Plc's Competence In Professional Learning Communities
Professional learning communities, PLCs, what are they? This question was the focus of Chapter 1, Clarity Precedes Competence. The chapter clearly states the characteristics, assumptions, challenges, and the needs of a PLC.
According to Dufour and Fullan (2013), there are three big ideas that are essential to the PLC:
1. A relentless focus on learning for all students
2. A collaborative culture and collective effort to support students and adult learning
3. A results orientation to improve practice and drive continuous improvement (p.14-15) PLC members must ask questions throughout the process to keep their focus on educating all students. These questions are in regards to what students need to learn, how learning will be assessed, response …show more content…
to struggling learners, and providing enrichment for proficient students. PLCs can improve the overall performance of schools, the sense of efficacy and job satisfaction. The need for systematic PLCs is growing due to the fact that more students are increasingly bored in their academic grade levels and the enjoyment of school decreases as students get older. This is also true of teachers. Teachers are often dissatisfied with their jobs. When this happens the performance of schools begins to decline. PLCs can improve student engagement and job satisfaction. The change needs to occur not at individual schools but across the district. There are several barriers to creating a successful PLC. Too many times the PLC is established as a fix instead of becoming part of the culture. According to DuFour and Fullan (2013), “PLCs are about people, practices, and processes, they are not a program”(p.16). It is important to have a shared vision and mission with clear and consistent values and goals. These goals need to be centered on student achievement. The central purpose of schools is to ensure student learning. This commitment to learning must be the basis for everything else. Educators must embrace this mission and examine and reflect on their practices. In a systemic PLC, there should be no clear distinction between the system and the individual. The culture of a school should be collaborative and support student learning as well as growth for educators.
A sense of collective efficacy is important when sharing the responsibility for student learning. Employees will feel a sense of empowerment when supporting one another, making crucial decisions and growing in their knowledge and skill. Through this shift in culture, there will be a commitment to continuous improvement. Continuous improvement is based on data and results. Schools must systematically monitor and analyze student data consistently. The results and feedback should be used to help with student improvement as well as improved teaching …show more content…
practices. Cultural changes are very difficult changes for a school to go through. For some schools, this shift occurred over time through changes in administration. These changes can affect staff negatively. When administration changes they must recognize the culture and if it is negative, find ways to make it a positive one. It takes a great deal of time and effort trying to shift a culture of the school. Structural changes can be mandated but cultural changes require shifting expectations that have long been held. It also requires changing beliefs, expectations, and habits that are the norm for people in the school system. One of the obstacles standing in the way of a productive PLC process is that teachers and administrators are urgently trying to fix education. If correctly done, PLCs are not a program but a continuing process. Next, educators do not always understand what PLCs are and have never seen it in action. School systems must be open to finding new ways to work together and be systematic in how they create value in this process. If it is viewed as a program, school reform will continue to be random programs instead of a systematic and sustained approach to developing educator capacity. Changing the culture is achievable but not without conflict. It also comes with substantial changes to traditional education practices. It is complicated and leaders must focus on all aspects instead of a single one. It is a continuing process that has no exact formula. There will be mistakes and adjustments that need to be made. PLCs are also exciting and bring in new energy with a renewed sense of purpose. According to Dufour and Fullan (2013), educators must focus on four questions that should guide student learning.
1. What is it we want our students to learn?
2. How will we know if each student is learning each of the skills, concepts, and dispositions we have deemed most essential?
3.
How will we respond when some of our students do not learn?
