GaPSC Professional Learning Workshop

Participant Manual

2015-2017

Introduction Sessions

Workshop on Professional Learning Changes for Georgia Educators

Workshop goals: participants will

1. Review those parts of the renewal rule that impact the professional learning of currently employed Georgia

educators,

2. Develop an understanding of the shift from professional learning based on seat time and collection of PLUs to

a professional learning system focused on improvement of teaching and learning,

3. Engage in discussions and activities that give an overview of the concepts of professional learning community,

job-embedded learning, and linking professional learning to student performance,

4. Examine the role of building leaders in implementing professional learning communities and the

accountability system that will be put in place to assure full implementation of the new system, and

5. Give input regarding what future support schools need to ensure successful implementation of changes in

professional learning.

Agenda

Welcome, Introductions, Agenda Review

Setting Norms

The Good the Bad and the Ugly

Overview of Rule

School Improvement and the New Professional Learning Model (video)

Break!

What does a PLC Look Like?

A Principal’s Thoughts on Professional Learning Communities (video)

Changing How the Work Is Done in Schools

Northwestern Middle School Professional Learning Communities:

Working on the Work (video)

An Educator’s Thoughts on PLCs (video)

Looking Ahead at Implementation

Parking Lot Questions

Workshop Evaluation

Immediate To Do List:

To Do Later, But Before Next School Year:

Individuals & Groups to Engage in Discussion & Planning:

Protocol for Norm-Setting

Purpose. Groups function much more effectively when ground rules are established to guide the work of the group. Norms address simple things like starting and ending on time which demonstrates respect for the valuable time commitment members make to the group. Other norms address how members will interact with one another, how decisions will be made, how conflict will be resolved, etc. Without norms, some members dominate discussions while others remain silent. Some members are reluctant to put forth ideas for fear of open criticism delivered in not so friendly words. Regardless of how long a group of people has worked together, thoughtfully developed norms will help the group be more productive by encouraging full participation by all members. Establishing norms can be accomplished in about 10-15 minutes. The facilitator simply needs to explain why norms need to be created and then engage the group in brainstorming. Here’s how it works:

1. The first thing we need to do is create norms for our work time together. “Norms” looks a lot like the word “normal;” in fact, norms are guidelines for how our group will go about its work – that is, what is the “normal” way our group will conduct its business.

2. Let’s start by brainstorming possible norms. Remember, in brainstorming there are no right or wrong suggestions. Once we list all of the suggestions we can go through them and decide if each is feasible for structuring our work. Remember, in brainstorming we do not evaluate a suggestion until all suggestions have been made.

3. So, who has a suggested norm? (The facilitator encourages suggestions and as they are made, records on chart paper for the group to see.) Continue to ask for suggested norms.

4. Now, are there any other suggestions? If not, let’s go back through these and see if there are any that overlap and therefore can be combined. Right now we are still dealing with brainstormed ideas and are not ready to evaluate the usefulness of the suggested norms.

5. We now have a list of suggestions that do not overlap one another, so now let’s take them one at a time and decide if each is worthy of becoming one of our norms. Please ask questions if you do not understand the suggestion and we will work through its meaning as a group. (Rarely is there opposition to suggested norms. When there is, it often is related to something being too detailed or addressing things the group doesn’t believe will become problems.)

6. The facilitator needs to think carefully about the list being developed. The facilitator should have the opportunity for input just like everyone else in the group. Facilitator input can often be given in the form of a question. For example, if no one has suggested a norm regarding not interrupting others, the facilitator could ask, will it be O.K. to interrupt while someone else has the floor? This will help the group think about how they should interact with one another. The facilitator should always check for missing norms that would make sense for the group.

7. After 8-10 minutes, the group probably will have exhausted ideas and should have come to agreement on its norms. If consensus can’t be reached on a particular suggestion, then use the 80% rule (a vote of 80% equals near consensus and the suggestion becomes a norm).

8. “Wordsmithing” can be done later, so don’t take meeting time to do this. Either the facilitator or a volunteer must do this shortly after the meeting and then send members the completed draft norms for review. If no one objects to the polished norms, then they stand approved.

