What it Means to be a Professional Learning Community
Hello Elementary Friends,
2017 is clicking by!
As I said in my last blog, I am trying to remain more mindful in my professional and personal life. There are times when I am at work when I stop, breath, and take in "the moment." I hope that I am living more deliberately even though things get complicated at times. This blog will share celebrations, learning, and something that "fills my bucket." I hope it fills your bucket, as well!
Something to Celebrate
Let's start off with something to celebrate! I was so proud of the Mortensen Center for Children with Autism. Here is a news release telling about this honor for our kids:
On Friday, February 03, 2017 the Mortensen Elementary School Center for Children with Autism of Littleton, Colorado was honored for the third year in a row with a children’s art display at the Wandering Art Gallery located at 853 Inca Street, Denver. This display was part of the 1st Friday Art Walk on Santa Fe Drive in Denver, Colorado. Students’ work included at least one 20” x 20” acrylic painting or collage, paper hot air balloons, and various watercolors. Teaching paraprofessional , Alison Whelan, spearheads the project each year in collaboration with Naomi Ryerson, curator of the gallery.
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Teacher, Hannah Rigden Paraprofessional, Alison Whelen Madame Curator, Naomi Ryerson Principal, Karla Hankins |
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With student, Teddy Scene (6th Grade) |
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Student Art Work - Fifth Grade |
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Student Art Work - Sixth Grade |
What I am Learning
When you have worked in public education for over 35 years you have the right to say you've seen quite a bit in the education world. I have been a part of a myriad of initiatives, strategies, programs, procedures, and philosophies. I will never say that I've seen it all because every day I learn something new. I keep placing all of this learning and the experience into my bank of resources of things to definitely use, things to possibly use, and of course things to never use or do again!
Throughout the years of work with so many talented, passionate, and brilliant educators, I have taken note of some of those timeless precepts that guide us in doing the good work that we desire for our students. Most teacher evaluation systems that I have used are written with the tried and true quality teaching indicators that have withstood the test of time.
Get ready - I am listing the secrets of being a great teacher in 15 easy steps!
- Up-to-date and extensive knowledge of content standards and expectations
- Knowledge of how to integrate subject matter and literacy across content areas
- Knowledge and ability to implement research-based best practices
- Understanding of and ability to develop lessons with an effective lesson design
- Ability to align content with previous and succeeding grades or courses
- How to clearly communicate to students the expectations for learning
- How to facilitate high-level thinking, creativity, and flexibility
- Adaption of instruction to meet the needs of all students and to provide varied opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning
- Providing meaningful and constructive feedback to students
- Knowledge of how to maximize available instructional time
- Development of a safe, orderly, and welcoming environment for learning
- Development of strong positive relationships with students
- Being self-reflective and eager to participate in professional learning
- Strong positive communication skills with students, parents, and colleagues
- Collaboration desires and skill to help the school accomplish goals for the benefit of students
All of these are currently found within the Jeffco teacher evaluation expectations, but they have also been found in any school, district, or state that I have worked in. As a matter of fact, these were all included in the teacher expectations in Australia, as well. They are essential skills and professional traits that we must strive to attain if we expect to be successful in the teaching profession wherever we find ourselves teaching!
Throughout the course of the years my schools have engaged in professional learning that cover all of the above knowledge and skills. This year at Mortensen we are focusing our efforts on a structure for professional growth known as the Professional Learning Community (PLC). Of course it has an acronym! The concept of the PLC has been around for several years, and we have used structures similar to this one, but we are going deeper this year and already starting to see some positive results
A professional learning community (PLC) is a method to foster collaborative learning among colleagues within a particular work environment or field. It is often used in schools as a way to organize teachers into working groups of practice-based professional learning.
