsibilities. (Senge, P., Cambron-
McCabe N., Lucas, T., Smith B., Dutton, J., & Kleine, A. 2000)


 School culture - Should be encouraging and nurturing of
collaborative process.
 Personal Characteristics - Participants should possess
certain characteristics.
 Communication - Open, regular basis, frequent, trusting.
 Management - Skilled leadership, supportive to the growth
an develop of the collaborative team.
 Motivation - Members need to be motivated to participate
(Haycock,2007; Montiel-Overall, 2008; Williamson, Archibald, & McGregor, 2010).

 Process and Structure-clarity in roles and responsibilities
(Haycock, 2007) .

 TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
 Raises the level of morality and motivation in themselves and others.
 Sets an example; realizes lots of work and time is required.
 Willing to transform roles, structures, practices or policies.
 INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
 Knows the key to student learning is good instruction; believes in
continuous learning for all.
 Spends up to 50% in classrooms; observing, demonstrating, and
coaching afterwards.
 REFLECTIVE LEADERSHIP
 Takes time to reflect on school practices and implications for learning.
 INTENTIONAL LEADERSHIP
 Actions are purposeful and well thought out; vision, sense of urgency
and planning is evident.
(Palumbo & Leight, 2007; Northouse, 2010)


Place student and adult learning first.
Set high academic standards and expectations.
Demand content and instruction on agreed upon standards
and ensure student achievement.
Create a culture of continuous learning for adults tied to
student learning and school goals.
Manage data to inform decisions, measure progress and
performance.
Engage the community to create shared responsibility for
student performance and development.
(National Association of Elementary School Principals, 2008, p.13)


Place student and adult learning first.
Set high academic standards and expectations.
Demand content and instruction on agreed upon standards
and ensure student achievement.
Create a culture of continuous learning for adults tied to
student learning and school goals.
Manage data to inform decisions, measure progress and
performance.
Engage the community to create shared responsibility for
student performance and development.
(DuFour, 1999, pp.12-16)


 Translate state standards into a set of power standards;
rational, relevant and focused expectations
 Standards should be measured by frequent and
common classroom assessments.
 Assess “explicit indicators of adult behavior such as
teaching practices, curriculum, leadership, and other
influences on student achievement” (Reeves, 2005, p. 46).
 “Teaching is only as good as its impact on learning”
(Schmoker, 2006, p. 126) .
(Reeves, 2005)


“The national education goals of today
call for all students to master rigorous
content, learn how to learn, pursue
productive employment, and compete in
the global economy” (DuFour &
Eaker, 1998, p. 23); the need for education
reform is imminent.
GLD has proven to meet the needs of 21st
Century students through the design of
Professional Learning Communities that
have a culture of collaboration and
focusing on learning and student results
in its partnered schools across the globe.


DuFour, R. (Feb. 1999). Help wanted Principals who can lead professional learning communities. NASSP Bulletin. pp.12-17.
DuFour, R. DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Karhanek, G. (2004). Whatever it takes: How professional learning communities respond when kids
don’t learn. Bloomington: National Educational Service.
Haycock, K. (2007). Collaboration: Critical success factors for student learning . School Libraries Worldwide 13(1), 25-35.
Hord, S. (2009). Professional learning communities. National Staff Development Council. 30(1), 40-43.
Leading Learning Communities: Standards for what principals should know and be able to do. Alexandria VA: National Association of
Elementary School Principals in partnership with Collaborative Communications Group
Montiel-Overall, P. (2008) Teacher and librarian collaboration: A qualitative study (2008). Library & Information Science Research
30, 145-155.
Northouse, P. (2010). Leadership: Theory and practice. Thousand Oaks CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Palumbo, J. & Leight, J. (2007). The power of focus: More lessons learned in district and school improvement. Huntington Beach CA:
Focus on Results.
Reeves, D. (2006). The learning leader: How to focus school improvement for better results. Alexandria VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Reeves, D. (2005). Putting it all together: Standards, assessment, and accountability in successful professional learning communities.
(DuFour, R.[Richard], Eaker, R., & DuFour, R.[Rebecca], (Eds.) On common ground. Bloomington: Solution Tree.
Senge, P., Cambron-McCabe, N., Lucas, T., Smith, B., Dutton, J., Kleiner, A., (2000) Schools that learn; A fifth discipline resource.
New York, NY: Doubleday.
Wells, C. & Feun, L. (2007). Implementation of learning community principles: A study of six high schools. NASSP Bulletin, 91(2) 141-
160.
Williamson, K., Archibald, A., McGregor, J. (2010) Shared vision: A key to successful collaboration? School Libraries Worldwide
15(2), 16-30.
See the research paper included herewith and incorporated by reference for additional resources not presented herein.


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