9. At the beginning of each meeting, post the norms, briefly review them, and ask the group if these norms still make sense. If there are any concerns, address them by revising the norms. It only takes a moment at the beginning of every meeting to remind participants of the norms; this should never be neglected.

Steve Barkley: Professional Learning for Student Achievement

Steve Barkley on Professional Learning

Steve Barkley is the featured speaker in this video. For the past 30 years, Steve

has served as a consultant to school districts, teacher organizations, state departments

of education, and colleges and universities nationally and internationally, facilitating the

changes necessary for them to reach students and successfully prepare them for the

21st century.

Guiding Questions for the video:

Steve Barkley: Professional Learning for Student Achievement

1. How is effective teaching leading to student learning like a team sport?

2. How does teaching being a public act impact student learning?

3. What are some student achievement indicators in addition to standardized

tests?

4. In the graphic model for student learning, what role does each level have in

reaching student-learning goals?

a. Students

b. Teachers

c. Professional Learning

d. Leaders

GaPSC Workshop Series for Principals Professional Learning for Certificate Renewal

Fact Sheet

1. For certificate renewal, professional learning for certificated, employed educators must be job-embedded. This means educators will learn while they are working with other educators to improve teaching and learning. The focus will be on addressing problems of practice. Georgia will no longer use PLUs for certificate renewal of active educators.

2. Professional learning will continuous. This means learning takes place every day as educators work together using formative assessment data, coaching and mentoring others, examining student work, designing lesson plans, and doing other work to improve teaching and learning.

3. Workshops will play a secondary role to support job-embedded learning. Workshops will

be used judiciously so educators can learn new strategies, learn how to implement new curricula, learn how to develop and use better assessments, and so forth. Workshops that don’t connect to the educators’ work have never been helpful and will no longer be used since collecting PLUs will no longer be necessary.

4. Professional learning will be based on educator performance. This means most goals

and plans will be built around improvement using summative evaluation data as well as other data. In addition, school and school district goals, as well as state and federal goals/requirements can also contribute in determining professional learning goals and plans.

5. Most educators will have professional learning goals (PLGs); some educators will have

professional learning plans (PLPs). School districts create local rules that exceed state requirements. For example, a school district can require all of its educators to have PLPs.

6. Recordkeeping related to professional learning will use the state TLE platform for those

educators evaluated through the TKES/LKES system. For others, paper goals and plans will be used and will be tracked by the district, not by the state.

7. PLGs and PLPs should be collaboratively developed following these steps:

a. The individual educator examines data and other information and develops draft PLGs/PLP.

b. The educator engages colleagues to get their input to improve the goals/plan. NOTE: This is strongly suggested, BUT CANNOT BE REQUIRED since goals/plans are based on evaluation data that is protected by confidentiality laws. The choice to collaborate with colleagues in the development of goals/plans must be made by the individual educator.

c. Following collaborative development of the goals/plan, the educator conferences with their assigned supervisor who will review and give final approval of the goals or plan.

8. Educators must work on successfully completing the goals/plan. Goals/plans can span

multiple years. Successful progress is determined by the supervisor. The statewide evaluation system (or local guidelines when the evaluation is not through TKES/LKES) is used to evaluate completion of goals and plans.

9. To renew their certificates educators must do three basic things: a. If performance is below proficient (Level 1 or 2) in the TKES/LKES evaluation

system or is unsatisfactory in other evaluation systems, the educator must remediate performance by successfully completing a remediation plan which includes a professional learning plan. An educator cannot renew a certificate if there is more than one unremediated summative evaluation rated as Level 1 or 2 or unsatisfactory.

b. Actively participate in the professional learning community by engaging in continuous, job-embedded learning.

c. Have the school district submit to GaPSC a recommendation for certificate renewal. This recommendation means the educators has met the requirements listed in a & b.

10. Research has established a strong link between improved student achievement and

collaborative work in schools. Professional learning communities support collaborative work that leads to improved teaching and learning. Building leaders are responsible for leading the development of a school culture that is conducive of collaborative work.

