The Practice of Authentic PLCs: A Guide to Effective Teacher Teams / Edition 1

by Daniel R. Venables

Overview

Discover the keys to building effective 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

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781412986632
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	01/11/2011
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	1,046,055
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

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

Editorial Reviews

"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

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

Diane Barone

"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

"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

"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 Mac Neill

"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

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. Mc Donald

"The book provides a clear roadmap for a member or facilitator of a PLC."--Diane Barone, Professor (7/12/2010 12:00:00 AM)

"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 (7/12/2010 12:00:00 AM)

"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 (7/13/2010 12:00:00 AM)

"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 (11/21/2011 12:00:00 AM)

"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 (7/12/2010 12:00:00 AM)

"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 (7/12/2010 12:00:00 AM)

"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 (8/23/2010 12:00:00 AM)

From the Publisher

“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

"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