RSA 2: Critical and Transformative Practices in Professional Learning Communities

RSA 2: Critical and Transformative Practices in Professional Learning Communities

http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ810651.pdf

            This weeks readings from DuFour focus on PLC goals, assessment results and using relevant information to improve results.  One of the most effective strategies for schools to incorporate district goals is for the schools to link school goals with district goals. There is a beneficial acronym, SMART, that helps schools accomplish this task. SMART goals are: “Strategic, Measurable, Attainable, Results oriented, and Time bound” (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, & Many, 2010). These goals will help teachers to focus on the results, rather than the activity. Improved results are the very reason why schools are being a professional learning community. Analyzing assessment results is key for examining evidence for student learning. Dufour et al. (2010) states “a PLC is designed to continuously improve the collective capacity of a group to achieve intended results.”

In a professional learning community, “teachers work collaboratively to reflect on practice, examine evidence about the relationship between practice and student outcomes, and make changes that improve teaching and learning for the particular students in their classes” (Servage, 2008). However, there is no assurance that these changes indicate that teachers comprehend the philosophies behind them (Servage, 2008). Therefore, there is doubt in maintaining this change. Servage suggests the idea of a transformative learning theory, which is “a deep and profound altering of one’s world view” (2008). Transformative learning for teachers requires that they be willing and able to critically explore, articulate, negotiate, and revise their beliefs about themselves, their students, their colleagues, and their schools” (Servage, 2008). Only then will teachers in professional learning communities be able to understand and critically evaluate best practices, the philosophies behind them, and any consequences that accompany them (Servage, 2008).

            One of DuFour’s elements in a professional learning community is that “improved professional practice will require educators to change many of their traditional practices” (2010). Servage advocates that professional learning communities won’t be as complex to initiate and maintain with the transformative learning theory, which emphasizes “the psychology of profound personal change” (2008). This theory helps teachers recognize that learning is threatening and difficult. Servage states that knowing this “liberates us from the strategic blindness and defensiveness that keeps us, as organizations and individuals, stuck in self-perpetuating, dysfunctional patterns that actively work against change” (2008).

References

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. (2010). Learning by doing: A handbook

            for professional learning communities at work (2^nd ed.). Bloomington, IN:

            Solution Tree Press.

Servage, L. (2008). Critical and Transformative Practices in Professional Learning

            Communities. Teacher Education Quarterly, 35(1), 63-77.

RSA 1- Professional Learning Communities: Developing a School-Level Readiness Instrument

Web link: http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ807003 

RSA 1- Professional Learning Communities: Developing a School-Level Readiness Instrument

Module 2 states that a Professional Learning Community (PLC) is “when everyone works collectively to seek and share learning and act on that learning to improve their effectiveness as professionals so that students benefit” (Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, 2003).  In order for a PLC to initiate this process, there must be a shared mission, shared vision, collective commitments, and common school goals (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, & Many, 2010).  The key elements to help the school collaborate as a team and become acclimated to change are having a shared vision, shared leadership and decision making, and shared practice and collective inquiry (Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, 2003).  Having a shared vision that was created by the staff’s collective decision making helps teachers commit to becoming a PLC school because they are making the decisions.  It’s a sense of ownership. Teachers are constantly reflecting to make sure that their teaching practice and assessments demonstrate the schools goals and values. Also, collaborative leadership aids in maintaining an effective PLC because it “results in increased morale, ownership, understanding about the direction and processes of change, shared responsibility for student learning, and a sense of professionalism (Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, 2003).  But the most essential element of a PLC is sharing practices and collective inquiry to match the needs of their students. This is also guided by their shared vision.  When this occurs, it strengthens communication and improves best practices so that school goals are met and students are successful.

In education today, there are more demands for school improvement and educational reforms. However, these reforms are embedded in a bureaucratic system that do not encourage and maintain improvements in teachers or in student learning. In an attempt to answer this problem, school improvement plans have “shifted from centrally mandated, standards-based reforms toward a more collaborative site-based model” (Williams, Brien, Sprague, & Sullivan, 2008). This is the view of a school as a professional learning community. Williams et al. (2008) states that the five key components are: “shared values and vision, collective responsibility, reflective professional inquiry, professional collaboration, and promotion of group and individual learning.” When these components are utilized in schools, they are effective in maintaining student growth. The purpose of this article was to conduct an action research study that measures the school’s readiness to become a PLC, which used an instrument to monitor readiness. The instrument determined any barriers that interfered with the schools readiness to become a PLC. The four major areas that were questioned by the school instrument to measure readiness were: culture, leadership, teaching, and professional growth and development (Williams et al., 2008). The final report showed quantitative and qualitative data that confirmed barriers that interfered with the readiness of implementing the PLC model in the school.

The article by Williams et al. (2008) directly correlated with this weeks Module Two reading. In order to implement and sustain a PLC in a school, the school culture must exhibit a readiness to become a professional learning community because the implementation of this model should be long term. Both readings expressed the importance of shared values and vision, collaboration, shared practice, and collective inquiry (Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, 2003; Williams et al., 2008). These key elements must be a priority in schools that wish to become a professional learning community because these elements are the gateway to a successful transition from a bureaucratic system to the collaborative model of professional learning communities.

References

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. (2010). Learning by doing: A handbook

             for professional learning communities at work (2^nd ed.). Bloomington, IN:

            Solution Tree Press.

Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL). (2003). Sustaining

            school improvement: Professional learning community, 1-4. Retrieved from

http://www.mcrel.org/PDF/LeadershipOrganizationDevelopment/5031TG_proflrncommfolio.pdf

Williams, R., Brien, K., Sprague, C., & Sullivan, G. (2008). Professional Learning

            Communities: Developing a School-Level Readiness Instrument. Canadian

            Journal Of Educational Administration And Policy, (74), 1-17. 

Trip to Brazil

I thought I'd try to become more comfortable with  creating and using Blogger. So here's my story about my upcoming trip to Brazil. My older brother Derek works for Global Environment Fund and travels all over the world for work. Two years ago, he was in Brazil for work and was lucky enough to be there at the same time as the wedding of some close friends of his when the girl of his dreams found him. Derek claims to have been merely enjoying time with friends at the wedding, not particularly looking for anyone special.  Erica's story goes like this...
Erica: "Who is the cute Gringo over there with those Thriller dance moves ?"
Groom's mom: "Oh I'll introduce you." (Mom grabs her arm and drags her over to cute Gringo.)
Groom's mom to cute Gringo: "Hello, my name is Elza. I'd like to introduce you to Erica." (Groom's mom departs and leaves Erica and cute Gringo to chat)

The rest is history! 

A little less than a year later, Erica and her Yorkie, Jimi Hendrix, move to the states to live with Derek. Seven months later, he proposes. A month later, they have a civil wedding at our home in Havana, IL. Now awaits a church wedding in her hometown of Aracatuba a few hours plane ride from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

My trip to Brazil will be at the end of June and I hope it will be the first of many trips down there to visit family, learn Portuguese, and site see!

Using Technology to Build Learning Communities

Call me crazy but I've started my second master's program not even a year after I finished the first! I'm currently taking classes at Concordia University Chicago. This is my first experience with on-line classes...call me old!