4. How will we enrich and extend the learning for students who are already proficient? (p.15) If educators can address these questions and collaborate and share ideas then that is part of the learning together process of PLCs. Decisions regarding curriculum and pacing are made together and then individually design and plan instructional strategies that will be most effective for student learning. Dufour and Fullan (2013), “Define systemness as the degree to which people identify and are committed to an entity larger than themselves- is not about letting others work to get the system right so that you will be better off” (p.18). Everyone has a role to play. There is no difference between the individual and the system; they are both needed to create. There are many challenges and issues to changing the culture. Educators must be aware that everyone needs to make a contribution to improving the larger system. A culture needs to be both loose and tight. Feedback needs to be established in an ongoing method so people can make instructional adjustments. There must be shared knowledge, trust, collective capacity, and collective responsibility. PLCs are the path to systematic school reform. It is important to work with others in overcoming the issues educators face. A clear understanding of the principles and implications of the PLC needs to be
developed. In Chapter 2, Creating Coherence and Clarity, Dufour and Fullan (2013), stated that leaders have a tendency to choose the wrong policy that is intended to have a positive impact on specific areas. “The correct drivers in these situations are capacity building, social capital, instruction, and systemness” (p. 22). Many administrators and policy makers choose the wrong driver that in turn does not create a solution. Policy makers put a great deal of money on mandates that are not as effective as the lead strategy. Some of the wrong drivers can be legislated and are often quick fixes. Accountability and technology can be helpful but must be integrated with the correct driver to have sustained change. PLCs are meant to create a shared mindset for achievement. Leaders must cultivate this mindset to form collective coherence. Failing to establish widely dispersed leadership is one of the barriers to coherence. School districts that have made sustained improvements have committed and talented leadership while building capacity in their new teachers. No single person can achieve this alone. It takes a strong leadership team with shared objectives that builds capacity into others to sustain the movement. Leaders must also communicate their purpose and goals clearly and consistently. “Consistent and effective communication demands that leaders align their own behavior and the processes of the organization with its stated goals and priorities” (p. 25). When there are mixed messages from leadership it creates misunderstandings and challenges the trustworthiness of the leadership. After the vision is clarified and refined there should then be an opportunity for feedback. This allows for time to identify and address possible problems. District reform requires collective coherence; leaders need to cultivate a shared mindset among individuals within the system. This is where PLCs are a solution to create a shared mindset for success Purposeful actions are crucial in school improvement. Policymakers, administrators, and educators need to connect their purpose and vision to specific actions. These actions need be the energizer. Educators must focus on skills and a sense of shared ownership. Profound and powerful learning occurs by action and when it does not work, reflect and try again. Initiative fatigue occurs when a system is taking on too many things at once. There is no priority or purpose. There is also a lack of quality over quantity. Less can be more when it comes to PLCs. Districts need to establish and limit key priorities with purpose. In doing this, effective monitoring can lead to accomplishments, accountability and high achievements. A shared understanding is not accomplished when administrators micromanage. Many systems pursue too many initiatives rather than sustaining a focus on continuous improvement. There is a need to drill down and focus on a few rather than many. Often times in districts, they jump on every bandwagon, skim over the highlights and begin implementation. Due to this teachers, do not have enough time to try to implement the program correctly or effectively. Before long, there is a new program to implement. Teachers get so loaded in programs that they do not have time to truly teach. Teachers are tired and need a clear and direct focus.
The authors give the advice that to get anywhere you have to do something. Educators must focus on skills and this requires clarity. Clarity must be a product of knowledge rather than rhetoric. The goals of PLCs are not to solve immediate problems but make continuous improvements that will overcome both immediate challenges and future issues. Administrators need to focus on a few ambitious goals. Educators must make instruction and student learning the daily focus.
Chapter 3, focuses on the varied “Loose-Tight” approaches of administrators. Effective change does not come from giving orders. A balance of both approaches works best. There must be certain non-negotiables (tight) that are essentials such as curriculum, goals, and monitoring. It is also necessary to have autonomy with direction and accountability. Teachers adjust to their specific grade level of dynamics that promotes their input and engagement. Effective change involves developing an engaging process that draws people in.
The authors presented several examples of schools. Each school needed specific and focused parameters as well as room to be creative. It is crucial to have a collaborative team to work on various school areas. It is important to have communication among schools. If people throughout the organization are unable to clearly articulate goals and priorities, the organization has no goals and priorities. The pledge to deep cultural change is a direct result of connecting others in the change in meaningful ways. The top-down approach not only fails to engage educators, it also eliminates them from the decision-making process.
