Linda, As for your question on PLCs, I am not an expert, but what worked at my school was for the teachers to brainstorm their own questions...what do they want to know or learn more about. Then look for patterns and commonalities among the questions. The K team I am working with had questions related to the implementation of a new reading series which set aside time for small group instruction AND they wanted better ways to meet the needs of both the struggling kids and those who were entering K reading. We combined the two main questions to develop an essential question for study about how to use small group instruction to meet the needs of all K kids. We moved into work with the book The Daily Five after that. It doesn't really work to say---"we are all going to study comprehension strategies now." You also have to attend to the process...ground rules for how you will work together. The administration needs to be supportive and give time to reflect. We use what would have been faculty meeting time. Happily, two out of the six member of our K team heard my instructional facilitator talk about To Understand at an inservice and they are both starting to read the book. I am selfishly hoping that their interest and enthusiasm will transfer to their team and we'll develop a new PLC topic for next year but that is totally up to them. There are books on Professional Learning Communities---most published I think by ASCD. If you really want to get them started, it is worth doing a little reading. Professional Learning Communities are terrific forms of staff development---but it has to be teacher driven. And...isn't that what we want anyway??? Thinking students and thinking teachers??? Jennifer In a message dated 4/20/2008 10:07:43 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
I agree with Ellin and all of you about looking at what we teach and making it better. How do you get professional learning communities started. Most of our staff thinks if it works - if the lesson goes well, move on to the next. I have heard "if it isn't broke, don't fix it." **************Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S. used car listings at AOL Autos. (http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=aolcmp00300000002851) _______________________________________________ Understand mailing list [email protected] http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/listinfo/understand_literacyworkshop.org
