Guiding Professional Learning Communities

Guiding Professional Learning Communities
Author: Shirley M. Hord
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 241
Release: 2010
Genre: Education
ISBN: 141297271X

This research-based sequel to Leading Professional Learning Communities focuses on the practical process of implementing, improving, and sustaining PLCs. Appropriate for groups at all stages of PLC development, this field book helps educators improve PLC operations by facilitating individual and group development and growth. The authors provide learning opportunities that generate conversations about adult learning and contribute to supportive conditions that strengthen teacher quality and raise student outcomes.

Professional Learning Communities at Work®and High-Reliability Schools

Professional Learning Communities at Work®and High-Reliability Schools
Author: Robert Eaker
Publisher: Solution Tree Press
Total Pages: 471
Release: 2020-02-18
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1949539644

Dramatically improve schooling by harnessing the collective power of the High Reliability SchoolsTM (HRS) model and the PLC at Work® process. Featuring some of America's best educators, this anthology includes information, insights, and practical suggestions for both PLCs and HRS. The overarching purpose is to demonstrate how these two approaches, taken together, complement each other and support educators in their efforts to create a culture of continuous improvement. Use this resource to ensure a guaranteed and viable curriculum: Study the HRS and PLC practices with guidance from numerous practitioners and experts, developing good teachers into great teachers through a culture of accountability. Learn how to keep your school focused on the right work in order to achieve learning for all through a continuous improvement process. Understand how the HRS model can improve success with the PLC process and how the PLC at Work process is the cornerstone of a high reliability school. Explore the ways in which strong leaders can model and improve the why and how of PLC at Work through a collaborative culture. Explore the five levels of the HRS model, and then learn how to relate each level to PLC at Work process to improve education in your school or district. Contents: Introduction: Professional Learning Communities at Work and High Reliability Schools—Merging Best Practices for School Improvement by Robert J. Marzano and Robert Eaker Part I: The Five Levels A Safe, Supportive, and Collaborative Culture 1. Culture Building in a High Reliability School by Mario Acosta 2. Frames of Mind and Tools for Success: Organizational Culture in a PLC by Anthony Muhammad Effective Teaching in Every Classroom 3. Six Steps for Effective Teaching in Every Classroom by Toby Boss 4. Effective Teaching in a Professional Learning Community by William M. Ferriter A Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum 5. Six Action Steps for a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum by Jan K. Hoegh 6. PLC, HRS, and a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum by Heather Friziellie and Julie A. Schmidt Standards-Referenced Reporting 7. A Multiyear Plan for Standards-Referenced Reporting by Tammy Heflebower 8. Grading and Reporting for Learning in a PLC by Eric Twadell Competency-Based Education 9. Personalized, Competency-Based Education by Mike Ruyle 10. Preparation for Tomorrow: A Competency-Based Focus and PLCs by Mike Mattos Part II: Professional Learning Communities, High Reliability Organizations, and School Leadership 11. High Reliability Leadership by Philip B. Warrick 12. Leadership in a PLC: Coherence and Culture by Timothy D. Kanold Part III: Professional Learning Communities, High Reliability Organizations, and District Leadership 13. Leadership in High Reliability School Districts by Cameron L. Rains 14. Leadership in a High Performing PLC by Marc Johnson

Professional Learning Communities at Work

Professional Learning Communities at Work
Author: Richard DuFour
Publisher: Solution Tree
Total Pages: 0
Release: 1998
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9781879639607

Provides specific information on how to transform schools into results-oriented professional learning communities, describing the best practices that have been used by schools nationwide.

On Common Ground

On Common Ground
Author: Richard DuFour
Publisher: Solution Tree Press
Total Pages: 258
Release: 2009-04-01
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1934009865

This anthology presents the recommendations of education leaders, and each chapter contributes to a sound conceptual framework and offers specific strategies for developing PLCs. These leaders have found common ground in expressing their belief in the power of PLCs although clear differences emerge regarding their perspectives on the most effective strategy for making PLCs the norm in North America.

Building a Professional Learning Community at Work TM

Building a Professional Learning Community at Work TM
Author: Parry Graham
Publisher: Solution Tree Press
Total Pages: 447
Release: 2009-09-22
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1936765004

Get a play-by-play guide to implementing PLC concepts. Each chapter begins with a story focused on a particular challenge. A follow-up analysis of the story identifies the good decisions or common mistakes made in relation to that particular scenario. The authors examine the research behind best practice and wrap up each chapter with recommendations and tools you can use in your school.

Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work®

Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work®
Author: Richard DuFour
Publisher: Solution Tree Press
Total Pages: 592
Release: 2009-11-01
Genre: Education
ISBN: 193400989X

This 10th-anniversary sequel to the authors’ best-selling book Professional Learning Communities at WorkTM: Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement merges research, practice, and passion. The most extensive, practical, and authoritative PLC resource to date, it goes further than ever before into best practices for deep implementation, explores the commitment/consensus issue, and celebrates successes of educators who are making the journey.

