Developing Social Capitalwith Authentic PLCs

August 9, 2012School Administrators of Iowa Conference

Daniel R. VenablesFounding Director

Center for Authentic PLCs

CONTACT INFORMATION

dvenables@authenticPLCs.com

803 / 206-3578 cwww.authenticPLCs.com

“The key to school reform lies in improving the competencies

and skills of individual teachers.”

AGREE OR DISAGREE

Human Capitalv.

Social Capital

Dr. Carrie Leana (U of Pittsburg) 10+ Year Study

1200 NYC Elementary Teachers• Social Capital highest predictor of student achievement (higher than Human Capital)• Social Capital highest when “high trust, frequent interactions” of faculty• 1 standard deviation increase in SC => 5.7% point increase in 5th grade math scores• teachers 4x more likely to turn to colleague than Principal• 25% of Principal’s time spent on instructional activities (57% on administrivia)• Notion of P as Instructional Leader not valid

LOW HUMANCAPITAL

HIGH HUMANCAPITAL

HIGHSOCIAL CAPITAL

MODERATELY HIGH

HIGH

LOW SOCIAL CAPITAL

LOW MODERATE

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6MaIRhInE0

“After decades of failed programs aimed at improving student achievement through

teacher human capital and principal leadership,

investments in social capital are cheap by comparison and

offer far more promise of measurable gains for

students.”

(Leana, 2011)

(Authentic) PLCs are “the surest, fastest path to

instructional improvement.”

(Schmoker, 2006)

Authentic PLCs

Customary Teacher Groups

Highly focused Easily unfocused

Problem-solving Planning, housekeeping

Data driven “Hunch” driven

Student-oriented

Teacher-oriented

Collaborative Co-blaborativeInterdependent Success

Independent Success

A CULTURE A GROUP

“The question is not

Are the teachers collaborating?

but rather What are they collaborating

about? and

How are they collaborating?”

(Venables, 2011)

What are they collaborating about?

• Looking at Student and Teacher Work• Designing Common Assessments• Reviewing and Responding to Data

How are they collaborating?

• Guided by a skilled facilitator• Working within group-established Norms • Using Protocols for focused, structure conversations• Making meaning together by Constructing Community Knowledge• Using a systematic approach to responding to data (Data Action Model)

High-Functioning PLCs

• Highly Focused on Common Vision • High Trust & Honesty• Interdependent Teacher Success• Mutually Accountable Teachers• Data-driven Instructional Decisions• Continual Improvement & Teacher Learning• Highly Trained & Skillful Facilitation• Highly Supported by AdminFrom: The Practice of Authentic PLCs (Venables, 2011)

DEVELOPING SOCIAL CAPITAL

• Principal’s Priority• Schedule Allowances• Training of PLC Coaches• Monitoring of PLCs• Building Trust & Buy-in• PLC x PLC Observations• Teacher x Teacher Observations