Educators as Learners: Creating a Professional Learning Community in Your School

✍ Scribed by Penelope Jo Wald, Michael S. Castleberry

• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 142
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

How can schools develop a shared vision that embraces the aspiration of all members of the school community? How can members of a learning community work together to build the knowledge and processes needed for student success? This book describes a professional development model that supports educators and families in learning and growing together. It offers a theoretical framework and practical guidance for renewing the capacity of schools to produce positive results for all children. Part I: Cornerstones discusses concepts, assumptions, and leadership qualities of an effective school-based staff development model. Part II: Process presents lively case studies and activities that show how to build professional learning communities. It describes strategies to help teams engage in meaningful dialogue and discovery. Part III: Tools for Learning is filled with practical, field-tested staff development tools that complement the process of building school-based professional learning communities. This book embraces principles of collegiality, inquiry, learning, and community. It is written by practitioners for practitioners in the hope that collegial learning will be a renewing force in schools during these times of change.

✦ Table of Contents

Foreword......Page 6
Preface and Acknowledgments......Page 8
Part I Cornerstones......Page 11
Realigning for Change......Page 13
Learning Communities—An Ethos for Professional Change......Page 17
Leading Professional Learning Communities......Page 28
Part II Process......Page 39
Identity of the Learning Community......Page 41
Learning as a Community......Page 53
Enhancing Capacity to Learn......Page 69
Part III Tools for
Learning......Page 85
Force Field Analysis......Page 89
Probable and Preferred Future......Page 92
Affinity......Page 95
Open Space......Page 97
Think, Pair, Share......Page 101
Communication Norms
for Collaborative Groups......Page 102
Left-Hand Column......Page 113
The Pyramid......Page 117
Ground Rules......Page 119
Communication Patterns......Page 122
Epilogue......Page 126
Glossary......Page 129
References and Bibliography......Page 131
Index......Page 134
About the Editors and Contributors......Page 139