Blog
From Cool Technologies to Critical Thinking
Why is it that the 21st Century education is being defined by where the teaching is occurring and the technology that is utilized? There is the brick and mortal classroom where teaching is delivered in a traditional school... Read more
Using Your Best to Help the Rest: Another Thought on Intervention
It has been exciting over the years to see the growth of our students at Lakeridge Junior High as we have committed to increasing the capacity of adults through the processes associated with being a Professional Learning Community... Read more
Excerpt: Pyramid of Behavior Interventions, Chapter One
We believe that academic and behavioral performance go hand in hand. One study (Hawkins, Catalano, Kosterman, Abbott, & Hill,1999) found that when schools raised their level of academic achievement, behavior problems decreased... Read more
Team Meetings: Converting the Middle School to the PLC Middle School
In conversations with many middle school teachers and administrators over the last few years, I’ve noticed a certain perception and tension that exists when some middle schools are presented . . . Read more
Is It Worth It? Sharing Data From Successful PLCs
As we speak about professional learning communities, we know that excitement for student learning is palpable. It is impossible to not be jazzed when we speak about all students learning at high . . . Read more
Electronic Teaming for Singletons in a PLC
One of the questions that I’m asked all the time as an advocate for both professional learning communities and teaching with technology is, “How can digital tools be used to support the learning of singletons in our schools?”... Read more
Teaching Students to Be Responsible With PLCs
In a blog post last year called Do PLCs Enable Students to Act Irresponsibly? (February 16, 2010), I presented the premise that schools should do more than hope students act responsibly but rather should put procedures in place to require students to do so. I acknowledged that almost all educators would prefer that students act responsibly because responsible behavior is important to their success in school and in life. I also suggested that regrettably, some of the students who enter our schools do not act responsibly. Read more
Riverside County Office of Education Uses PLCs to Support Special Education
The Riverside County Office of Education was awarded the 2010 Golden Bell Award for the implementation of professional learning communities to support students with severe disabilities. The . . . Read more
Stults Road Elementary’s PLC Journey: An Overview
Since the implementation of the professional learning community (PLC) movement in 2005, Stults Road Elementary has developed a shared vision and mission. As the Stults Road Community, we are . . . Read more
How Low Can You Go?
Our state legislature recently passed three major educational reform bills. The first one significantly restricts collective bargaining by local unions. The second mandates a pay for performance model based on school-wide achievement, and the third requires increased use of technology and online learning for high school students. Other than the pay-for-performance bill, introduction of these bills was done without input from educators or stakeholders. Read more
Assessing Your School’s PLC Progress
“What should we do next?” is a question I frequently hear as a PLC consultant. But without data, I can’t answer this question. I have to understand where a school is on the PLC . . . Read more
Using Moodle to Enhance Your PLC
Over the past two years, I have been facilitating the PLC and common assessment work with the Bismarck Public Schools in western North Dakota. They are a cutting edge district with strong leadership at the top and committed principals at the 25 individual campuses, accompanied by a world-class Career and Tech Academy. Read more
Calling All Wisconsin PLCs
In a recent story, Teachers Voice Concern Over Budget Cuts, NPR spoke with several teachers about proposed budget cuts in Wisconsin, California, and Ohio. One of the interviewees was Allison Pratt… Read more
Teaching vs. Learning: How Assessment Informs Instruction
One of the most overlooked and understated aspects of the common formative assessment process and the role these assessments play in a professional learning community has to be the degree to which . . . Read more
New Study Highlights Importance of Collaborative Inquiry
A study from the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE), published last November, offers school perspectives on the benefits of New York City’s data-informed collaborative inquiry process. Since 2006, policymakers have been refining a citywide collaborative inquiry model in which… Read more