Blog
Collaborative Teams, the Common Core, and the Aflac Duck
“My teacher collaborative teams don’t need to spend time taking apart standards. Our district does that work, and breaks it down so every teacher in every content area knows exactly . . . Read more
The Common Core and Common Pacing
We received an email from a high school teacher questioning her district’s effort to establish common pacing across the three high schools in the district. She seemed to object to this effort . . . Read more
Idaho Leads Through Collaboration
The Idaho Leads Project is a professional development team focused on strengthening leadership capacity in K–12 schools in order to ensure the success of all Idaho students in the 21st . . . Read more
Disruptive Innovation and PLCs
A couple of years ago I read the book Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns (2010) by Christensen, Horn, and Johnson. It was an interesting read that . . . Read more
PLCs and HIP HOP
Have you ever heard the reason for lackluster performance at a school is because the clientele has changed? This is a phrase, a reason, an excuse that is increasingly used by educators or the educational system to explain… Read more
The Importance of a Clear Mission and Vision
A few weeks back, I was reading a CNN article on my computer titled “The Rise and Fall of Sarah Palin,” and while I did not give the article too much thought, I did catch one phrase . . . Read more
A PLC Alternative to Advisory
There are many middle schools across our nation that have an advisory or homeroom period built into their weekly or daily schedule to meet the needs of the whole child. In theory, this concept . . . Read more
Making the Shift From Teaching to Learning
High-functioning professional learning communities are challenging to accomplish and take dedication from all members of the school community. For staff to effectively collaborate, several things . . . Read more
Using Your Best to Help the Rest: Another Thought on Intervention
The growth of our students at Lakeridge Junior High has been exciting to watch over the years. We have committed to increasing the capacity of adults through the processes associated… Read more
Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals: The PLC Foundation
I know many of you reading this may not have an interest in the Chicago Bears and the hiring of their new coach Marc Trestman, but as I was reading an article this morning, I was struck by his . . . Read more
Should We Provide Ability-Based Tracking in Our School?
We received a question on the All Things PLC website from a high school English department that was in the process of revising its curriculum. The school offered three levels at each grade level . . . Read more
A Physics PLC: Collaboration at a Distance
This year my school district, like many others, implemented PLCs (Professional Learning Communities) as the driving force behind how we collaborate to help students learn. The directive was that all teachers should… Read more
Data-Informed Versus Data-Driven PLC Teams
One of the three big ideas of a professional learning community calls for us to be data driven. A recent blog raised an interesting perspective when it was suggested that we should be more . . . Read more
PLC Teams Discussing the Common Core
A number of collaborative teams in PLC schools across the country are waging quality conversations as they begin to feel the implications and mandates of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) on . . . Read more
The Role of the Building Office Team in a PLC
It takes a lot of people to effectively operate a school, and developing a school culture reflective of a PLC requires that everyone examine their role and how they do things day in and day out… Read more