This document discusses Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in schools. A PLC requires teachers to work as a team to ensure all students are reaching their full potential by aligning teaching to standards, developing common assessments, tracking data, and revising instruction. To provide time for PLC meetings, some schools implement early release days a few times a month. While PLCs align instruction and help identify struggling students, they also require more meetings and a shift in mindset from individual teaching to a team approach.

1. A Case for PLC’s
Why change is sometimes good!

2. What is a PLC?
A PLC is a Professional Learning Community.
In simple terms it means the entire school building is
working together to make sure all students are working
to their fullest potential.
It requires a lot of team work and the ability to be
transparent in all you do.

3. How does it work?
Develop Teams
Define Norms and Expectations
Align teaching to Oregon State Standards
Develop Common Assessments
Track Data
Review and Revise

4. Who has time for that?

5. Early Release/Late Start
My school went to an early release schedule
14 times a year, the kids get released 2 hours early
During the two hours we meet as teams to design
assessments, review data and plan for upcoming units.

6. Is that really enough time?
 No it isn’t.
 We also meet once per month
in kid focused meetings to
look at individual students.

7. What do you really think?
Pros
 Aligns teaching with
standards.
 Kids in different classrooms
get same materials.
 Team work allows for shared
ideas and feedback
 Common assessment help
determine student learning.
Cons
 More meetings than ever.
 Never enough time to get it
all in.
 Not everyone is on board yet.
 Takes a shift in mindset from
“my” kids to “our” kids.

8. What resources exist?
Great conferences and professional development.
Technology, technology, technology. We use it in our
team all the time. Team Blogs, Google Docs, Wikis.
Books, podcasts and You Tube videos.

9. What about the kids?
 Struggling students are now
identified quickly
 Students know what learning
targets are for each unit.
 Frequent data analysis allows
for students to move between
enrichment when doing well to
interventions when struggling.
 Students identify classrooms as
doing “the same thing”. Less
teacher competition.

10. Final Thoughts…….
A PLC offers more of a team approach to each student.
There is no longer a “close your door and teach”
approach in my building. I love that.
We always talk about students needing to become
problem solvers and being able to work effectively in
teams. This model is one in which we ourselves practice
what we preach.