Professional Learning Communities

From my experience a Professional Learning Community looks like…?

1. _____________________ 6. _____________________

2. _____________________ 7. _____________________

3. _____________________ 8. _____________________

4. _____________________ 9. _____________________

5. _____________________ 10. _____________________

Answers to questions asked during the break:

1. Which dimensions of PLC would make the biggest difference in your school moving

toward full implementation of learning communities?

Brainstorming Activity: What do districts need to do to support principals as they make

the transition from a focus on seat time to a focus on Professional Learning Communities

(PLCs)?

1. ___________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________________

6. ____________________________________________________________

7. ____________________________________________________________

8. ____________________________________________________________

Professional Learning Communities – Characteristics, Structural Conditions, and Supports – K. Seashore Louis

Characteristics of PLC Structural Conditions that Support PLC Support for PLC

1. Shared values and norms. An agreed upon set of core beliefs, values, and norms provides the foundation for teaching and learning.

1. Time is created for collaborative work. Regular blocks of time are created during the school day devoted to professional learning and school improvement for team and task groups.

1. Administrators and teachers are open to improvement. Improvement is viewed as routine. There is leader & collegial support for risk-taking.

2. Collaborative work. Mutual learning and discussion of classroom practice and performance. Sharing strategies, joint planning, setting common expectations.

2. Physical barriers to the PLC have been neutralized when possible. Common work spaces are created & arranged for close physical proximity to encourage collaborative work.

2. Levels of trust and respect are high. Expertise is honored, and there is a sense of loyalty and commitment. There is predictability because of commonly agreed upon norms, values, and beliefs.

3. Deprivatization of practice. Practice is open. Coaching and mentoring is the norm. Teaching problems are brought to the table. Successes are displayed. Educators learn from one another.

3. The administration and the faculty understand the interdependence of teaching roles. Collaborative work is predictable & recurring. Teachers plan, teach, & problem-solve together. Everyone understands their roles.

3. Leadership is supportive of the work of the PLC. Leader actions signify support. Leaders focus on, learn about, and become experts in the learning community.

4. Collective focus on student learning. The collective conscience of the school puts student learning first. Everyone works together to create a strong focus on student success.

4. Teachers are empowered to work in the PLC. Individual autonomy is put aside in favor of group autonomy. The impact of collective decisions and work is the focus. The school too is empowered to work as an autonomous unit.

4.. Socialization of new teachers and administrators has been thoughtfully designed into the PLCs work. Orientation of new members is thorough. New members quickly understand the norms & the work of the school.

5. Use of reflective dialogue is part of the school’s culture Public conversations that foster self-awareness focus on teaching practice and student learning. Isolation is reduced as teachers take on a school-wide focus.

5. Communication structures to support collaborative work are in place. Structures are in place and routines have been created that foster school-wide communication.

5. The cognitive/skill base of the faculty is strong. Expertise within the faculty is valued. Sharing knowledge is the norm, and ongoing learning is routine.

A Principal’s Thoughts on Professional Learning Communities – Dr. Jasmine Kullar

A Principal’s Thoughts on Professional Learning Communities

Dr. Kullar is the Principal at Northwestern Middle School in Fulton County in Milton, Georgia. Her

introduction to Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) began during her first year of teaching when

she attended a PLC conference facilitated by Richard DuFour. Since then, she has been implementing

the tenets of PLCs as a teacher and school administrator. Under her leadership, Northwestern Middle

School became the first in the state of Georgia to receive the model PLC school designation.

“Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks

and discomforts.” Arnold Bennett

Listen to Dr. Kullar’s open and honest reflections on the process of change during

the transition to professional learning communities and the impact it had on the school

staff, climate, and students at her school.

1. What were some of the challenges the principal encountered while instituting

more structured professional learning communities within the school?

2. What were the successes of the professional learning communities in the school?

3. What apprehensions do you have about professional learning communities in which

lessons, assessments, and data are shared with your colleagues?

Northwestern Middle School Professional Learning Communities – Working on the Work

Professional Learning Communities:

Working on the Work

The Professional Learning Community (PLC) highlighted in this video is from Northwestern Middle

School, which is located in Milton, Georgia. The following social studies teachers meet at least once a

week for their PLC.

