Building Professional Learning Communities

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BuildingProfessional Learning Communities

• North White School Corporation
• in ACCESS Conference
• March 13, 2007

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District Demographics

• Small District in North-Central Indiana
• Rural Area
• Student Enrollment, K-12, of approximately 950
  students
• Three (3) Elementary Schools One (1) Middle
  School One (1) High School
• 60 Districtwide Poverty
• 15 ENL Population
• 19 Special Education Population

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Low Student AchievementWhat Used to Happen!

• We had data
• We shared data
• We complained
• We cried
• We agreed that we needed to improve
• We went back and taught more of the same in the
  same ways we always had!!
• Etc.! Etc.! Etc.!!

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Realization!!THIS IS NOT WORKING!!!

• No Real Improvement!!
• The Horse is Dead!!! Time to Dismount!!
• Common advice from knowledgeable horse trainers
  includes the adage,
• When the horse diesdismount.

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Seems Simple Enough!

• However, we dont always follow that advice!
  Instead, we choose from an array of other
  alternatives
• Buying a stronger whip
• Switching riders
• Appointing a committee to study the horse
• Creating dead horse riding standards

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Or, Maybe

• Reorganizing the stables
• Developing a training course for riding a dead
  horse
• Complaining about the state of horses these days
• Getting an advocate for the horse
• Blaming the horses parents. The problem is
  often breeding

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Create a Foundation for Fundamental Human Desires

• We All Want to Experience
• AchievementSuccess
• ConnectionFeeling a Part of a Group
• SignificanceMaking a Difference
• But Changing What We Have Always Done is
  FrighteningAnd Very Hard Work!!

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The Beginning of Change Vision, Leadership and
Perseverance

• Shared Vision throughout the Administrative Team
  to Initiate Change
• --Superintendent
• --Principals
• --Resource Support Personnel
• District-level Support from Outside Agencies
• --Indiana Department of Education
• TOPHAT-I Consortium District
• Ed Tech-Year 1 Recipient
• Outside Coaching Opportunities for District

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Building a Professional Learning Community

• What Did We Do?
• Created a District-level, Core group of teachers
  and administrators from each of the five schools
  in the corporation
• North White Staff Development Team
• Teachers in the NWSDT serve their respective
  schools as Teacher Leaders

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What Did We Do?

• Identified Corporation-wide Goals
• Similarly, each schools SIP reflected efforts
  towards corporation aims/goals
• Developed effective teaching strategies
• Aligned curriculum to Indiana Academic Standards
• Created assessments based on Indiana Academic
  Standards

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What Did We Do?

• Used data to drive instruction
• Pooled all corporation resourceshuman and
  financial
• Followed a methodical approachCoordinated
  activities, focus across all schools in the
  corporation
• Strived to make every component of the plan
  mesh with every other component
• Developed plans collaboratively with the Staff
  Development Team

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How Did We Do It?

• Created Professional Study Groups
• Regularly scheduled time and focus for teachers
  to research, study, reflect, plan together
• Yearly focusExamples
• -Marzano Research for Effective Schools
• -Best Practices Research
• -Vocabulary Integration into the Curriculum
• -Assessment

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How Did We Do It?

• NWSDT Planning for Professional Days, Early
  Release Days, Study Group Days each Spring for
  the following year
• Coaching
• -In-house Content Coach
• -Outside Coaching with focus on yearly goals
• -Teacher-led Study Groups

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How Did We Do It?

• Technology Component
• Technology Plays an Integral Role in Student and
  Teacher work in the NWSC
• Collection of Data
• Technology as a Teaching Tool
• Technology as a Student Learning Tool
• Acquisition of Innovative Hardware/Software
  Systems
• --11 Computing
• --ETS Criterion Scoring Engine

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How Do We Know If We Succeed?

• Needs Assessment and Evaluations at Various
  Levels
• Outside Evaluation of ProgramsWabash Valley
  Educational Center
• NWSDT Monthly/Quarterly Meetings
• Surveys Students, Parents, Educators
• Deliberate Monitoring of Student Progress
• --ISTEP
• --NWEA
• --ETS Criterion Writing Collections
• --Classroom Assessments

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In SummaryProfessional Learning Communities
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ContactsNorth White School Corporation

• Michelle Hay
• Principal
• Buffalo-Reynolds Elementary Schools
• Ed Tech Program Administrator
• shay_at_nwhite.k12.in.us
• Curt Craig
• Principal
• North White Middle School
• Ed Tech Project Site
• ccraig_at_nwhite.k12.in.us