Bringing About Change Using Professional Learning Communities

OSPI Winter Conference 2006 Dave Colombini – Principal, South Kitsap High School Dan Whitford – Director Instructional Services, South Kitsap School District

CHARACTERISTICS of a Professional Learning Community

         Shared mission (why do we exist) Vision (what do we hope to become?) Values (how must we behave?) Goals (which steps and when?) Collaborative teams Collective inquiry Action orientation/experimentation Commitment to continuous improvement Results focus DuFour & Eaker

Critical Corollary Questions If we believe all kids can learn: • What is it we expect them to learn?

• How will we know when they have learned it?

• How will we respond when they don’t learn?

• How will we respond when they already know it?

The First (and Biggest) “BIG IDEA” of a PLC • The guiding principle of a PLC is that the purpose of the school is to ensure high levels of learning for all students.

-

Will focus the attention and energy of the entire school on learning.

- The frame of reference for all decisions will become, “what is the impact on learning?”

Making the Complex Simple

• If we could truly establish high levels of learning for all students as the guiding principle of the school...

• and if we were willing to honestly confront the brutal facts of the current reality in our school...

• the right decisions about what to do and what to stop doing often become evident.

The Second “BIG IDEA” of the PLC • We can achieve our fundamental purpose of high levels of learning for all students only if we work together. We cultivate this collaborative culture through the development of high performing teams.

What is Collaboration?

• A

systematic

process in which we work together

interdependently

to analyze and

impact

professional practice in order to improve our individual and collective

results

.

Old Time Schedule • Block 1 and 4 7:25-9:10 • SKR 9:20-9:40 – Sustained Silent Reading • Block 2 and 5 – Includes 4 Lunches • Block 3 and 6 9:40-12:00 12:10-1:55

New Schedule • Collaboration – Tutorial and Pack • Block 1 and 4 • Block 2 and 5 – Includes 4 Lunches • Block 3 and 6 7:25-8:03 8:10-9:46 9:53-12:10 12:17-1:55

Keys to Effective Teams

• Collaboration embedded in routine practices • Time for collaboration build in school day and school calendar • Teams focus on key questions • Products of collaboration are made explicit • Team norms guide collaboration • Teams pursue specific and measurable performance goals.

Value of Common Assessments • Focused instruction • Common core curriculum • Focused, common learning • Better tests • Identification of curricular areas needing attention

Value of Common Assessments continued • Provision of objective indicators of effectiveness for teachers • Promotes collaboration • Promotes higher order thinking skills



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.

DuFour & Eaker

A Third “BIG IDEA” of the PLC Concept • We assess our individual and collective effectiveness in helping all students learn at high levels on the basis of results rather than activity. We eagerly seek out multiple indicators of student achievement and use that information to promote continuous improvement.

Our Collective Response Reveals Our Commitment to Student Success • High expectations for student success will be judged not only by the initial staff beliefs and behaviors, but also by the

organization’s

response when some students do not learn.

- Larry Lezotte, 1991

Fundamental Human Longings

• To be successful (Achievement) • To belong (Connection) • To make a difference (Significance)

It’s Never Quick and Easy!

Systems thinking is the realization that change is non linear. It’s just one damn thing after another.

Fullan