According to Dufour and Fullan (2013), there are three big ideas that are essential to the PLC:
1. A relentless focus on learning for all students
2. A collaborative culture and collective effort to support students and adult learning
3. A results orientation to improve practice and drive continuous improvement (p.14-15) PLC members must ask questions throughout the process to keep their focus on educating all students. These questions are in regards to what students need to learn, how learning will be assessed, response …show more content…
to struggling learners, and providing enrichment for proficient students. PLCs can improve the overall performance of schools, the sense of efficacy and job satisfaction. The need for systematic PLCs is growing due to the fact that more students are increasingly bored in their academic grade levels and the enjoyment of school decreases as students get older. This is also true of teachers. Teachers are often dissatisfied with their jobs. When this happens the performance of schools begins to decline. PLCs can improve student engagement and job satisfaction. The change needs to occur not at individual schools but across the district. There are several barriers to creating a successful PLC. Too many times the PLC is established as a fix instead of becoming part of the culture. According to DuFour and Fullan (2013), “PLCs are about people, practices, and processes, they are not a program”(p.16). It is important to have a shared vision and mission with clear and consistent values and goals. These goals need to be centered on student achievement. The central purpose of schools is to ensure student learning. This commitment to learning must be the basis for everything else. Educators must embrace this mission and examine and reflect on their practices. In a systemic PLC, there should be no clear distinction between the system and the individual. The culture of a school should be collaborative and support student learning as well as growth for educators.
A sense of collective efficacy is important when sharing the responsibility for student learning. Employees will feel a sense of empowerment when supporting one another, making crucial decisions and growing in their knowledge and skill. Through this shift in culture, there will be a commitment to continuous improvement. Continuous improvement is based on data and results. Schools must systematically monitor and analyze student data consistently. The results and feedback should be used to help with student improvement as well as improved teaching …show more content…
practices. Cultural changes are very difficult changes for a school to go through. For some schools, this shift occurred over time through changes in administration. These changes can affect staff negatively. When administration changes they must recognize the culture and if it is negative, find ways to make it a positive one. It takes a great deal of time and effort trying to shift a culture of the school. Structural changes can be mandated but cultural changes require shifting expectations that have long been held. It also requires changing beliefs, expectations, and habits that are the norm for people in the school system. One of the obstacles standing in the way of a productive PLC process is that teachers and administrators are urgently trying to fix education. If correctly done, PLCs are not a program but a continuing process. Next, educators do not always understand what PLCs are and have never seen it in action. School systems must be open to finding new ways to work together and be systematic in how they create value in this process. If it is viewed as a program, school reform will continue to be random programs instead of a systematic and sustained approach to developing educator capacity. Changing the culture is achievable but not without conflict. It also comes with substantial changes to traditional education practices. It is complicated and leaders must focus on all aspects instead of a single one. It is a continuing process that has no exact formula. There will be mistakes and adjustments that need to be made. PLCs are also exciting and bring in new energy with a renewed sense of purpose. According to Dufour and Fullan (2013), educators must focus on four questions that should guide student learning.
1. What is it we want our students to learn?
2. How will we know if each student is learning each of the skills, concepts, and dispositions we have deemed most essential?
3.
How will we respond when some of our students do not learn?
