Professional Learning
Communities
Session 2
Tenino High School
December 15, 2009
Roles
Norms
Session Overview
• Part I: Culture and
Climate
• Part II: Exploring
Readiness Data
• Part III: Essential
Conditions
Today’s Learning Targets
Outcomes and Targets
• Teams will be able to articulate
the difference between culture
and climate, and describe how
their culture influences PLC work.
• Using a data protocol, teams will
analyze their readiness survey
results
• Teams will identify 5 strengths
and 5 areas of need, and develop
an initial plan for their next steps.
Connecting to Prior Learning
What has been
the focus of
your PLC
journey?
Conditions for a Cultural Shift
Essential Conditions for PLCs to “grow”
are supported through structural and
collaborative changes.
“Restructuring can facilitate the process
and is often a prequisite for moving
forward, but merely changing the
structures is never sufficient in
creating PLCs.” DuFour
Culture and Climate
Culture = Personality
Climate = Mood
Changing Personality
• Exploring Christmas
Carol…What does it
take to change
Scrooge’s Personality?
(Or anyone’s for that
matter?)
• What are the parallels
for shifting a school’s
culture?
T-Chart
What influences your school’s
culture (Personality)?
How are your PLC processes influenced by
culture?
What influences your school’s
climate (mood)?
How can your PLC processes influence climate?
Culture in a PLC
A disposition toward reflective practice,
a willingness to change and a
collective culture of high expectations
are critical to lasting improvement.
What is your culture of your PLC?
Assessment- PLC Readiness Survey or
Tracking Cultural Shifts in a PLC
Leadership and PLCs
“Creating a culture of inquiring rather than continuing to work in a
culture of isolation represents a significant change within schools
that must be supported. Systems success in improving student
learning are characterized by:
•Articulated norms and values
•A focus on student learning
•Reflective dialogue
•Collaborative practices
•Deprivatization of teaching”
Robert J Garmston co-founder of Center for Adaptive Schools
*PLC Leaders support by…
•
Providing resources (space, time, materials)
•
Providing an Instructional focus
•
Structures and procedures such as protocols to guide their time together
•
Refocus staff to “begin with the end in mind”
•
Model learning
*PLC Leaders are administration and teacher leaders.
Why Protocols?
Structure that supports community
Clearly define roles
Create psychological safety through structures
Are used purposefully
Define time, expectations, procedures and
products
Builds trust through safe interactions
Data Protocol
• Getting started (5 minutes)
• Describing the data (10 minutes)
• Interpreting the Data (10 minutes)
• Work Place implications (10 minutes)
• Reflection (10 Minutes)
Conditions
5 Strengths with Evidence
Conditions
Deprivitization of Practice
Evidence
“We shared ideas for pre-writing
strategies. We discussed how to develop
a grade level rubric. We are setting a
schedule for peer observation.”
Action Plan Conditions
Areas of Growth
Conditions
Time to meet and talk
“Short Term Win”
Class coverage
Action Steps (Who? What?
When?)
Reflection and next steps
• What will you share
with staff as a result of
tonight?
• How did your team
model effective group
norms?
• What follow-up or
support do you feel
you need?