This introduction to PLCs leads teams through describing characteristics of PLCs, understanding what a collaborative team is and exploring how the 4 critical questions can guide our work.

1. Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teacher University  October 8, 2010
Learning by Doing
DuFour, DuFour, Eaker & Many
 I can identify and describe the
characteristics of a Professional
Learning Community (PLC).

3. Learning by Doing
• Professional Learning Communities
= Collaborative Teams
• Not new – system-wide common
language
• 3 Big ideas: A focus on
• Learning
• Collaboration
• Results
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teacher University  October 8, 2010

4. Learning  Collaboration  Results
Identify Characteristics of a PLC
With your table group, complete the
first row of the graphic organizer
based on your current
understanding and experience.
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teacher University  October 8, 2010

5. Learning  Collaboration  Results
Identify Characteristics of a PLC
•Watch PLC Schools video clip
•With your table group, add
information to the second row of
your graphic organizer.
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teacher University  October 8, 2010

6. Learning  Collaboration  Results
Identify Characteristics of a PLC
•Look at pages 187-189 of the book.
•With your table group, add
information to the third row of your
graphic organizer.
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teacher University  October 8, 2010

7. Learning  Collaboration  Results
Describe the Characteristics of a
PLC
•Use the information you collected
on the graphic organizer.
•With your table group, develop a
definition of a PLC.
•Turn them in to the Treasure Chest
when you leave.
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teacher University  October 8, 2010

8. Orting School District  Teacher University  October 8, 2010
Learning by Doing
DuFour, DuFour, Eaker & Many
 I know what a “collaborative team”
is and how the 4 critical questions
can guide our work.
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teacher University  October 8, 2010

9. Learning  Collaboration  Results
Collaborative Teams
•Teachers collaborating does
nothing to improve schools.
•We must collaborate on the right
things.
•It’s a means, not an end.
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teacher University  October 8, 2010

10. Learning  Collaboration  Results
Collaborative Teams
•Page 219: Collaborative teams
definition
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teacher University  October 8, 2010

11. Learning  Collaboration  Results
Four Critical Questions
•Page 21, #4 : 4 Critical Questions
• What do students need to learn?
• How will we know if they learned it?
• What will we do if they do not learn?
• What will we do if they already know it?
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teacher University  October 8, 2010

12. Learning  Collaboration  Results
Collaborative Teams and
4 Critical Questions
•View “Focus on Learning” video clip
(OHS 13:35)
• Do you consider the team to be a collaborative team
according to the definition on page 219? Why?
• Identify which critical question or questions on page
# are being discussed. How do you know?
• The narrator states, “Collaborative time can be
wasted if educators don’t use that time to focus
clearly on teaching and learning issues.” What can
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teacher University  October 8, 2010

13. Learning  Collaboration  Results
Old and New
Dr. Marci Shepard  Orting School District  Teacher University  October 8, 2010