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Limestone CoastLimestone CoastProfessional Learning Professional Learning

Communities Communities where are we now?where are we now?

Katrina Spencer and Margot FosterKatrina Spencer and Margot Foster

August 16August 16thth 2007 2007

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Building learning community. . .Building learning community. . .

1.1. What is the quality of the experience you wished What is the quality of the experience you wished to have in your PLC? to have in your PLC?

2.2. How much risk have you been prepared to take?How much risk have you been prepared to take?

3.3. What level of engagement have you committed to?What level of engagement have you committed to?

4.4. How surprised have you been?How surprised have you been?

5.5. How prepared are you to contribute to other people’sHow prepared are you to contribute to other people’slearning?learning?

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Where to today?Where to today?

1. ‘I forgot the iced Vo-Vos!’ – reflecting on the first visit

2. Reconvene in your PLC – synthesis around 4 big ideas - organisational issues – successful practices and approaches - reflection on own learning – ahas and ouches - deepening the challenge - how much further can I/we take this learning? - sustaining the learning

3. Advice to the district for 2008

4. Trading Post – learning about - engagement in learning - wellbeing - teacher learning & development - ensuring learner success

5. Prep for next meeting (term 4) and 2008

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Big Ideas from our first Big Ideas from our first sessionsession

Learning is not just increasing the store of Learning is not just increasing the store of knowledge, taking in and retaining more knowledge, taking in and retaining more and more information, it is about searching and more information, it is about searching for meaning, developing understanding and for meaning, developing understanding and relating that understanding to the world relating that understanding to the world around us. around us.

Quality learning is about conceptual Quality learning is about conceptual change – seeing the world differently is the change – seeing the world differently is the essential outcome. essential outcome. Willis 1993Willis 1993

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Big Ideas from our first Big Ideas from our first sessionsession

Adaptive challenges Adaptive challenges go beyond our current go beyond our current

capacity or current capacity or current way of operating.way of operating.

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Big Ideas from our first Big Ideas from our first sessionsession

Defining a PLCDefining a PLCA professional learning community is:A professional learning community is:

an inclusive group of people, an inclusive group of people, motivated by a shared learning vision, motivated by a shared learning vision, who support and work with each other,who support and work with each other,finding ways, inside and outside their finding ways, inside and outside their immediate community, immediate community, to enquire on their practice and together learn to enquire on their practice and together learn new and better approaches new and better approaches

that will enhance all pupils’ learning.that will enhance all pupils’ learning. Stoll et al Stoll et al

20062006

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Big Ideas from our first Big Ideas from our first sessionsession

Successful PLCsSuccessful PLCs Form around a compelling issueForm around a compelling issue

Focus on student learningFocus on student learning

Create new opportunitiesCreate new opportunities for adult learning for adult learning

Plan and manage for Plan and manage for success success

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In your PLC, then ……In your PLC, then ……

• Using the personal recording Using the personal recording sheet, determine your shared sheet, determine your shared response to each question – all response to each question – all take a personal recordtake a personal record

• Form new foursomes – only 1 Form new foursomes – only 1 person from each PLCperson from each PLC

• Share your group responses to Share your group responses to each question each question

• From your varied PLC From your varied PLC responses, synthesise your responses, synthesise your

““advice to the district advice to the district re PLCs for 2008”re PLCs for 2008”

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District Advice- PLCs / 2008• Keep existing groups [if they want to]

– Do we invite and include others?? How?– Can we have ‘nice’ exit strategies for those who want to leave

• Forming around compelling questions• Advice- keep across levels of schooling groups• Going deep needs at least 12 months• 1 day a term is a useful model and balance with district business days• Travelling together creates an opportunity• Taking it to the next level- staff, shared PD, district role to extend• Documenting great ideas and processes to share across the groups• Murray is brokering [$$$$] for his vacancy• Presenting the learning- add high stakes but not competition!! MI8 ideas

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Trading PostTrading Post

Choose an area Choose an area of interestof interest

1 John Shelton1 John Shelton

2 Asha Crozier2 Asha Crozier

3 Kirsty Traher3 Kirsty Traher

4 Anna Young4 Anna Young

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Final ThoughtsFinal Thoughts

Touchstones:Touchstones: Will this make a difference for learners?Will this make a difference for learners? Am I learning?Am I learning? Is this reflected in my practice/actions?Is this reflected in my practice/actions? Any others??Any others??

Coming together is the beginning.Coming together is the beginning.Keeping together is progress. Keeping together is progress.

Working together is successWorking together is success..Henry Ford (1863-1947) American industrialistHenry Ford (1863-1947) American industrialist

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