The document outlines the concept of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) as collaborative networks among teachers, administrators, parents, and students that focus on continuous improvement in education. It highlights key characteristics of effective PLCs, including shared mission, collaborative culture, and a results-oriented approach, alongside a structured five-step process for implementing PLCs in schools. Ultimately, the document emphasizes the importance of questioning assumptions, fostering engagement, and valuing diverse perspectives to enhance learning outcomes.

1. A Focus on “Learning” Rather than “Teaching”

2. What is it.... “… A Professional Learning Community is a collaboration of teachers, administrators, parents and students, who work together to seek out best practices, test them in the classroom, continuously improve processes, and focus on results.” Rick DuFour, 2002

3. The “Big Four” Questions that guide instructional decision making. What should students know and be able to do as a result of this course, class or grade level? How will we know that the students are not learning? How do we respond when students do not learn? How do we respond when students learn more?

4. Characteristics of a PLC Shared Mission, Vision, Goals Collaborative Culture Collective Inquiry Action Orientation/Experimentation Commitment to Continuous Improvement Results Orientation

5. Shared Mission, Values and Goals Mission of Pender County Schools Through a 21 st century infrastructure , Pender County Schools will aggressively pursue fiscally responsible and measureable methods of providing innovative and creative learning opportunities that motivate students to succeed in a globally competitive world. Motto : Pender County Schools…..the future in progress

6. Collaborative Culture There’s no “I” in Team!

7. Collective Inquiry People in a learning community relentlessly question the status quo, seek new methods of teaching and learning, test the methods, and then reflect on the results. ? They reflect publicly on their beliefs and challenge each other’s beliefs. ? They share insights and hammer out common meanings. ? They work jointly to plan and test actions and initiatives. ? They coordinate their actions, so that the work of each individual contributes to the common effort.

8. Action Orientation/Experimentation Members of PLC’s constantly turn their learning and insights into action. They recognize the importance of engagement and experience in learning and testing new ideas .

9. Commitment to Continuous Improvement What is our purpose? What do we hope to achieve? What are our strategies for improving? How will we assess our efforts?

10. Results Orientation Assessment and re-evaluation are the keys to continued improvement.

11. Ready…Set…Grow The steps needed to create effective PLC’s in your school community… Step 1: The Seed Determine School and Staff Readiness Step 2: The Root Use Experts/Facilitators

12. Step 3: The Stem Identify Barriers and Boosters Step 4: The Leaf Begin with the Learning Step 5: The Flower Create a Theory of Change

13. Group Activity Break into groups of 4 or 5. Each group will be given one of the steps and part of a plant. Discuss how your step would look in a data meeting. Write down your thoughts on the plant part and be ready to share with the group.

14. The Steps…again Step 1: Determine School and Staff Readiness Step 2: Use Experts/Facilitators Step 3: Identify Barriers/Boosters Step 4: Begin with the Learning Step 5: Create a Theory of Change

15. Summing it up… PLC’s can “look” lots of ways , but must include the following beliefs and behaviors of the participants: Caring deeply about learning. Feeling free to take risks. Challenging each other and raising the expectations of everyone. Respecting and valuing perspectives other than their own and seeking every member’s input. Intentional in seeking to do the work better. Aggressive in continually building capacity of each member to work smarter. Professional Learning Communities: A Fable