NJASA SOUTHERN REGIONAL SUMMIT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES PRESENTED BY: DR. JACK McCULLEY STERLING REGIONAL SC

1. NJASA SOUTHERN REGIONAL SUMMITPROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIESPRESENTED BY:DR. JACK McCULLEYSTERLING REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

2. What is a Professional Learning Community?

3. Learning Community is Characterized by: Shared mission, vision, and values Collaborative Teams. Collective inquiry. Action orientation/experimentation. Commitment to continuous improvement. Results orientation. DuFour & Eaker

4. Shared Mission (Purpose), Vision (Clear Direction), Values (Collective Commitments, and Goals (Indicators, Timelines, and Targets) � All Focused on Student Learning

5. A Collaborative Culture With a Focus on Learning

6. Action Orientation: Learning By Doing

7. A Commitment to Continuous Improvement

8. Results Orientation

9. The Big Ideas That Drive Professional Learning Communities

11. Origin of Professional Learning Community

14. In a Professional Learning Community:

15. Cultural Shifts Becoming a Professional Learning Community Robert Eaker

16. Culture is often defined as:�How we do things around here.�Compared to more traditional schools, how are things done in a professional learning community?

17. Cultural Shift

18. Cultural Shift: Developing a Mission Statement Student Learning Traditional Schools Generic. Belief statements; such as, �We believe all kids can learn.� Professional Learning Communities Clarifies what students will learn. Clarifies how we will know what students have learned. Clarifies how the school will respond when students do not learn.

19. Cultural Shift � Primary Focus

20. Cultural Shift - Curriculum

25. Honor Societies, Sports Recognition, etc. focus on a few specific groups. Honor Societies, Sports Recognition, etc. focus on a few specific groups.

26. Tech Prep?? PLC As long as the curriculum is aligned to the standards, stay the course. Implement change only if it can be determined that it will positively impact student learning.Tech Prep?? PLC As long as the curriculum is aligned to the standards, stay the course. Implement change only if it can be determined that it will positively impact student learning.

27. Cultural & Educational Shifts Becoming a Professional Learning Community Sterling High School Somerdale, NJ This PLC workshop was as a result of the professional development committee�s questionnaire. People feel like they hadn�t been trained and needed more information on the direction that PLC was taking. Also, they needed to know what the overall goals are of PLC. This workshop will have three sections: Informational: giving the background of PLC at Sterling, a summation of where we are in the process, and the goals for continuation of the process. Question and answer period to address any concerns. Reflective assessment of individual and department progress. This PLC workshop was as a result of the professional development committee�s questionnaire. People feel like they hadn�t been trained and needed more information on the direction that PLC was taking. Also, they needed to know what the overall goals are of PLC. This workshop will have three sections: Informational: giving the background of PLC at Sterling, a summation of where we are in the process, and the goals for continuation of the process. Question and answer period to address any concerns. Reflective assessment of individual and department progress.

28. WHERE WE STARTED

29. PLC At Sterling Grew out of professional development on alternative assessment Teachers sent to Adlai Stevenson High School in Chicago to view PLC process of common planning and assessment Teachers became interested in developing common goals and assessments for each course Needed common planning time for successful implementation PLC was initiated to facilitate this goal and to focus instruction on student learning Two morning in-service days / month are set aside for PLC time

30. MISSION OF PLC The three �essential questions� of the PLC initiative are: What do we expect students to learn? How will we know that students have learned? How will we respond to students who are not learning

31. What do we want students to learn? State Standards Established Curriculum Outlines Strengths and Weaknesses of Students Expectations of the community Essential vs. Inessential Content Establish specific essential outcomes per unit Development of mandatory and elective activities

32. How do we know if they have learned it? Common Assessments for each course at all levels Establish specific standards of performance, targets or benchmarks for each test to indicate student mastery of intended outcomes Clarify criteria by which work is judged (rubrics) Analyze results

33. How will we respond when students do not learn? Analyze results of assessment Utilize collaboration and best practices to identify and implement improvement strategies Ensure that all students who need it receive additional time and support for learning Re-assess to determine mastery

34. PLC FOCUS ON LEARNING Generally, we found that the PLC process demanded a shift from teachers working in isolation to working collaboratively in all aspects of instruction.Generally, we found that the PLC process demanded a shift from teachers working in isolation to working collaboratively in all aspects of instruction.

