Because of teachers' busy schedules, it is important for administrators to allot specific time for teachers to meet as groups. "It's absolutely immoral to tell teachers they need to collaborate and not give them the time to collaborate," says Mike Mattos, principal at Pioneer Middle School in Tustin, Calif. His school implemented the Late Start Wednesday program, in which students come to school late on Wednesdays (the other days are longer to make up classroom time), allowing teachers time for collaboration.
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ICC beginning of year discussion/PD - 4 views
BalancEdTech - iPad Exploration - 5 views
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Education Update:Taking the Fear Out of the First Year:Professional Learning Communitie... - 13 views
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Being a part of a collaborative culture helped to take my first year from being a complete, disorganized disaster to a year of successful learning for both the children and me. I felt the mentoring process was a form of collaborative culture. -
The time for groups of teachers to work together is key. This can be difficult at the secondary level, districts and administrators are getting more creative about finding ways to make this happen. -
Specials teachers also like to be included in these communities. It seems like we get placed in the position of working with students while other collaborate in our building. Not sure how to solve this scheduling issue. -
Allysen is right! key is time for teachers to work together and learn the technology available
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I think it's great that this article points out the importance to allot time for collaboration! We have implemented an early out once a month this year for basically this reason. We are using the time to work on AIW, Authentic Intellectual Work, with co-workers. This focuses on working together to improve tasks, student work and instruction. -
It is important to provide time to collaborate. In some schools the teachers only see each other at lunch, in the hallway, or at an already structured meeting. There should be an opportunity for teachers of all subjects to get together to talk about what they have been doing, what has worked, and what has not worked.
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an easy-to-read article describing the professional learning community philosophy - ...6 more comments...
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Here is a great article I found during a PLN class I am taking and it talks on how to use twitter. Our class on Personal Learning Networks fits right with PLC's. Our school in Grundy Center, Iowa just finished it's second year. Here is the sight for the twitter info. http://cooper-taylor.com/2008/08/50-ideas-on-using-twitter-for-education/ -
http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=2105 Here is an article to see if your school is doing a good job with PLC's. Our school thought it had a great first year and the second year we didn't. We followed the steps the second year and didn't personalize it as much and we regretted it later. While assessing PLC's don't ever forget to make it your own.
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I am taking a class bout this concept of PLN's and we have been investigating multiple social media outlets in order to help contribute to the students' learning environment. Below is a link to the 2006 Time magazine "person of the Year" article. It's a good read and offers great perspective and it would be a great resource to explain to kids and other teachers (PD) as to what direction "learning" is heading and why is it important to continue to evolve our methods. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1569514,00.html -
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The PLC team I was on this year really felt like we were successful at helping our first graders. We were able to focus on what we wanted to do to help our students and have the time to discuss if it was working. We were also able to have the time to discuss what we can all do to make things better. -
There is no question that a collaborative culture encourages improved student achievement. When we all work together, it's always better for the students and for us. -
I look forward to creating that collaborative culture in our district. I feel we have it, but turning the focus on to the student's actual learning will be very powerful and beneficial to all of our students. Providing the time for our teachers will be critical, and getting everyone to buy into the change in thinking. -
Perhaps because I am taking a class on and learning the power of PLNs, I am really impressed by the potential of this. And beneficial to teachers AND students.
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Is It Worth It? - Sharing Data from Successful PLCs | AllThingsPLC - 27 views
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It was very easy to get together and “chat” about things like lesson plans, travel forms, and recess procedures. It was not until we began to look at our data that we realized, by accident, that some of us were better at some things and some of us were better at others!
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It is amazing how all schools are similiar, when it comes to the nuts and bolts. We all have a group that have multi-talents if we could work with each other and benefit the students it would be a good day.
