#atplc Archive
For over a year, educators have used the #atplc Twitter tag to share resources and ideas about PLCs, connect with others around the world, and inspire each other to never stop learning. Now is your chance to join the conversation! Visit http://www.allthingsplc.info/tools-resources/twitter-chat for more info.
Thursday June 23, 2016
Welcome everyone! Please introduce yourself, what you do, where you’re from, & invite someone to join us tonight.
Tonight we will reflect on the foundation of your PLC & what needs to be done to strengthen it.
Joining in for a moment. Latoya, transformational leader from SC.
Adam - Assistant Principal in Elkhorn, WI. should jump in, as soon as kids are down for the night!
Thanks for jumping in Latoya!
Chuck from Milrockee - double dipping and - still feeling the love from
Hey Adam! Thanks for jumping in tonight. Hope your not making do all the work ;)
Tearing myself away from Chopped marathon & joining from Houston 'tcook
Hey Chuck! looked great! Keeping my fingers crossed I make it back there next sumer.
We can carpool! I'm bummed I missed it this year, too.
We will be using the Q1, A1 format and don’t forget to include the hashtag
I am saving a spot for you at and happy hour Ben
You'll be back in 17 Adam!
I have lots of ?s to help us reflect on the current state of your PLC & what we need to do over summer to be stronger next year.
hello, friend!
Rosa Isiah, Elem School Principal, lover of
Q1) How are your PLC teams organized? Who are/needs to be a part of them?
Does your PLC team challenge each other to grow & learn?
Ricky, teacher in VA and finishing master's in educational leadership. First time using Twitter as exposure to PLC
Sarah - 4th grade teacher in Elkhorn. Also Ben's wife :)
anything for my great, Twitter friend.
Welcome Ricky! Thanks for jumping in. You'll love twitter & how it really connects you & personalizes your PD
A1. At our previous school we were organized by grade level and content area. Middle school
a1. Ours' are organized by grade levels. I think the tough part is finding time free of distractions to meet productively
This is awesome! I've been thinking about it while reading & book
A1 Previous district was really starting grassroots and just getting started. Organized by content/grade level MS.
A1: organized w/ norms and protocols includes all and use data to reflectively drive learning 4 all
Did you feel that everyone that needed to be a part of them was there? Anyone else that should be there?
A2 They need authentic buy-in, internal drive, and to see benefits for themselves and others - Ts and Ss
That's great! Can be very powerful way to get things started. Great ready to jump in w/ both feet at Elkhorn
Q2b) What do you need to change to help your PLC grow into a team?
A1 Our entire school is a learning community, we also have LC gr lvl teams. We are at different lvls in our collabiration journey
A2 Educators need to celebrate accomplishments, highlight "failing forward", and see how the PLC is positively influencing all.
A2: Collective commitment/ laser-focused on common goal.
A2) Share roles, mutual accountability, have a team purpose, create work & products collectively
we think alike! I shared their book with my team 2day. We're adding it to our book study list
A2:All need to get on one accord as a team.
get back to Cali, Dr. Muhammad! You're needed.
A2 support, push, more support, commiserate and celebrate - all moving toward personal and team goals
This is a BAM! GOT to have REAL talk about the LACK of INTERDEPENDENT goals on our collab teams... https://t.co/ukTialjv63
A2) There is a discussion of & agreed goals & how to accomplish those goals, then shared work
We will be talking about a common goal later.
Does you team work collectively?
Completely agree with celebrating - done too little with T's.
a2. Must identify a common goal and not just be a group of people that share a grade level or subject area. Must struggle together
We discuss, train on, and focus on every element of teaming except REAL GOALS... This is the next frontier! https://t.co/MeenDf4ZFL
Isolation to Collaboration. Thanks to all the great speakers at PLC Institute in Minneapolis#allthingsplc https://t.co/DDkBLz40Ym
A2: Time! Becoming a true team takes time together sharing the good and the bad
Jumped on to read this with me. Maybe we will do a study as well.
A2 the PLC is a journey. There's always room 4improvemnt. Challenge? creating believers out of reluct members https://t.co/5FO3QqubcK
Q2b) What do you need to change to help your PLC grow into a team?
