Free Reproducibles
Learning by Doing
A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work™
Through continuous work with educators, the authors have created a more powerful, practical resource for moving forward in the PLC process. This book is an action guide for closing the knowing-doing gap and transforming schools into PLCs. It also includes seven major additions that equip educators with essential tools for confronting challenges.
Benefits
- Build a shared knowledge of critical vocabulary and the concepts underlying key PLC terms.
- Equip yourself with the knowledge and tools necessary to model effective reciprocal accountability.
- Make honest assessments of your school by examining conventional practices from a fresh, critical perspective.
- Learn about the critical role central office educators have in the PLC process.
- Take immediate and specific steps to close the knowing-doing gap.
- Move beyond planning, and start doing.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1: A Guide to Action for Professional Learning Communities at Work
Chapter 2: A Clear and Compelling Purpose
Chapter 3: Creating a Focus on Learning
Chapter 4: How Will We Respond When Some Students Don't Learn?
Chapter 5: Building the Collaborative Culture of a Professional Learning Community
Chapter 6: Creating a Results Orientation in a Professional Learning Community
Chapter 7: Using Relevant Information to Improve Results
Chapter 8: Implementing the PLC Process Districtwide
Chapter 9: Consensus and Conflict in a Professional Learning Community
Chapter 10: The Complex Challenge of Creating Professional Learning Communities
PRINTABLE REPRODUCIBLES
Getting Started
- A Data Picture of Our School
- Critical Issues for Team Consideration
- Developing Norms
- Cultural Shifts in a Professional Learning Community
- Glossary of Key Terms and Concepts
What the Research Says
- Why Should We Describe the School or District We Are Trying to Create?
- Why Should We Articulate Collective Commitments?
- Why Should Celebration Be a Part of Our Culture?
- Why Should We Ensure Students Have Access to a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum?
- Why Should We Use Formative Assessments?
- Why Should We Use Common Assessments?
- Why Should We Implement Systematic Interventions?
- Why Should We Use Teams as Our Basic Structure?
- Why Should We Collaborate?
- Why Should We Create Norms?
- Why Do We Need SMART Goals?
- How Can We Create a Result Orientation and Foster Continuous Improvement?
- Why Is a Results Orientation the Key to School Effectiveness?
- Why Is Principal Leadership So Important?
- Why Do We Need Widely Distributed Leadership?
Part Six: Questions to Guide the Work of Your Professional Learning Community
The Professional Learning Communities at Work™ Continuum
- Laying the Foundation
- Effective Communication
- Learning as Our Fundamental Purpose (Part I)
- Learning as Our Fundamental Purpose (Part II)
- Building a Collaborative Culture Through High-Performing Teams
- Focusing on Results (Part I)
- Focusing on Results (Part II)
- Implementing a PLC Districtwide
- Responding to Conflict
Where Do We Go From Here? Worksheets
- Laying the Foundation of a PLC
- Effective Communication, Chapter 2
- Clearly Defined Outcomes
- Monitoring Each Student's Learning
- Systematic Intervention
- Collaborative Culture
- Using School Improvement Goals to Drive Team Goals
- Turning Data Into Information
- Implementing a PLC Districtwide
- Effective Communication, Chapter 9
SMART Goals
- SMART Goal Blank Worksheet
- SMART Goal Worksheet Example: Third-Grade Team
- SMART Goal Worksheet Example: Eighth-Grade Math
- SMART Goal Worksheet Example: American Government