Bruce Fielden Mike Brennan Thomas Swope

Deana Skimel Kelley Hummel

Northwestern Middle School Professional Learning Communities:

Working on the Work

We have all heard the term PLCs but do we really know how to make our PLCs more

effective to meet the needs of our students? Watch the teachers at Northwestern

Middle School implement their job-embedded PLC.

1. What structures and procedures did the Northwestern Middle School PLC have in

place?

2. How were the teachers using their expertise to address all of their students’

needs?

3. What impressed you the most about the workings of this PLC?

4. What did you learn from this PLC that you can implement in your own PLCs to

create a more job-embedded and collaborating focus to increase student

achievement?

Defining the Concept of Professional Learning Community Stoll, L. and Louis, K.S.(2007). Professional learning communities: Elaborating new approaches. In L. Stoll and K. S. Louis, (Eds). Professional learning communities: Divergence, depth and dilemmas (pp.1-13). New York: McGraw Hill.

Stoll and Louis suggest there is no universal definition of professional learning community, but there is a consensus on certain observable behaviors where learning communities exist: teacher sharing with others in groups; critically examining their own and one another’s practice and doing this in an “ongoing, reflective, collaborative, inclusive, learning-oriented, growth-promoting way.” (p.2)

Louis, K. S., Kruse, and Bryk, A. S. (1995) Professionalism and community: What is it and why is it important in urban schools? (pp. 3-22). In K. S. Louis and S. D. Kruse (Eds.). Professionalism and community: Perspectives on reforming urban schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. In a review of the learning community literature readers will find that a school organized as a learning community has three key features (p. 16). [The original text cites various sources for these three points, but only the names of researchers and dates of publications are listed below. See the reference above to locate detailed citations of the sources that support these key points]:

A common set of activities providing many opportunities for educators to work together in face-to-face interactions; these ongoing interactions support the potential for common understandings, values, and expectations for behavior to evolve (Van Maanen & Barley, 1984);

Specific organizational structures develop and promote educator interaction; redistribution of time and expectations that people will use this time to meet and talk, in small, stable networks of teachers (Schein, 1985); and

Educators develop a core set of shared values about 1) what students should learn, 2) how faculty and students should behave, and 3) the shared aims to maintain and promote the school community. Central to this community is an “ethic of interpersonal caring that permeates the life of teachers, students, and administrators” (Beck, 1992; Firestone & Rosenblum, 1988; Noddings, 1984).

DuFour, R. and Eaker, R. (1998). Professional learning communities at work: Best practices for enhancing student achievement. Bloomington, IN: National Education Service. DuFour and Eaker are two of the best known professional developers for spreading the message about the power of learning communities in improving teaching and learning. On pages 25-29, they list these characteristics of a learning community:

1. Shared mission, vision, and values. A foundational characteristic of PLC is shared understandings and common values. This is actualized as a collective commitment to guiding principles that address what people believe and what they are working to create. These guiding principles must be embedded “in the hearts and minds of people throughout the school.”

2. Collective inquiry. This characteristic is “the engine of improvement, growth, and renewal” in the PLC. Members engage in “relentless” questioning of the status quo; they seek new ways of doing things and engage in testing these new things, and then reflect on results. The process of searching for answers is vital. Collective inquiry involves joint planning with others, developing shared meanings, coordinating actions, and reflecting publically (Ross, Smith, and Roberts, 1994) [See DuFour and Eaker for a full citation of this source]. Engagement in collective inquiry allows team members to work together to change the culture of the school.

3. Collaborative teams. While there is a place to focus on individual growth, real organizational growth occurs when the structure of learning is collaborative. When people share a common purpose they learn from one another which then creates momentum that fuels continuous improvement for teams as well as for individuals.

4. Action orientation and experimentation. Vision and mission become reality in PLCs. Activity that may even seem chaotic is preferred to passive inaction. There must be a willingness to experiment as a way of testing new ideas. Failed experiments are an integral part of the learning process. [This models for students that it is O.K. to try and fail in the process of learning.]

