Full Description
Keeping professional learning communities focused on goals: High functioning professional learning communities don't happen by chance. They require deliberate efforts and structures to ensure efficiency and focus, and to ignite action. The first books in the PLC+ series challenged PLC teams to engage in difficult discussions about equity of access, high expectations for all students, and a commitment to building individual and team efficacy. All of this requires activation and skilled facilitation to move from discussion to action. The PLC+ Activator's Guide offers a practical approach, real-life scenarios, and examples that show activators what to expect and how to navigate their PLC+ on a successful and collective journey. Readers will find:
Templates to help activators prepare for PLC+ meetings
Approaches for fostering and nurturing collaboration
Vignettes from real schools that are implementing PLC+
Reflection questions with spaces for activators to record notes
Solutions for addressing barriers that often arise in PLC+ teams
Activators will find this an essential guide to keeping PLC+ team discussions goal-focused and the work centered on building the collective efficacy of the team.
Contents
Letter From the Authors
About the Authors
Introduction
Part 1. Activating Your PLC+: Overview
Activating Your PLC+
What Effective Activators Do
Part 2. Activation Requires Effective Collaboration
Facilitation Versus Activation
Five Qualities of a Good Activator
Part 3. Activating Your PLC+: Establishing Roles and Developing Team Cohesion
Supporting Team Cohesion
Establishing PLC+ Roles
Stepping Into Roles Matched to PLC+ Team Member Strengths
Part 4. Activating Your PLC+: Norms and Authentic Instructional Protocols in Your PLC+
Establishing Operating Norms
Social and Emotional Check-Ins
Establishing Process Norms
Operating Norms Versus Process Norms
Utilizing Authentic Instructional Protocols
Part 5. Activating the Five Essential Questions and Four Crosscutting Values of Your PLC+
Activating Guiding Question 1: Where Are We Going?
Activating Guiding Question 2: Where Are We Now?
Activating Guiding Question 3: How Do We Move Learning Forward?
Activating Guiding Question 4: What Did We Learn Today?
Activating Guiding Question 5: Who Benefited and Who Did Not Benefit?
Part 6. The Nuts and Bolts of Your PLC+
Scheduling PLC+ Meetings
Setting Aside the Time for the Work of the PLC+
Overcoming Challenges: (Not Enough) Time
Developing an Assessment Calendar
Part 7. Activating a High-Impact and High-Functioning PLC+
High Impact Versus High Functioning
Part 8. Activating Conversations Focused on Equity
Closing Remarks
References
Index
