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The Practice of Authentic PLCs

A Guide to Effective Teacher Teams

By: Daniel R. Venables

Award-winning author details a clear, research-based process for implementing PLCs to improve student learning. Included are practical strategies, activities, exercises, and troubleshooting tips for coaches.

Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12, Elementary, Secondary
ISBN: 9781412986632
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2011
Page Count: 208
Publication date: January 11, 2011

Price: $39.95

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Description

"This text illustrates the essence of what it really means to be a teacher—to care deeply and to think and act collectively about student and teacher learning."
—Barrie Bennet, Professor
OISE/University of Toronto, Ontario

"Daniel Venables has made a terrific contribution to the growing effort of teachers to educate ourselves in professional learning communities through protocols that focus our attention on the right stuff. Happily his writing is as accessible as his material is useful and his insights fresh."
—Joseph P. McDonald, Professor of Teaching and Learning and author of The Power of Protocols
New York University

Discover the keys to building effective, authentic PLCs

Creating an authentic professional learning community requires breaking down the walls of isolation and collaborating to improve student learning, because collectively we are more than the sum of our parts. Grounded in the award-winning author's foundational work with the Coalition of Essential Schools, this book enables educators to hit the ground running with a research-based process that includes:

Setting the foundation for collaboration and team building
Facilitating protocols
Examining student and teacher work
Implementing teacher-designed common formative assessments
Analyzing and responding to data

Educators will find numerous strategies, activities, exercises, and guidance for PLC leaders, including FAQs and a troubleshooting guide to common obstacles. When teachers are given the time, tools, and power to improve instruction, everyone benefits.

Key features

Details a clear, step-by-step process for implementing PLCs that is both research based AND field-tested that enables educators to hit the ground running.
Builds on the big ideas and characteristics of authentic PLCs by adding three linchpins of authentic PLCs to help schools narrow the focus into three main tasks of PLCs: Examining student and teacher work; designing and implementing Teacher-designed Common Formative Assessments (CFAs); Analyzing and responding to data (including but not limited to CFA data).
Includes a chapter for PLC coaches that contains a FAQ section, all protocols and activities referred to in previous chapters, as well as a trouble-shooting guide that addresses common PLC obstacles.
Offers numerous strategies, samples and tools to help educators establish and engage in the work of PLCs.

Author(s)

Daniel R. Venables

Daniel R. Venables is founder and executive director of the Center for Authentic PLCs, a research and consulting firm dedicated to assisting schools build and sustain authentic Professional Learning Communities. He is a Math/Science Fellow with the Coalition of Essential Schools and an award-winning classroom teacher of 24 years. He currently resides on a horse farm in South Carolina with his wife Brady, their therapy dogs, Blue and Flo, and a cat named Fahrney.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Introduction

The Call for PLCs

Out With Programs, In With People

I. The Context for Authentic PLCs

1. The Business of PLCs

PLCs in Context

Meeting Logistics

The Roles of the Players

Summary: PLCs

2. What to Do First: Building a Foundation for Collaboration

Building the Teams

Establishing Group Norms

Constructing Community Knowledge

Summary: Collaboration

II. The Essential Tasks of Authentic PLCs

3. Looking at Student and Teacher Work

Protocols for Student and Teacher Work

Feedback

Bringing and Examining Work

Peer Observations

Summary: Looking at Work

4. Designing Quality Common Formative Assessments

Deciding Assessment Content

Designing Standards-Based Assessments

Alternative Forms of Common Assessments

Scoring and Grading CFAs

Reviewing CFA Data and Planning for Intervention

Summary: CFAs

5. Reviewing and Responding to Data

Data Literacy

Reviewing Existing Data

Pursuing Additional Data

Translating Data Into Action

Summary: Data

III. Coaching Authentic PLCs

6. Coach's Guide to Facilitating Protocols and Activities

Protocols for Team Building, Norm Setting, and Constructing Community Knowledge

Protocols for Teacher and Student Work and Issues and Dilemmas

Two Facilitator Protocols

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary: Coaching Protocols

7. Troubleshooting Common Obstacles

Common Obstacles and Challenges

A Note to Principals

Summary: Coaching Teachers

Coach's Appendix

Protocols and Activities

References and Further Readings

Index

Reviews

"This text illustrates the essence of what it really means to be a teacher; to care deeply and to think and act collectively about student and teacher learning."

Barrie Bennet, Professor
OISE/University of Toronto, Ontario

"This is one of the most helpful books I have read on developing an effective Professional Learning Community in a school. It will make a distinct contribution to the field."

Rosemarie Young, Principal
Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, KY

"The book provides a clear roadmap for a member or facilitator of a PLC."

Diane Barone, Professor
University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada

"This book offers a practical approach to school cultural change through the implementation of the underlying principles of Professional Learning Communities. Readers are walked through the key developmental stages and processes to change the relationships within the school, and consequently the way the school operates to improve students’ learning."

Neil MacNeill, Principal
Ellenbrook Primary School, Western Australia

"This book offers its readers practical tools and hard-won insights gleaned from Venables’ extensive experience in the day-to-day work of PLCs. This guide is a valuable resource for seriously creating PLCs that continuously improve teaching and learning for the benefit of all students."

Dennis Sparks, Emeritus Executive Director
National Staff Development Council, Ann Arbor, MI

“Daniel Venables has made a terrific contribution to the growing effort of teachers to educate ourselves in professional learning communities through protocols that focus our attention on the right stuff. Happily his writing is as accessible as his material is useful and his insights fresh.”

Joseph P. McDonald, Professor of Teaching and Learning and author of The Power of Protocols
New York University

"This fine pick considers team building, protocols for success, and teacher-designed formative assessments to teach how to respond to data and develop exercises and activities for PLC leaders."

James A. Cox, Editor in Chief
The Midwest Book Review, August 2011