4. How will we enrich and extend the learning for students who are already proficient? (p.15) If educators can address these questions and collaborate and share ideas then that is part of the learning together process of PLCs. Decisions regarding curriculum and pacing are made together and then individually design and plan instructional strategies that will be most effective for student learning. Dufour and Fullan (2013), “Define systemness as the degree to which people identify and are committed to an entity larger than themselves- is not about letting others work to get the system right so that you will be better off” (p.18). Everyone has a role to play. There is no difference between the individual and the system; they are both needed to create. There are many challenges and issues to changing the culture. Educators must be aware that everyone needs to make a contribution to improving the larger system. A culture needs to be both loose and tight. Feedback needs to be established in an ongoing method so people can make instructional adjustments. There must be shared knowledge, trust, collective capacity, and collective responsibility. PLCs are the path to systematic school reform. It is important to work with others in overcoming the issues educators face. A clear understanding of the principles and implications of the PLC needs to be
developed. In Chapter 2, Creating Coherence and Clarity, Dufour and Fullan (2013), stated that leaders have a tendency to choose the wrong policy that is intended to have a positive impact on specific areas. “The correct drivers in these situations are capacity building, social capital, instruction, and systemness” (p. 22). Many administrators and policy makers choose the wrong driver that in turn does not create a solution. Policy makers put a great deal of money on mandates that are not as effective as the lead strategy. Some of the wrong drivers can be legislated and are often quick fixes. Accountability and technology can be helpful but must be integrated with the correct driver to have sustained change. PLCs are meant to create a shared mindset for achievement. Leaders must cultivate this mindset to form collective coherence. Failing to establish widely dispersed leadership is one of the barriers to coherence. School districts that have made sustained improvements have committed and talented leadership while building capacity in their new teachers. No single person can achieve this alone. It takes a strong leadership team with shared objectives that builds capacity into others to sustain the movement. Leaders must also communicate their purpose and goals clearly and consistently. “Consistent and effective communication demands that leaders align their own behavior and the processes of the organization with its stated goals and priorities” (p. 25). When there are mixed messages from leadership it creates misunderstandings and challenges the trustworthiness of the leadership. After the vision is clarified and refined there should then be an opportunity for feedback. This allows for time to identify and address possible problems. District reform requires collective coherence; leaders need to cultivate a shared mindset among individuals within the system. This is where PLCs are a solution to create a shared mindset for success Purposeful actions are crucial in school improvement. Policymakers, administrators, and educators need to connect their purpose and vision to specific actions. These actions need be the energizer. Educators must focus on skills and a sense of shared ownership. Profound and powerful learning occurs by action and when it does not work, reflect and try again. Initiative fatigue occurs when a system is taking on too many things at once. There is no priority or purpose. There is also a lack of quality over quantity. Less can be more when it comes to PLCs. Districts need to establish and limit key priorities with purpose. In doing this, effective monitoring can lead to accomplishments, accountability and high achievements. A shared understanding is not accomplished when administrators micromanage. Many systems pursue too many initiatives rather than sustaining a focus on continuous improvement. There is a need to drill down and focus on a few rather than many. Often times in districts, they jump on every bandwagon, skim over the highlights and begin implementation. Due to this teachers, do not have enough time to try to implement the program correctly or effectively. Before long, there is a new program to implement. Teachers get so loaded in programs that they do not have time to truly teach. Teachers are tired and need a clear and direct focus.
The authors give the advice that to get anywhere you have to do something. Educators must focus on skills and this requires clarity. Clarity must be a product of knowledge rather than rhetoric. The goals of PLCs are not to solve immediate problems but make continuous improvements that will overcome both immediate challenges and future issues. Administrators need to focus on a few ambitious goals. Educators must make instruction and student learning the daily focus.
Chapter 3, focuses on the varied “Loose-Tight” approaches of administrators. Effective change does not come from giving orders. A balance of both approaches works best. There must be certain non-negotiables (tight) that are essentials such as curriculum, goals, and monitoring. It is also necessary to have autonomy with direction and accountability. Teachers adjust to their specific grade level of dynamics that promotes their input and engagement. Effective change involves developing an engaging process that draws people in.
The authors presented several examples of schools. Each school needed specific and focused parameters as well as room to be creative. It is crucial to have a collaborative team to work on various school areas. It is important to have communication among schools. If people throughout the organization are unable to clearly articulate goals and priorities, the organization has no goals and priorities. The pledge to deep cultural change is a direct result of connecting others in the change in meaningful ways. The top-down approach not only fails to engage educators, it also eliminates them from the decision-making process.