5. Continuous improvement. In PLCs there is a “persistent discomfort with the status quo” so members constantly search for a better way. A focus on continuous improvement raises key questions such as:

a. What is the fundamental purpose of our work? b. What are the goals we intend to achieve? c. What strategies can be adopted that will translate into better teaching and improved

learning? d. What criteria will tell us we have met our goals?

6. Results orientation. Assessment of the effectiveness of the PLC must be based on results (data) rather than on good intentions. Ongoing assessment that will inform the work and allow members to make improvements to initiatives as they are underway becomes standard practice.

McLaughlin, M. W. and Talbert, J. E. (2006). Building school-based teacher learning communities: Professional strategies to improve student achievement. New York: Teachers College Press. While definitions of learning community vary, they all feature a “common image of a professional community where teachers work collaboratively to reflect on their practice, examine evidence about the relationship between practice and student outcomes, and make changes that improve teaching and learning for the particular student in their classes”(pp. 3-4). They go on to make a very important point: “one reason why school-based teacher learning communities make a singular contribution is that sustained change in day-to-day practice is inherently local “(p. 4.) [Bold print added for emphasis] McLaughlin and Talbert reviewed the literature and research on PLC, pp. 5-11. Some of what they point out includes

The work of the PLC examines practice; participants reflect on practice, then problem-solve to improve practice. Teachers are “able to construct knowledge based on what they know about their students’ learning.” In constructing this knowledge generic problems of practice “become more concrete…they take on names and faces.” In this process data becomes real and is owned by participants.

Collaborative examination of student work often focuses on failure, achievement gaps, and the mismatch between standards and student work. This generates change. Norms of trust and

deprivitatization of practice encourage the reporting of “disappointing student outcomes” rather than hiding them.

Communities of teachers “build a storehouse of best practices” that are then available to all teachers. This is what Donald Schon (1983) calls the “reflective transfer of knowledge. The PLC becomes a place of inquiry, a place that is both the site and source of learning for educators.

The PLC manages professional knowledge by sharing learning resources. Teachers who may have access to a learning opportunity [participation in a particular workshop, for example] not available to other teachers becomes a resource to those teachers. In the PLC private knowledge becomes public knowledge. By making professional knowledge public, “collective capacity” is built.

The PLC “makes the school accountable for student learning, rather than locating accountability exclusively in an external mechanism, such as the high-stakes testing system…”

Three studies using the National Longitudinal Study of 1988 showed that PLCs “had a positive statistical effect on student achievement gains” (Lee & Smith, 1995, 1996; Lee, Smith & Croninger, 1997)

Another study (Rowan, Chiang, & Miller, 1997) focused on the impact of teacher ability, motivation and work situation on student achievement and found positive student achievement results related to school conditions associated with PLCs.

Fred Newmann & Associates (1996) found strong correlations between student achievement and school factors associated with PLCs.

Louis & Marks (1998) in their research found similar connections between how teachers work together and the learning opportunities provided to students that result in higher performance.

Carroll, T. G., Fulton, K., and Doerr, H. (2010). Team up for 21st century teaching and learning: What research and practice reveal about professional learning. Washington: National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future.

As noted by other sources cited above, the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF) concludes (p.30) there is no commonly accepted definition of a professional learning community. There are “shades of interpretation in different contexts, but there appears to be broad international consensus that it suggests a group of people sharing and critically interrogating their practice in an ongoing, reflective, collaborative, inclusive, learning-oriented, growth-promoting way (Mitchell & Sachney, 2000; Toole & Louis, 2002) and operating as a collective enterprise (King & Newmann, 2001).” [See source cited above for detailed citations of Mithell and Sachney, Toole and Louis, and King and Newmann.]

