Professional Learning Communities Connecting the Initiatives

1
Professional Learning CommunitiesConnecting the
Initiatives
PLC Teacher Collaboration Student
Achievement
PLCs
DINA Plan
CSIP
SLE/ Iowa CORE
Continuous Improvement
2
DINA Interview Questions

• What process does the district use to determine
  whether curriculum, instruction and assessment
  are aligned at the classroom, building, and
  district level, and with the districts
  standards and benchmarks?
• How does the school/district check that teachers
  are implementing the standards benchmarks?
• What kinds of assessment data do you use to
  document student progress throughout the year?
• Describe how you and your colleagues are using
  formative assessment to change instruction.

• What is the focus of the district professional
  development plan? How is the focus determined
  for the district?
• What is the content of professional development?
• To what extent is the teacher learning
  implemented with fidelity?
• Do you have scheduled collaboration meetings
  what typically happens at these meetings?
• What is the impact on student performance?

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• Outcome 1 School leaders build and sustain
  system capacity to implement the Iowa Core
  Curriculum.
• Outcome 2 Community members other supporting
  agencies work together to support the
  implementation of the Iowa Core Curriculum
• Outcome 3 A continuous improvement process to
  improve teaching and learning is used at the
  district and school level.

• Outcome 4 District leaders other educators
  monitor use data to increase the degree of
  alignment of each and every students enacted
  curriculum other relevant educational
  opportunities to the Iowa Core Curriculum.
• Outcome 5 Educators engage in professional
  development focused on implementing
  Characteristics of Effective Instruction
  Assessment demonstrate understanding of
  Essential Concepts Skill Sets.
• Outcome 6 Educators implement effective
  instructional practices for each and every
  student.

4
Professional Learning CommunitiesConnecting the
Initiatives
PLC Teacher Collaboration Student
Achievement
PLCs
DINA Plan
CSIP
SLE/ Iowa CORE
Continuous Improvement
5
Changing the Focus

• Old Focus
• Every student can learn
• Focus on teaching
• Isolation
• Assessment OF learning (Summative)
• Failure is an option

• New Focus
• Every student will learn
• Focus on learning
• Collaboration
• Assessment FOR learning (Formative)
• Failure is not and option

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PLC Institute Intended OutcomesPLC Development

• What are PLCs? Congruency Consistent Quality of
  Instruction
• How can PLCs improve student achievement and help
  close the achievement gap?
• How are collaborative cultures/teams developed?
• How does a focus on learning differ from a focus
  on teaching? SLE IA CORE
• What can be done when students dont
  learn/already know? Pyramid Response to
  Intervention (RTI)

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PLC InstituteParticipant Expectations

• Share the vision key information from the PLC
  institute with colleagues
• Assist in developing the SIP/PLC action plan
• Support the implementation of the PLC plan
• Assist in the development of a collaborative
  culture
• Provide leadership support for PLCs throughout
  the school year

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PLC Institute Feedback
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PLC Feedback

• I get it! The picture is now complete! Our
  district has been working towards this for
  several years. We already have a lot in place
  with CI, mission, SMART goals, SLE, formative
  assessment, data, data centers folders, etc..
• It just makes sense!
• Its not the words Professional Learning
  Community that makes the difference. It is the
  emphasis on Learning that drives everything.

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PLC Feedback

• Collaboration, Collaboration, Collaboration
• Importance of culture to enhance learning.
• We need to focus on the right questions.
• Collaboration common assessments will allow me
  to adapt my strategies as needed by individual
  students.
• Where is our Pyramid of Interventions?!!
• Thanks Vision

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PLC Feedback

• We cant wait for all staff to get onboardwe
  have to move forward without them.
• Working with resistant people you cant change
  peoples attitudes, focus on their behaviors and
  making better experiences for them.
• Looking at the student through a different lens.
  Excellence for all

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PLC Three Year Plan
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Share Action Plans

• Discuss preliminary thoughts on action plans for
  implementing PLCs.

During the 09-10 school year every School will
develop an action plan to implement the PLC
framework that will include a timeline,
opportunities for input/feedback, action steps
from year 2 PLC plan, data collection regarding
PLC teams, time spent in collaboration.
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Matrix of Alignment
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Matrix of Alignment
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What support do you need from the district to
implement PLCs?