The book that we are using as a book study to help us in forming and maintaining effective professional learning communities is:
We are enjoying the learning that this book is providing. Here is some information on the book:
Faced with the growing demands of leadership in today's schools, how can principals and teacher leaders ensure that their actions will impact teaching and learning in positive ways? This compelling new book by Thomas W. Many and Susan K. Sparks-Many provides straightforward solutions for the complex challenges school leaders face. Discover how implementing a few specific high-leverage strategies, grounded in the core belief of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) can promote lasting improvement in schools. This book's concrete examples of high-leverage, evidence-based practices help you:
- understand the essential role principals and teacher leaders play in leading PLCs
- Foster an understanding of how PLCs can support implementation of major instructional shifts such as the Common Core State Standards
- Apply high-leverage strategies across your own school and district to improve instruction and better serve the needs of all students
Here are a few of the main ideas that I have gleaned from this book and from our collaboration around Professional Learning Communities at my school.
1. Principals often ask, "How will we find the time to collaborate?" The answer is that we won't find the time. The reality is that we already have all the time we are ever going to have, and we must MAKE the time within current constraints.
2. With a focus on learning in their schools, PLCs attempt to answer four critical questions of learning:
- What do we want our children to know and be able to do?
- How will we know they have learned it?
- What will we do when they have not learned it?
- What will we do when they have learned?
3. Reflecting on our practice as educators (often called making meaning of our practice) is a high-leverage strategy. It makes a measurable difference when teachers self-reflect both individually and in a safe small group. They then take the self-evaluation results and make meaningful alterations to instruction.
4. Creating a Collaborative Culture is an intentional practice and critical to our success. Collaboration is described as " a systematic process in which teachers work together interdependently in order to impact their classroom practice in ways that will lead to better results for their students, for their team and for their school." Page 103
5. I love the kite flying analogy on pages 127-128.
Imagine a beautiful spring day. The blue sky is dotted with white puffy clouds drifting along the horizon. The eager kite flyer runs across the field, pulling along a fragile collection of sticks and tissue at the end of a string.
For a time, the kite bounces along the ground and shows no inclination of ever getting off the ground. Eventually, and after much effort, the kite flyer manages to lift the kite a few precious feet into the air, but danger suddenly looms. The kite seems to be determined to dive toward electrical lines and tangle itself in tree limbs.
It is a defining moment for the kite flyer. Will the dangers keep the kite from soaring skyward to attain its ultimate height? The kite flyer adjusts tension on the string to redirect the kite and catch a puff of wind that lifts it upward. As the kite floats aloft, the kite flyer loosens the tight control and lets the string play out, enjoying the wonder of the kite soaring higher and higher.
This analogy describes many new things that we learn or are asked to do. At first it is very uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Relationships on newly established teams can be fragile. It is up to the leaders to demonstrate both loose and tight leadership (in the right combination) in order to get the PLC off the ground.
Our PLC structure is further along and more effective than in some schools; however, we still have a way to go to see some measurable increases in student achievement. What warms my heart is that my teachers have the desire and determination to see it through so that we can collectively reach our goals.
What "Fills My Bucket"
Every year in August we have a Back to School Breakfast for the staff on the first day of professional development. We always try to have these "breakfasts" off campus. Often we take advantage of the mountains being so near our school, and we will head up to a state park or picnic area and enjoy a little mountain air! As you know, this past August when the school year started at Mortensen, I was still in the season of winter in Australia! I remember feeling so confused because I was in the middle of a school year there and my school back home was just beginning!
At these beginning of school breakfasts it is a tradition to have a staff photo taken that we then enjoy for the rest of the year. So, in my absence the Mortensen staff held their breakfast at the beautiful Clement Park with a nice lake and mountains in the background. If you look closely you will see me in the second row just two people to the left of Helen Nemeth (my exchange partner)!
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Mortensen Staff 2016-2017 Principal Karla Hankins who was in Australia at the time is sitting in the second row near Helen Nemeth (my exchange partner!) |
Of course it is apparent why this would "fill my bucket." My staff knew that I would be back for the second half of this school year, and they wanted me in the photo. I could not be more thankful for this gesture. It is why I continue to be energized to do what I do. I am very appreciative of the opportunity to work and learn with some amazing people.
Next blog will hold some information on an out of school initiative that I am participating in - it is a choir presentation of the work of Stephen Paulus - Hymns and Heritage Songs - featuring over 200 voices from the choirs of Montview and St. Andrew churches. March 4 and 5. Stay tuned!
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