Stages of Concern: Does the Innovation Affect Me?*

*The Stages of Concern chart below is adapted from page 28 in Leading Professional Learning Communities: Voices from Research and Practice by Shirley M. Hord and William A. Sommers, published by Corwin Press, 2008. Shirley Hord worked with Gene Hall and others at the Southwest Educational Development Lab (SEDL) in Austin, Texas, where work has been done over the years to study educator reaction to implementation of innovations which include professional learning. Research surrounding this work has illustrated clearly that educators may be at various stages of readiness to implement; consequently, leaders must not assume that all faculty should go through the same professional learning to implement the innovation. Some may need more support, others less. Impact Stages of Concern. The educator has reached a stage where he has developed a deep understanding of the innovation and is even ready to work with others to expand and improve the innovation. Stage 6 – Refocusing. The educator looks for ways to expand the innovation, wants to make changes to make the innovation better, or replace the innovation with one that is an even better alternative. Stage 5 – Collaboration. The educator understands the value of working with others to implement the innovation. Stage 4 – Consequence. The educator now focuses on the impact the innovation has on teaching and student learning. Understanding at this stage leads the educator to focus on relevance and impact. There is increased attention to changes that need to be made to improve student learning. Task Stage of Concern. There is only one task stage of concern: management. Stage 3 – Management. The educator has developed a working knowledge of the innovation and as a result becomes very focused on the tasks necessary to successfully implement. The focus is on information and resources to address such issues as efficiency, organization, management, and scheduling. Expertise is at a level where the educator can successfully implement, but is not yet sophisticated enough to address issues beyond the routine.

Self-Focused Stages of Concern. During the early stages, the educator is focused on self and how to relate to the innovation. Stage 2 – Personal. The educator experiences uncertainty: what are the demands of the innovation, will I be able to meet these demands, what will my role be? The uncertainty may involve how the education organization’s rewards structures and decision-making structures will address the innovation. The educator wonders, too, about the impact on relationships with colleagues. Stage 1 – Informational. The educator develops a general awareness of the innovation and is even interested in learning more of the details even though this interest is at a level where the educator does not worry about implementation. The level of interest is impersonal and addresses general characteristics, effects of implementation, and requirements related to the innovation. Stage 0 - Unconcerned. The educator has little or no concern about the innovation and is not involved at this stage.

What Does It Look Like? A Protocol for Examining Implementation Often we believe implementation of a strategy, idea, plan, etc. has taken place simply because everyone says, “Yes we are implementing.” Thousands of dollars are spent, hours of time used for training, and months later everyone is scratching their heads wondering why nothing has really changed. How can we prevent this when we are implementing a new initiative? It’s easy: ask a simple question, “What does it look like?” Here is a good example. Many schools believe they have implemented common planning. But have they really? Let’s ask the question: if we have truly implemented common planning as part of our plan for improving teaching and learning, what does implementation look like? Here are some ways to describe what common planning looks like:

We meet twice a week to plan together

When we meet we are together 30 minutes, except Mary has to arrive 10 minutes late because….

Now, this is easy to notice evidence, but this isn’t enough information to satisfy us that common planning has/has not been successfully implemented. So, peel back a layer (like peeling an onion) and ask again, “what does common planning look like?” Remind the group you are digging deeper this time. More responses will be given, but again, you may need to peel away more layers to dig deeper until you have exhausted the evidence. Here is more evidence you may find as layers are peeled away:

Only a small number of people had input in structuring common planning; some people resent this

Common planning was discussed in a faculty meeting, but many teachers weren’t there for various reasons so they missed the information, couldn’t ask questions, etc.

No written guidelines were established to create the boundaries for common planning so the faculty handbook is silent about this initiative

No assessment was devised to measure the effectiveness of implementation

Obstacles periodically get in the way and not only Mary, but others have started coming late or not at all

A new member of the team gets a quick explanation from another teacher, but has no written guidelines or other artifacts to help him know what to expect

Etc. As participants generate evidence, push them to be specific and to point to real evidence: what percentage? How often? How long? What topics? What expectations? Which student work samples, etc. Based on the evidence, does our school really have common planning? Based on what we have discovered, what next steps should we take to improve common planning? Has implementation gone the way we originally intended?

Educator Thoughts on Quality Professional Learning Communities with Christie Street

Educator Thoughts on Professional Learning Communities

Christie Street is an eighth grade language arts teacher at Northwestern

Middle School of Fulton County in Milton, Georgia.

