Professional Learning Communities

Linda Darling-Hammond (1996) describes professional learning communities as “a formal structure that provides teachers with regularly scheduled time for collegial work and planning, which is focused on improving teaching practice in order to demonstrate gains in student learning.” This service is provided to those districts/schools interested in embedding research-based practice into the professional lives of teachers. Carlene Murphy’s Whole Faculty Study Groups model is the primary framework utilized in this planning process. Assistance for an experienced consultant who has worked with a number of schools in implementing this model is available. The consultant will provide assistance in designing and implementing a framework that is unique to the context of an individual district/school. The National Staff Development Standards will be utilized in program design with careful analysis and decision making around context, process and content standards. The support of the building principal is critical to the success of this model.

What We Offer/Performance Promises:

• Planning session(s) with district/school leadership to explore ways that professional learning communities can be introduced and embedded into district/school practices.
• The development of a customized plan that includes leadership training and on-site facilitation as districts/schools implement a professional learning communities plan. The plan will include context factors (identification of roles/responsibilities); process framework (how communities will function and how support will be provided); and content (training in a decision-making process that is data-driven to identify student needs).
• Specific training in selected topics to prepare districts/schools for implementation (e.i., team processes, data-driven decision-making, action plan development, action research model, examining student work, etc.).
• On-site facilitation with leadership as learning communities are implemented and supported.
• Assistance in developing an evaluation component to monitor progress and make adjustments to ensure full participation by staff and focused attention on raising student performance levels.

Key Benefits:

• Districts/schools will develop an understanding of high-quality professional learning and develop a plan for implementing job-embedded learning within their districts/schools.
• The development and implementation of a customized framework for professional learning communities.
• Increased teacher collaboration using data-driven processes to identify student learning needs, develop action plans coordinated to improving student learning, and documenting student growth overtime.
• Evaluation measures to track implementation progress based on planning goals.

For more information contact: Dr. Ted Knapke, Ted.Knapke@fcesc.org.