This is Not Your Ordinary

Professional
Development!

Professional Learning
Communities:The Power of
Collaboration
Heather Sullivan- FRHSD 2007

GOALS FOR TODAY

Define PLC (it really is more than just
another acronym to remember!)
Highlight the need for collaborative jobembedded professional learning
opportunities in our school
Plan for teaming & collaboration in
schools

Focused teacher learning

opportunities enhance student
learning.

What PLCs are NOT

They are NOT what
weve been used to
They are NOT
Prescriptive
They are NOT New

Professional Learning
Communities foster focused
teacher learning

What They Are

PLCs are an Infrastructure, or a way of
working together, which results in
continuous school improvement
PLCs are Empowering
PLCs are a way to Transform Professional
Development

Transforming
Professional Development

The very essence of a learning

community is a focus on and a
commitment to the learning of each
studentif the organization is to
become more effective in helping all
students learn, the adults in the
organization must be continually
learning.
DuFour,Eaker, and Many (2006)

PLC Attributes
Shared and Supportive Leadership
Shared Values and Vision
Collective Learning and Application
Supportive Conditions
Shared Personal Practice
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory - Austin, TX

Varied Context
In-School /After School
Departmental/Cross-Curricular Groups
Ex. CORE Team

Asynchronous/Synchronous
In-Person/Virtual

Moodle Pages, Wikis, etc.

Webinars, Web Conferences
District-Based
Specialized Networking Groups (NSTA, etc.)

Collaborative cultures, which by definition have close

relationships, are indeed powerful. BUT, unless they are focused
on the right things they may end up being powerfully wrong.
Michael Fullan

So, what will be the focus of our

collaboration?

Why?
How?

FUNDAMENTAL
ASSUMPTIONS
All educators can make a difference with All
students
Our school becomes a more effective learning
environment when we commit to learning about
& improving our practices & structures.
Supporting & helping educators to improve
should be a key function of school leadership
School-wide collaboration focused on
improvement will have a significant impact on
teaching & learning.

Leadershipis a team performance

Winning strategies are based on the we
not I philosophy. Collaboration is a
social imperative. Without it people cant
get extraordinary things done.

-Kouzes and Posner (2003)

Our Essential Questions

What do our students need to know and be able
to do in order to be successful at each level of
their learning? (NJ CCCS)
What knowledge and skills do educators need to
ensure student success? (NJ Professional
Standards for Teachers and School Leaders)

Our Essential Questions

What do teachers need to learn to support
student learning? (NJ Professional Development
Standards)
How will we know when our students have
mastered skills & knowledge? (HSPA & local
formative and summative assessments)
What will we do when students have NOT
mastered skills & knowledge? (Interventions-3
Levels: classroom, school and beyond)

The methods for improving schools must not

come from outside the schools. The most lasting
and important changes will come from within and
will draw on the great resources within the
schools.
Roland Barth

A COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
TEAM
Is sustained by supportive and shared
leadership
Works to develop a shared vision, mission,
values and goals
Collaborates within the team to deepen the
knowledge base of all professionals to
support student needs
Utilizes inquiry and reflection to solve the
tough problems

PLCs are Already Here!

Existing Committee Examples:

Professional Relations
Technology Advancement
New Teacher Mentoring
Curriculum Development

Not Far Off the Mark Examples:

Teacher of the Year
Formative Assessment Creation Groups
Tech Groups

School Improvement
DEPENDS ON
instructional & administrative leadership both
focused on the needs of the students

NOT ON
disconnected programs or
top-down decision making.

Be An Instrument of
Change