Use the guiding questions for discussion and reflection.

Educator Thoughts on Quality Professional Learning Communities –

Christie Street

Every student benefits from the strengths and expertise of every educator

when communities of educators learn together and are supported by local

communities whose members value education for all students. (Learning Forward)

This video highlights the work of Christie Street as a member of a learning

community.

1. What does Christie Street indicate has caused her Professional Learning

Community to be successful?

2. How has her Professional Learning Community supported her teaching

practice?

3. What is the ultimate goal of her Professional Learning Community?

Resources Available to Schools and Districts to Support Job- Embedded Professional Learning

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) has created resources to help schools and districts make the transition from a system of counting PLUs to a professional learning system based on job-embedded learning in professional learning communities. In addition, GaPSC staff has identified resources from various Internet and publisher sources. Some resources are free and can be downloaded. GaPSC has also developed a webpage that will house information to support the new professional learning system. This webpage can be accessed at www.gapsc.com which is the GaPSC home page. On the home page, click on the tab labeled Professional Learning which will take you to a page where various documents and videos are located. Following is a list of what is currently available through the GaPSC website. New materials will be added as they are available. GaPSC encourages educators to offer suggestions for improving the resources available through the website.

Documents and Other Useful Materials Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). The FAQ document will provide responses to questions we receive from Georgia educators. Each question will be dated so the reader does not have to read through all questions to find those that are new. In addition, questions will be grouped into categories to make it easier to find questions and answers on specific topics. The FAQ document will have a contents page listing topics and question numbers that exist under each topic. Guidelines. A guidelines document has been developed by several of the state’s top professional learning directors. The guidelines document is useful when reading the rule and then reviewing the guidelines that explicate particular portions of the rule. Topical Guidance. Brief descriptions of topics of particular interest to educators about various aspects of job-embedded learning have been developed. These include lists of free resources where additional information on a particular topic can be found. Videos. Twelve short videos (length of videos range from 3-15 minutes) have been developed that feature Georgia educators discussing various topics related to professional learning. Two of the videos feature internationally known professional developer, Steve Barkley, who discusses some of the simple, but important work that takes place in learning communities. Each video is accompanied by a set of discussion questions. Videos can be used with groups of teachers, school leaders, district staff, and even school board members. Training Materials. All materials used in GaPSC-delivered training will be housed on the webpage including PowerPoints, Participants Guides, and Leader Guides. Useful Website Links. There are many websites that provide free or low-cost resources that educators will find useful as schools implement professional learning communities. Links to these websites will be provided along with descriptions of the resources various sites might provide.

Professional Learning Videos:

1. Kelly Henson: Professional Learning Changes in Georgia (3:30)

Kelly Henson, Executive Director for the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, delivers an

introduction to why and when Georgia began the process of change of professional learning for

certification. Since the taping in 2014 of this video the 2015 General Assembly passed House Bill 164,

which further suspends collection of PLUs for certificate renewal in 2016 and 2017.

2. Steve Barkley: Professional Learning for Student Achievement (12:00)

Steve Barkley is the featured speaker in this video. For the past 30 years, Steve has served as a

consultant to school districts, teacher organizations, state departments of education, and colleges and

universities nationally and internationally, facilitating the changes necessary for them to reach students

and successfully prepare them for the 21st century.

3. Steve Barkley: Clarifying Student Behaviors (13:00)

Mr. Barkley provides an excellent explanation of how PLCs should focus on changing student behaviors to

improve student achievement.

4. The Principal as a Professional Learning Leader by Dr. Mark Wilson (11:08)

The principal plays a major role as a learning leader in schools. Dr. Wilson provides ideas for principals to

use to support PLCs.

5. Dr. David Hill: Leadership Perspective on Georgia’s Professional Learning Model (15:10)

Georgia is moving from a system of counting seat hours as PLUs to a new system in which educators use

their professional expertise to engage in meaningful learning with colleagues and school learning

communities. Leaders in Georgia’s education system discuss these exciting new changes.

