This document outlines the structure and purpose of Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) which are collaborative groups of teachers that meet regularly to improve student learning. The key points are: 1. PLTs are comprised of 4-6 teachers who meet every two weeks to examine student work, identify learning needs, and develop strategies to help students progress. 2. During meetings, teachers analyze student work samples to assess the current level of learning and identify similar students. They then determine the next steps and strategies to help those students improve. 3. A learning log is used to record ideas from meetings and track evidence of student progress over time. The goal is to use evidence, not assumptions, to inform instructional decisions.

1. What is a PLT?Presentation to KSC staffFeb 3rd 2011 Naomi Coleman, Teaching and Learning Coach

2. An agreed and shared vision for South Gippsland Optimal experience for every student in every classroom in every school

3. The Work - Reach and Depth

4. Professional Learning Team (PLT) focus on teachers learning together to improve student learning Collaborative – our kids Investigative – what might work best, what will we try?

6. have a team leader to facilitate

7. have a dedicated meeting every fortnight

8. use a learning log to record ideas

9. develop protocols to look at student work

11. Using work samples as data Each cycle the team brings an agreed work sample as evidence of student learning One student work sample is selected to look at deeply… what is the evidence of this student’s current level? Who are other students at a similar level – find work samples that match

12. Learning Log supports process

13. Year level PLT focus May be a place for improving literacy across the curriculum focusing on problem solving across the curriculum specific HRLTS (John Munro) that will improve learning, using higher order thinking skills and questions based on Instructional Rounds feedback (problem of practice)

14. Structure of fortnightlyPLT meetings 1. Group check in: (brief) What learning have you observed in your classroom of the content area focus in the last fortnight? 2. Work samples: Look at a work sample and discuss evidence of learning in the selected content area

15. 3. Identify “like students” and record What is the next level of learning for these students? What strategies might work? How will we know they have moved on? What resources might we need? What tasks will we all agree to use? 4. Record on learning log identify evidence to bring to next meeting.

16. 5. Identify new teacher knowledge needed If the team is stuck, it may mean that professional learning is needed. Readings, research, VELS – links to the continuum, exploring rich tasks, using assessment tasks to look into what our students can do, and their next level of learning, then researching teaching approaches to support these students Classroom observations/ modelled teaching

17. Work Samples Teachers bring agreed work sample to meeting (possibly pre-assessment task ) Teachers share work samples across all classes using agreed process (eg: rubric) Select a group of like students and examine evidence of what students can do, are on verge of doing

18. Role of team leader Help develop a shared understanding of an effective PLT Be a co learner with the team Mapping out team goals Establishing team meeting schedules Providing a structure for meetings including the PLT log Developing an action plan to support the team’s learning

19. Role of team members Be positive and try to support the learning of everyone in the team Trust the process even if at the moment you are a bit sceptical Bring agreed work samples and commit to meeting schedule

22. Supporting the work of PLTs How can the coach support this work? How can the principal support this work? What systems and structures will support this vision of collaborative teams working to improve student learning?

23. Developing beliefs about evidence How do we develop the language of evidence? What questions and scaffolding techniques support teachers to gather evidence in their classrooms?

24. Evidence not inference How do we know that students are learning what we are teaching? Helping teachers identify inferences they make through classroom observations and coaching conversations Developing teacher skills in collecting evidence of student learning through proformas

25. A proforma for observing student learning

26. From evidence to developmental learning Developing a shared language around evidence builds skills in collecting evidence Evidence of student learning is a powerful tool for exploring the different learning needs of students in a classroom So what’s the next level of learning for that student?

27. Using data to inform practice Data from teachers own classrooms is a powerful strategy to support teachers to develop a shared mental model of learning on a continuum Identifying the range of learning needs from a work sample helps teachers see the need for differentiation in their classrooms The collaboration of the team builds support for trying new teaching strategies

28. Exploring teachers’ ZPD Through coaching we can explore assumptions teachers have about student learning Deficit model or developmental model Teaching leads to learning – how do we know a student has learnt what we have taught Assessment is a score on a test used for reporting This PLT model helps teachers to reflect on and develop their practice and challenge existing beliefs

29. The role of the learner in our classrooms What type of learners do we want to have in our classrooms? What do we allow our students to make say do or write? This PLT model will support the work of instructional rounds by providing a forum for developing strategies around a problem of practice.

30. Teams owning the work This PLT model will work if is supported by school leadership teams and resourced it is owned by the teachers involved (their data, their students, their classrooms) it has an effective team leader who is committed to the work (team leader may not be the domain leader).