35. WHERE WE ARE NOW CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL SHIFT This will vary by department. If you are not already there, we need to move in that direction. This will vary by department. If you are not already there, we need to move in that direction.

36. PLC --Cultural Shift Days of teacher isolation is over. Teachers need to collaborate so that all students enrolled in the same course have consistent standards, common pacing, and equal accountability. Previously two students in the same subject with classes right next door to each other could have completely different grading structures with different expectations. A child�s grade could be determined by who they had not what they learned.Days of teacher isolation is over. Teachers need to collaborate so that all students enrolled in the same course have consistent standards, common pacing, and equal accountability. Previously two students in the same subject with classes right next door to each other could have completely different grading structures with different expectations. A child�s grade could be determined by who they had not what they learned.

37. Cultural Shift � Primary Focus Not �What do I have to teach�, but �what are the essential skills that the students need to learn�. Not �What do I have to teach�, but �what are the essential skills that the students need to learn�.

39. Previously, we relied on external measurement, HSPA, SAT, NJPASS, etc to validate instruction. With PLC, the validation is internal, collaboratively developed, and ongoing. Previously, we relied on external measurement, HSPA, SAT, NJPASS, etc to validate instruction. With PLC, the validation is internal, collaboratively developed, and ongoing.

40. Honor Societies, Sports Recognition, etc. focus on a few specific groups. Honor Societies, Sports Recognition, etc. focus on a few specific groups.

41. Tech Prep?? PLC As long as the curriculum is aligned to the standards, stay the course. Implement change only if it can be determined that it will positively impact student learning.Tech Prep?? PLC As long as the curriculum is aligned to the standards, stay the course. Implement change only if it can be determined that it will positively impact student learning.

42. Educational Shift:Curricular Focus in a Learning Community Until a school has clarifies what students should know and be able to do, and the skills and dispositions they should acquire as a result of schooling, the school cannot function as a learning community There are four major assumptions for curricular development

43. Educational Shift Teacher should work collaboratively to design a research-based curriculum If a curriculum is overloaded --�Pay attention to everything�� it cannot have the necessary focus on results Teachers need to be informed about initiatives and search for the right combination of theory and practice for their students and school at a particular time Pooling uninformed opinions just results in making uninformed decisions Teachers should be familiar with what is known about best practices and utilize and adapt those findings to the culture of each individual school and student population For PLC to be effective, we must focus on essential learning outcomes. These are the essential skills that will be assessed, monitored, and remediated. Rather than just using � canned� programs, teachers need to be aware of these standards based programs and approaches, and be willing to adopt what is effective and adapt the curriculum accordingly.For PLC to be effective, we must focus on essential learning outcomes. These are the essential skills that will be assessed, monitored, and remediated. Rather than just using � canned� programs, teachers need to be aware of these standards based programs and approaches, and be willing to adopt what is effective and adapt the curriculum accordingly.

44. Educational ShiftThe curriculum should clarify the specific knowledge, skills, and dispositions that students should acquire as a result of their schooling. Collaboratively agreed upon curriculum focuses on essential and significant learning topics. �Organized abandonment�deciding what not to teach.� Reduced content allows meaningful content to be taught at greater depth Develop a process of identifying significant content, eliminating non-essential material. Curriculum is �a mile long and an inch deep�. Analyze each unit: what does every student need to know, what information would benefit students if there were time, what is insignificant enough to eliminate?

45. Educational ShiftThe curriculum process should allow teachers to monitor student achievement at the classroom level What do we want students to do as a result of this unit? Not students will �understand� a topic, but what will they do to demonstrate that understanding What methods and material will we use to teach the lesson? (Science department: required activities, elective activities) How will we know whether students have achieved the intended outcomes? Observation, written tests, questioning, review of homework student performance projects, etc. �Students will understand linear equations� does not clarify the specific skills involved for the teacher or the student. Students will be able to solve multi-step linear equations, graph a linear function, find the slop of a linear function and express it as a rate of change. �Students will understand linear equations� does not clarify the specific skills involved for the teacher or the student. Students will be able to solve multi-step linear equations, graph a linear function, find the slop of a linear function and express it as a rate of change.