PLC+

PLC+
Author: Douglas Fisher
Publisher: Corwin
Total Pages: 217
Release: 2019-05-16
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1544385781

What makes a powerful and results-driven Professional Learning Community (PLC)? The answer is collaborative work that expands the emphasis on student learning and leverages individual teacher efficacy into collective teacher efficacy. PLC+: Better Decisions and Greater Impact by Design calls for strong and effective PLCs plus—and that plus is YOU. Until now, the PLC movement has been focused almost exclusively on students and what they were or were not learning. But keeping student learning at the forefront requires that we also recognize the vital role that you play in the equation of teaching and learning. This means that PLCs must take on two additional challenges: maximizing your individual expertise, while harnessing the power of the collaborative expertise you can develop with your peers. PLC+ is grounded in four cross-cutting themes—a focus on equity of access and opportunity, high expectations for all students, a commitment to building individual self-efficacy and the collective efficacy of the professional learning community and effective team activation and facilitation to move from discussion to action. The PLC+ framework supports educators in considering five essential questions as they work together to improve student learning: Where are we going? Where are we now? How do we move learning forward? What did we learn today? Who benefited and who did not benefit? The PLC+ framework leads educators to question practices as well as outcomes. It broadens the focus on student learning to encompass educational equity and teaching efficacy, and, in doing so, it leads educators to plan and implement learning communities that maximize individual expertise while harnessing the power of collaborative efficacy.

Learning by Doing

Learning by Doing
Author: Richard DuFour
Publisher: Solution Tree
Total Pages: 267
Release: 2020
Genre: Educational leadership
ISBN: 9781949539479

In the third edition of Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work®, authors Richard DuFour, Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker, Thomas W. Many, and Mike Mattos provide educators with a comprehensive, bestselling guide to transforming their schools into professional learning communities (PLCs). In this revised version, contributor and Canadian educator Karen Power has adapted the third edition for Canadian educators, emphasizing how Canadian educators can effectively improve learning for each student across their unique and widely diverse provinces and territories. Rewritten so that the scenarios, research, and language appropriately meet the needs of Canadian educators, this version is packed with real-world strategies and advice that will assist readers in transforming their school or district into a successful PLC.

Demystifying Professional Learning Communities

Demystifying Professional Learning Communities
Author: Kristine Kiefer Hipp
Publisher: R&L Education
Total Pages: 176
Release: 2010-02-16
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1607090511

The purpose of this book is to clearly define an approach to school improvement that uses professional learning community (PLC) practices to achieve school improvement and success for every student. This book offers information, examples and case studies to clarify the concept of a PLC, to respond to critical issues in schools, and to support educational leaders in addressing the important mandates of accountability and school improvement. As school leaders proactively lead efforts to create learning communities, their schools, districts, and staff will incorporate knowledge, skills, and practices that focus on teaching and learning for all. The authors' findings will assist leaders, change agents, policy makers, and university faculty in guiding schools toward creating and maintaining PLCs as they sustain school improvement for student learning.

Reculturing Schools as Professional Learning Communities

Reculturing Schools as Professional Learning Communities
Author: Jane Bumpers Huffman
Publisher: R&L Education
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2003-10-22
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1461653827

This important work documents and examines evidence of efforts taking place in rural, urban, and suburban Pre-K-12 schools that are actively engaged in creating professional learning communities (PLCs). Literature is reviewed that defines and identifies the distinguishing dimensions of PLCs. A five-year, federally funded research study is explained including the methodology and demographics of the six study schools and a synthesis of the 64 interviews. A PLC organizer (PLCO) is introduced, which realigns with Shirley Hord's original 1997 research. The organizer provides the framework to explain the five PLC dimensions and related critical attributes. The PLCO also merges Fullan's model, Phases of Change (1985), which includes initiation, implementation, and institutionalization. The authors provide extensive evidence of the progressive development of a PLC from initiation to implementation using exemplars and non-exemplars from interviews that either hinder or facilitate creating and sustaining PLCs. A new assessment tool, the Professional Learning Community Assessment (PLCA), is also presented and can be used for diagnosis and evaluation of schools as they work toward school reform efforts. Readers are also presented with information that connects professional learning community work to a new approach to school improvement. Five case studies are included that can be used in schools and university classrooms for the purpose of engaging educators in reflection, open dialogue, problem finding, and problem solving. This first-hand documented information provides readers with unique issues as they wrestle with the challenges of transforming schools into organizations that meet diverse students needs. Lessons learned from this problem-based learning can easily transfer to the readers' own experiences and schools. The authors conclude by highlighting significant findings, reviewing the most recent related research that addresses sustaining such efforts, and offering suggestions for school leaders to