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This is a great resource! It goes very deep into the motives of using PLNs and breaks it down into a few ideas and questions so you can reflect on what a successful PLN would look like and how to utilize it for students' engagement and success. -
In the article, one district had late starts on Mondays for planning time for their PLCs. Our district plans to have groups meet once a month for 30 minutes. I'd like to hear what other districts are doing. -
We are going into our 3rd year of PLC in my district. I think the idea is great and can be incredibly valuable. However, the group is only as powerful as the members in it. If all members buy into the concept, great things can come out of it. If members view it as a waste of time, come unprepared or do not participate then it truly is a waste of time. Getting members to believe is the most difficult part. -
We are just starting PLCs at my school. So far we have just had a training session about it. I will be interested to see how it works during the next few years. -
The biggest hurdle for some districts may be having enough technology/computers available
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This is the first year of PLC's for Charles City. We are following a very 'patient' approach by 'dictating' the direction of the PLC's (everyone studies characteristics of effective instruction) for the first several months. Hopefullly, this will allow everyone to to understand the dynamics of PLC first before we allow individuals to 'breakout' by content or topic. -
This is our first year of PLC's in the Dike-New Hartford District. Like Charles City we are also easing into the direction our group wants to go. Right now we have two early dismissal days a month to meet. We are too getting to know the dynamics of PLC's to make them effective in our district. -
This is our second year of PLC at GR. I ahve found working in our group this year during the extra 8 hours outside of school time very beneficial. Going 1 : 1 computers, this sharing has given us time to find new sources for ourselves and students to use as we improve learning.
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“Is it worth it?” will always be a question for those interested in taking the PLC journey. While we have data to support it and strategies to share on how we have moved in the direction of learning for all, the greatest answer to the question is in the smiles of our children and stories of their parents as they know and share that student learning is what we are all about at Fort Leavenworth Schools.
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How do you get something like this started in your school? Can you get everyone on board?
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Collaboration is key. Cant be a complaint session. Must have input from everyone. -
I agree. When we start working on solutions to challenges, rather than complaining, educators can make incredible gains. -
Our PLC made little flags with photos of Norm from "Cheers" on wooden sticks. When one of us starts going down a different path with the discussion, any of us can hold up our "Norm" to remind us to stay on track. This works well for us because it is a humorous way to keep organized and doesn't hurt anybody's feelings. -
Diane: I love the creativity and team-bldg. by using humor ...and yet being organized and productive. -
Just attended a PLC of 4 regional schools last friday where we were trying to develop curriculum alignment amongst school. Develping this network on line will allow us as a gorup to "steal" activities from others, discuss best practices and share our successes and struggles.
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It seems as though my school's PLCs have been overshadowed by PD and our mixture of content teachers, while good in theory, has not worked in practice. I am a foreign language teacher, the only one in my school, and I am always paired with art, music, PE and the guidance counselor. Then we are so structured that any type of 'ah-ha moment' cannot be realized, due to the constraints of the itinerary.
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Finding the time to meet consistently seems to be the biggest task for us. It seems that we begin to lose our inspiration when it is so complicated to get together.
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We met in PLCs the last two years, but then became one to one and our focus has switched for this year. I wonder how this will change in the future. -
I agree that time is the key. During basketball season my group was only able to meet at 6:30 am.
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I think these questions are so valuable to all of us. It forces us to think and evaluate what we are doing in the classroom and how much is necessary vs. "fluff".
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I feel like I am coming up with more questions than solutions...yet am excited for the potential that increased PLC productivity can become using technology
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she commented that one of the norms for her group was to leave their egos at the door. When everyone did that, honest conversations started to happen and learning was paramount. Realizing that it was not a personal affront to anyone when you spoke about data was a huge AHA moment for our teachers! It gave professionals permission not to have to be supermen and superwomen in their classrooms, but to focus on what they can do better – together!
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We are very passionate about what we teach that this can be very true. Always remembering we are there for the students and not ourselves makes all the difference.
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Nice write-up about learning teams and the use of common formative assessments.
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Having a PLC and actually using it effectively is important. As teachers, we know we need the time to work collaboratively to make effective changes. This was an excellent source on how teachers worked together to improve performance. Goood key questions used to keep teachers focused on improvement.
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This is our first year implementing PLC at Dike New Hartford. We are in the beginning phases and are dismissing two hours early twice a month. The big idea of focusing on learning and not teaching is a big shift in thinking, but a much needed one. After spending three days in Minneapolis, I feel I have a good handle on what a true PLC should look like, but not sure a lot of my teaching partners due yet.
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I would like to see more time in our school devoted to PLC...with increased focus on technology...this stuff takes time yet in the long run would SAVE so much time. I have to say technology gets me more excited as to the access of information than the actual Iowa Core does.
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I am in my first year in a district that uses PLCs for professional development. I find it to be a great way to share ideas and learn from colleagues from a variety of curricular areas; very worthwhile professional development.