46. Educational ShiftCurriculum and Assessment Process should foster continuous improvement Culmination of the three previous sections. An effective learning community will: Ensure that a teacher�s daily instruction is consistent with the essential learning goals identified through the curriculum process Insist that students are asked to learn content that has been chosen based on essential outcomes rather than on the idiosyncrasies of an individual teacher Establish the expectation that each instructional unit will provide students the opportunity to practice the kinds of skill they will be asked to demonstrate during assessment Ensure that assessments are aligned with curriculum and instruction Teacher still has individual latitude, but must ensure that essential content is taught. Teacher still has individual latitude, but must ensure that essential content is taught.

47. WHERE WE ARE HEADED

48. Year 1  2005-2006 Define Vision and Mission for each department Develop departmental goals Departments begin working toward development of common curriculum and assessment Academic departmental folders were established on the S-drive for departmental work Curriculum Committee of PLC leaders was established to monitor progress, concerns, etc. Curriculum Committee felt the need for framework or structure in which the departments could work

49. Year 2 2006-2007 Framework was developed so that every department needed to re-align each individual curriculum relative to the standards and re-structure if necessary Led to an examination of each individual curriculum relative to the NJ State Standards�Science department restructured the curriculum using this data Assessments in Science, Social Studies and World Language were developed to reflect NJCCCS and generate data on student achievement relative to the standards Scoring and dissemination of assessment data took place Common Final Examinations were developed and placed in shared departmental folders Goals for 2007-2008 were established Science department realized that Global Science was �overloaded�. They realigned the standards, taking environmental science out of Global and putting it into Biology. They also created a new sequence of courses, introducing Physical Science as an alternative to Chemistry which would include both Physics and Chemistry standards and content Science department realized that Global Science was �overloaded�. They realigned the standards, taking environmental science out of Global and putting it into Biology. They also created a new sequence of courses, introducing Physical Science as an alternative to Chemistry which would include both Physics and Chemistry standards and content

50. Year 32007-2008 Align all curriculum to the state standards Begin to develop a working curriculum for each course Identify essential topics Develop mandatory and optional activities for each unit Develop common unit assessments Use data to target areas of weakness and develop strategies for improvement

51. Year 42008-2009 Continue to focus on data driven information regarding student learning Teachers work in groups to determine essential topics for each course aligned to the State Standards Topics will form the basis of unit assessments that will be given at all levels Remediation should be targeted to specific deficiencies Data should foster discussion regarding teaching and assessment techniques to improve student learning Formative assessments will be developed to assess student learning and benchmark proficiencies Focus is on student learning. Must narrow the curriculum to address what is most important for students to learn. Then we can effectively assess and remediate students accordingly. The formative assessment is the transition point of the PLC process, and will be the focal point of next year�s goals. Focus is on student learning. Must narrow the curriculum to address what is most important for students to learn. Then we can effectively assess and remediate students accordingly. The formative assessment is the transition point of the PLC process, and will be the focal point of next year�s goals.

52. 2009-2010 and Beyond Continue to clarify essential outcomes for each course Develop formative assessments that can serve to assess student proficiencies Collect and analyze feedback on formative assessments to continually assess student performance Develop activities ( required and optional) that address the essential activity and remediate any misunderstandings or problems Continue to develop and refine common unit assessments Establish a cyclical process of data driven, research based responses to student achievement Recognize and celebrate student � teacher successes Recognize that PLC is a constant �work in progress�

53. PLC � THE SCIENCE MODEL Chemistry Essential Questions Chemistry Working Curriculum Chemistry Unit Test Data Analysis

54. PLC AND EDUCATIONAL CHANGE In times of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves beautifully equipped to live in a world that no longer exists. Eric Hoffer, 1972

55. Q&A Thank You