Teachers met every other week in professional learning communities (PLCs) to “collaboratively plan units, analyze data, and engage in protocols for the purpose of adjusting instructional practice. Essential to the collaboration is a focus on students, their learning experiences and achievement.” The principal reported and teachers confirmed that PLCs emerged out of peer coaching that had been occurring at the school. At one time, AWE had the resources to release some teachers to receive professional development in peer coaching and to provide coaching to colleagues. This peer coaching built strong collegial relationships rooted in trust and confidentiality. As resources dried up, the principal proposed evolving the coaching into the PLC structure where the former coaches would facilitate and monitor more formal cycles of inquiry, following various protocols. With the core value of “they’re all our students” literally written on the PLC agendas, they built inquiry habits grounded in looking at student work.
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SCHOOL QUALITY STANDARDThis practice is meant to make sure that teachers work collaboratively, planning and using data and evidence to focus on student progress ARTIFACTS
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