6. Professional Learning Model with Jack Parish (5:50)

You can hear the excitement about the new changes that Georgia is making in Professional Learning from

educators across the field. Finally, we are treating professionals as professionals and it is having a positive

impact on Georgia’s teachers and leaders.

7. Connecting Professional Learning: The Evaluation Conference (8:15)

An integral part of needs based, job-embedded, collaboratively developed professional learning is the

conversations between and among professionals in the building. The administrative team will play a vital part

in ensuring the success of professional learning for all teachers. Listen in as an administrator conducts the

evaluation conference with one of her teachers.

8. Northwestern Middle School Learning Communities: Working on the Work (5:38) We have all heard the term PLCs but do we really know how to make our PLCs more effective to meet the

needs of our students? Watch these teachers as they implement their job-embedded PLC. 9. Northwestern Middle School Learning Communities: Q & A (4:05)

Every teacher’s talents are needed and necessary for the implementation of a successful PLC. These

teachers talk about their varied experiences in their PLC and the importance to achieve student success.

10. Northwestern Professional Learning - Focusing on Student Data (4:42)

Trust is the new normal among colleagues in this PLC. They have learned to share their data with each

other in order to evaluate their instruction to meet the needs of all of their students.

11. Educator Thoughts on Quality PLCs – Christie Street (3:15)

Ms. Street, a teacher leader, talks candidly about the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in

student achievement.

12. A Principal’s Thoughts on Successful PLCs – Jasmine Kullar (5:54) Principal, Dr. Kullar, provides a candid and honest reflection on the process of change during the transition

to professional learning communities and the impact it had on the school staff, climate, and students at her

school

1. Identify which circle in the visual is the major focus for your

district/school?

2. If you used the backward design approach presented in this visual, which

circle would have to make the most changes?

3. Explain what changes would have to be made at each level if the main focus

was on changing student behaviors for student achievement.

a. Change in teaching behavior –

b. Change in PLC and Coaching –

c. Change in Leadership behaviors -

National Professional Learning Standards* *The Georgia Professional Standards Commission Renewal Requirements rule (505-2-.36) requires that professional learning for certificate renewal be designed around national professional learning standards. Learning Forward, the national professional organization for professional learning, created these standards through a committee of professional learning experts. More information about the standards is available on the Learning Forward website, www.learningforward.org.

Learning Communities: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students occurs within learning communities committed to continuous improvement, collective responsibility, and goal alignment. Leadership: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students requires skillful leaders who develop capacity, advocate, and create support systems for professional learning. Resources: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students requires prioritizing, monitoring, and coordinating resources for educator learning. Data: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students uses a variety of sources and types of student, educator, and system data to plan, assess, and evaluate professional learning. Learning Designs: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students integrates theories, research, and models of human learning to achieve its intended outcomes.

Implementation: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students applies research on change and sustains support for implementation of professional learning for long-term change.

Implementation: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students applies research on change and sustains support for implementation of professional learning for long-term change. Outcomes: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students aligns its outcomes with educator performance and student curriculum standards.

Force Field Analysis Protocol Part of the process in developing & implementing an innovation is the stage at which designers must address anticipated support for the innovation as well as possible bumps in the road (some anticipated, but others that may be unexpected) as implementation occurs. A force field analysis is one tool used to help groups think through and identify driving forces (those forces that provide support for the innovation) as well as restraining forces (forces that may hinder or even block implementation resulting in incomplete or inconsistent implementation that may lead to poor results). Use the space below to think about the forces surrounding creation and implementation of __________________________________________________.

Driving Forces – support for the innovation & will contribute to successful implementation

Restraining Forces – will hinder implementation making success difficult

Once completed, the results help the group anticipate some supports they had not considered and identify some roadblocks they can now work on to eliminate.

My Commitment Challenge for Change

What can I do now at my school to overcome some of the barriers preventing job-

embedded professional learning?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

What is my long-term goal to ensure that my teachers participate in effective

learning communities to increase student learning?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

My Commitment Challenge for Change

What can I do now at my school to overcome some of the barriers preventing job-

embedded professional learning?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

What is my long-term goal to ensure that my teachers participate in effective

learning communities to increase student learning?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________