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The PLC+ Playbook, Grades K-12 - Book Cover

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The PLC+ Playbook, Grades K-12

A Hands-On Guide to Collectively Improving Student Learning

By: Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, John Taylor Almarode, Karen T. Flories, Dave Nagel

Help your PLC+ group to work wiser, not harder with this practical guide to planning and implementing PLC+ groups in a collaborative setting.

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Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12
ISBN: 9781544378442
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2019
Page Count: 176
Publication date: June 04, 2019

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Review copies may be requested by individuals planning to purchase 10 or more copies for a team or considering a book for adoption in a higher ed course. To request a review copy, contact sales@corwin.com.

Description

Help your PLC+ group to work wiser, not harder. This practical guide to planning and implementing PLC+ groups in a collaborative setting is designed to equip professional learning community teams with the tools they need to work effectively toward improving student learning.

Designed as an accompanying resource to PLC+: Better Decisions and Greater Impact by Design, the Playbook helps educators bring the PLC+ framework to life by supporting teams as they answer the five guiding questions that comprise a PLC+:

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?

Twenty-three modules support PLC+ groups as they work through one entire cycle of learning, addressing the five questions and four cross-cutting themes—equity, high expectations, individual and collective efficacy, and effective team activation and facilitation. Tools to support implementation of the PLC+ framework are embedded throughout the Playbook:

Blank templates allow team members to record their work for every module
Step-by-step instructions guide PLC+ groups to facilitate productive discussion, engage in professional learning, and gather and analyze evidence of student learning
Crosscutting themes provide cohesion and focus throughout the work

PLC+ groups can utilize each activity in the Playbook or find an appropriate entry point and continue the work of building PLC+. Engage in deeper learning around the ideas and concepts central to PLC+ and make greater equity and efficacy a reality in your school or district.

Key features

Blank templates for team members to record their work accompany every module
Includes step-by step directions on how to have productive discussions, gather evidence, engage in professional learning, and analyze evidence of student learning
4 Crosscutting themes from the PLC+ book provide cohesion and focus throughout the work:

Equity
Individual and collective efficacy
High expectations
Facilitation

Author(s)

Douglas Fisher

Douglas Fisher is professor and chair of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Doug was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is a credentialed teacher and leader in California. In 2022, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame by the Literacy Research Association. He has published widely on literacy, quality instruction, and assessment, as well as books such as Welcome to Teaching, PLC+, Teaching Students to Drive their Learning, and Student Assessment: Better Evidence, Better Decisions, Better Learning.

Nancy Frey

Nancy Frey is professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Nancy was a teacher, academic coach, and central office resource coordinator in Florida. She is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California. She is a member of the International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel. She has published widely on literacy, quality instruction, and assessment, as well as books such as The Artificial Intelligences Playbook, How Scaffolding Works, How Teams Work, and The Vocabulary Playbook.

John Taylor Almarode

Dr. John Almarode is a bestselling author and an Associate Professor of Education at James Madison University. He was awarded the inaugural Sarah Miller Luck Endowed Professorship in 2015 and received an Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia in 2021. Before his academic career, John started as a mathematics and science teacher in Augusta County, Virginia. As an author, John has written multiple educational books focusing on science and mathematics, and he has co-created a new framework for developing, implementing, and sustaining professional learning communities called PLC+. Dr. Almarode's work has been presented to the US Congress, the Virginia Senate, and the US Department of Education. One of his recent projects includes developing the Distance Learning Playbook for College and University Instruction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Continuing his collaborative work with colleagues on what works best in teaching and learning, How Tutoring Works, Visible Learning in Early Childhood, and How Learning Works, all with Corwin Press, were released in 2021.

Karen T. Flories

Karen Flories was the Executive Director of Educational Services for 5 years and Director of Literacy and Social Studies for 2 years with Valley View School District in Illinois, after serving as the English Department Chair for Romeoville High School. Karen’s classroom experience includes high school English, special education, and alternative education. Karen holds credentials in general education, special education, and educational leadership. She earned her master’s degree in educational leadership from Concordia University. During her time at the district level, Karen led the implementation of Visible Learning+, specifically focusing on teacher clarity, classroom assessment, and feedback. Karen is the co-author of The PLC+ Activator’s Guide, PLC+: Better Decisions and Greater Impact by Design, and The PLC+ Playbook, Grades K-12. She is currently a full-time professional learning consultant for Corwin.

Dave Nagel

Dave Nagel has been a professional developer and educational consultant both nationally and internationally since 2003 and has done so as his primary job in education since 2008. Prior was a middle and high school science teacher and administrator in a large district in Indianapolis. As a school leader at Ben Davis High School (enrollment 3000 students) Dave was instrumental in developing a focused plan for differentiated goals for students based on specific proficiency measures which supported the school in improving its graduation rate 14% in just over 4 years.

Dave’s primary areas of expertise are in the areas of effective teacher and leader collaboration, assessment and feedback, and specifically effective grading actions both at the school and classroom level. He has been working specifically with Professor John Hattie’s Visible Learning research since 2011 that is a driving force for all of his work with teachers, coaches, and administrators. He has authored 5 books previous to this one, including four within the PLC+ series of publications (Corwin).