Not all teams are there, but many are truly interdepedent. Journey of trust and the vision of OURS not MINE.
Our teams organized by same-subject. HS. We focused on common norms and SMART goals to come together. A1 A2
It sure doesn't happen over night! Nd to build a trusting culture to share the bad & be willing to learn from others
A2. A deep and conceptual understanding of collective efficacy. Individual competition is the enemy to achieving great results.
Q3) It what ways does your PLC partake in continuous improvement?
Q3b) How do you push the resisters to grow & change for the better?
A3 - Knowing that the conversation is continuous and we can always continue the conversation. Not a "one and done" convo.
Honored and Humbled DOCTOR Isiah! https://t.co/E50XD6Ul1k
we think alike! I shared their book with my team 2day. We're adding it to our book study list
Q2: The primary work of PLC is the primary work of assessment. PLC needs assessment, assessment needs PLC Did learning happen?
How do we get away from the competition to the thought of we win & lose together?
A3: revisit goals, celebrate, set new goals, track data
A3) T’s try new things & share their experience & learn from them & adjust accordingly.
A3. By helping teachers see the journey to success beyond the 9 month timeline we expand their view for how long we have to improve
A3: I think the data leads us into continuous improvement on how to better serve our Ss. The learning never ends
agreed. Not overnight. Team members must change beliefs & mindsets, before they can change behaviors.
Hey Ken! Thanks for jumping in a bit! Hope all is well.
Love that celebration is part of the cycle. SO important to recognize what is going RIGHT
Think abt this...how many teams have goals that can only be accomplished thru their collective effort...short term...REAL goals?
Need to allow all voices to be heard & have an open mind to new ideas
A3:Continuing to focus on the goal, celebrate results, and encouragement.
A3) Hosted a book study, twitter chat, & have Ts lead PD for other Ts, Voxer has been gr8 as well for T’s & admin
A3: We help PLC teams improve by understanding the WHY and getting better at formative assessment to reach real data learning goals.
Jim Smith, Minnesota jumping in late with greasy fingers while eating dinner.
A3: In this pic, my social studies Ts are watching my reading T teach a reading lesson out of their book. https://t.co/6oE2892IuS
Hey Jim! Thanks for jumping in. Always great to learn with you.
True! Monitoring just gives you more knowledge on how & what to give feedback on to cont the learning. https://t.co/6eqw9WthO7
Carefully utilize progress monitoring. Progress monitoring is not punitive. Our work is centered on student learning.
Home from . What an amazing experience! So many ideas bouncing around in my head. Can't wait to get started!
today we developed short, mid, long term goals. We talked about specific activities, needed resources, data measures.
Q4) What are the habits, assumptions, & beliefs of a successful PLC?
Love this idea! Cross curricular & learning to be a better teacher no matter the content. https://t.co/cpE1ehfWiF
A3: In this pic, my social studies Ts are watching my reading T teach a reading lesson out of their book. https://t.co/6oE2892IuS
A4 constant support and communication without judgment of Ts too busy to be completely engaged
Q4b) What are some habits, assumptions, & beliefs that your PLC struggled with?
Interdependent goals COMPEL people to collaborate...I don't have to SELL CFA's or meeting to a team with an interdependent goal...
A3B: High functioning teams help bring along resisters. Strong PLC teacher leaders model and celebrate results at staff meetings.
The strength of PM is to inform the success of instruction in the moment. Great learning support.
A4: we commit to being in service of learning for all. We are responsible for the growth of EVERY child
A4) We struggle with ALL meaning ALL for ALL T's - too often still my class...we are working on it
You never know who will show up at these things.
If teams were interdependent, we wouldn't have 2 SNOOPervise half as much as we do...moral imperative alone isnt enough!
A4:Some teachers have struggled with their roles and responsibilities, coming ill prepared.
A4) Strong PLC's need to cont. share both strengths & weaknesses - be open to suggestions
I think in a true PLC culture we are always working on it. It's never perfect, but it's worth it!
A4: Belief that ALL students can learn with a results orientation. Teaching hasn't occurred if learning hasn't occurred. -- DuFour.