Published multiple times in various publications such as Principal Leadership and Educational Leadership, Dave has also presented at various national conferences.

Dave has a strong moral aspect, strives to be very relatable and practical when working with people, and has a savvy sense of humor that supports him in his life and work. Dave stays very busy with his beautiful and supportive wife, Kristen, and three boys (ages 20, 15, and 13). He acknowledges every day that the Lord guides his actions and is the driving force in his life. Dave is an independent consultant for Corwin Press and is the owner of NZJ Learning LLC (named after his three boys) and the Founder of The Center for Collaborative Expertise.

Table of Contents

List of Videos

About the Authors

Acknowledgments

Welcome to the PLC+ Playbook

Module 1: The Purpose and Status of Your PLC+

Put the Playbook to Work for You

PLC Defined

PLC+ Guiding Questions

Module 2: Crosscutting Values and Opportunities to Grow Your PLC+ Team

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Crosscutting Values

SWOT Analysis

Module 3: On Your Own: The Plus Is You

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Your Individual Identity

Teacher Credibility

Teacher Credibility and Its Intersection With Crosscutting Values

Teacher Self-Efficacy

Teacher Self-Efficacy and Its Intersection With Crosscutting Values

Module 4: Collective Efficacy and Credibility in a PLC+

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Revisiting Teacher Credibility and Teacher Self-Efficacy

From Individual to Collective Teacher Efficacy

Setting Norms for Our Ways of Work

Norms for Our Ways of Work in Our PLC+

Module 5: Guiding Question 1: Where Are We Going? Analyze Standards

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Analyzing Standards

Design the Learning Progression

Develop Daily Learning Intentions

Identify Success Criteria

Complete PLC+ Template for Guiding Question 1: Where Are We Going?

Module 6: Where Are We Going? Crosscutting Values Check

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Equity and Expectations Values Checklist

Activate Learning for Myself and Others Checklist

Collective Efficacy Checklist

Module 7: Guiding Question 2: Where Are We Now? Data Collection

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Initial Assessment Data Collection

Data Gathering

Module 8: Where Are We Now? Data Analysis, Common Challenges, and Misconception Analysis

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Data Analysis Protocol

Common Challenge Protocol

Identify Student Misconceptions

Module 9: Where Are We Now? Crosscutting Values Check

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Equity and Expectations Values Checklist

Activate Learning for Myself and Others Checklist

Collective Efficacy Checklist

Module 10: Guiding Question 3: How Do We Move Learning Forward? Strengthening Our Teaching Practices

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Pair Teaching Strategies With Evidence Gathering

Coaching Corners Protocol

Module 11: How Do We Move Learning Forward? Assignment Analysis

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Assignment Analysis Tool

Module 12: How Do We Move Learning Forward? Learning Walks

Put the Playbook to Work for You

What Is a Learning Walk?

Types of Learning Walks and Their Purposes

Module 13: How Do We Move Learning Forward? Microteaching

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Microteaching in a Professional Learning Community

Preparation for Microteaching: The Volunteer Teacher

Module 14: How Do We Move Learning Forward? Crosscutting Values Check

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Equity and Expectations Values Checklist

Activate Learning for Myself and Others Checklist

Collective Efficacy Checklist

Module 15: Guiding Question 4: What Did We Learn Today?

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Build the Habit of Reflection

Module 16: What Did We Learn Today? Build Expert Noticing

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Expert Noticing: How Is Our PLC+ Using Student Evidence of Learning?

Expert Noticing Video Protocol

Noticing Note-Taking Guide

Module 17: What Did We Learn Today? Common Assessments

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Common Assessments/Quality Assessment Evidence

Design a Common Assessment to Use for Preunit and Postunit Comparisons

Module 18: What Did We Learn Today? Determining Impact and Comparing Progress and Achievement

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Determining Impact

Progress Versus Achievement

Visualizing Data

Module 19: What Did We Learn Today? Crosscutting Values Check

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Equity and Expectations Values

Overcoming Obstacles to Talking About Learning

Equity and Expectations Values Checklist

Activate Learning for Myself and Others Checklist

Collective Efficacy Checklist

Module 20: Guiding Question 5: Who Benefited and Who Did Not Benefit?

Put the Playbook to Work for You

On Your Own

Data Review

On Your Own

Equity Audit Protocol: Revisit the Data as a Team

Module 21: Who Benefited and Who Did Not Benefit? Responding to Improve Student Learning

Put the Playbook to Work for You

The Vital Nature of Progress Monitoring

Tiered Intervention Progress Monitoring Protocol

Module 22: Who Benefited and Who Did Not Benefit? Crosscutting Values Check

Put the Playbook to Work for You

Equity and Expectations Values Checklist

Activate Learning for Myself and Others Checklist

Collective Efficacy Checklist

References

Other Titles in: Staff Development & Professional Learning | Professional Learning Communities

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Related Professional Learning

Related Signature Services

Related Institutes

Related Webinars

PLC+ Pathways to Success

Related Resources

Access to companion resources is available with the purchase of this book.
Module 3: The Plus is You [Lessons and Strategies]