Absolutely! But there nds to be accountability & teams need to hold each other to them Only as strong as your weakest
How do you respond to those that are "ill prepared"? How do you get those Ts on board?
A4: PLC members must maintain high expectations -a conviction that all the kids are destined to be awesome! https://t.co/w9wTI5AVBc
Q5b)What is your school’s/PLC’s mantra? Could your entire staff repeat the mantra?
What would your mantra be if you don't have one?
and must be ready for difficult convos when interpretations differ, especially when concerning next steps.
A5 We do, but it's not as solid as it could be. I think because there isn't a single "why"
A5: Mantra ain't nothing unless you can SEE it happening when you walk in a building
That's what we haven't done.
How could you focus the "why" better? Can't have the everyone beating to their own drum...then it's just noise..
A5b) To be the top 10% is all we do. Pushes continuous improvement in all aspects for Ss & Ts
A5: Most get the WHY so many still struggle with HOW. Theory & vision turning into actionable results
That's what I'm trying to figure out. We don't have a solid beat.
You can see a lot going on buildings but if there isn't a focused "why" or mantra -too many T's going in diff directions
This is where common assessments are so important. Visible and actionable to guide the PLC
The why should always be on student success, closing gaps, identifying pitfalls, and enrichments
So now's the time to create a shared mantra or "why" so the cats are headed in the same direction
Agreed and we have that. Part of our issue is a lack of buy-in with admin.
Here we go again see my comment on common assessment. Actionable assessment critical to PLC and learning.
Tough when people get buried in numbers...need to remember they are people not numbers
NOOOO! Show the admin the proof of this work! I'm sorry to hear this...send them to me!
A5:Our mantra was really the 4 PLC ?'s. All on posters in every room. Aligning to every aspect of those ?'s became culture/climate.
It's not that they're opposed. Just more focused on other things. Ends up becoming a staff meeting.
Then we are looking at the wrong numbers. Common formative assessment data is the priority.
A6) A school where ALL staff views ALL Ss as their Ss & where all staff & Ss will help each other succeed.
That is a fantastic idea...placed where they are always seen as a reminder.
A6: Global PLC domination as core of PLCs are Hattie's highest ranked ES: T estimate of achievement & collective teacher efficacy
All other things full under & are implemented & run smoother in a strong PLC.
Last questions coming up....the HOW
Hattie ranks formative assessment the highest of classroom effects on teaching.
Q7) What will you do to obtain & transform your PLC & school into your vision?
A7) Reflect on how teams are formed - roles & goals for teams to cont to grow and foster a stronger PLC
mutual accountability is borne of interdependent goals, not PD.
It's senseless to delve into team norms if short and long term interdependent goals aren't in place.
A7) The entire admin team is going to a PLC Summit in Milwaukee! Begin to get everyone on the same page!
why would I confront a teammate abt not pulling their weight if in the end, I'll get my work done anyway?
Learn from each other. Celebrate the successes. Focus on the needs of the kids. Bring the positive energy! https://t.co/KWSuUFWUAp
Q7) What will you do to obtain & transform your PLC & school into your vision?
we can't talk 'team' and still focus on individual teacher performance.
That culture & trust has to be fostered for the team for this to work...will take a mutual understanding of this
A7: Focus on improving all aspects of formative assessment and on 4 ?'s systemically. Every child. Every day. Results matter.
Very true! Need to have collective responsibilities & products.
We must be careful I the way we celebrate success. Celebrate team accomplishments that are due to collective effort!
Because it dies t serve our entire learning community. It doesn't serve our students. https://t.co/c8sFMutblf
why would I confront a teammate abt not pulling their weight if in the end, I'll get my work done anyway?
YES! This is what we need to get away from! Still a struggle for some. https://t.co/GNlQEv5Tzu
we can't talk 'team' and still focus on individual teacher performance.
Y'all listen 2Cathy. She did i The right way. Don't let her gentle manner fool u. She's a bulldog abt mission https://t.co/hgIhyYAVpl
A7: Focus on improving all aspects of formative assessment and on 4 ?'s systemically. Every child. Every day. Results matter.
Love the hat & the bow tie! No one is going to mess with you!
We must be careful In the way we celebrate success. Celebrate team accomplishments that are due to collective effort!
