BAND OF HEROES:
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES

Competition is not needed, since there is enough talent, creativity and success around for all. The two “green eyed monsters”; envy and jealousy, do not have a place in our schools, where our mission is greater than our personality issues. It is disheartening to see adults turn into petty people who talk “more about each other” than to each other.

Through welcoming colleagues into the creative process and encouraging interactions a teacher:

• seizes opportunities to combine unique interests and talents to solve problems and make teaching and learning a joy
• welcomes new ideas and creativity
• raises personal and professional standards based on true successes in the classroom
• sees their colleagues and themselves thrive and become confident educators

The current trend toward Professional Leaning Communities could provide the perfect opportunity to build relationships that are profitable to teachers, as well as a benefit to student learning, but it must be handled correctly.

Based on Commitment not Coercion

As I see teachers being placed in Professional Learning Communities and hear horrific, humorous and happy stories, I am convinced that there are some essentials that must happen in order for PLCs to work effectively. Teachers welcome PLCs that are based on:

Commitment: to kids, their profession and themselves as learners

NOT

Coercion: feeling manipulated by “the newest greatest thing” rather than being a part of the visioning process and finding PLCs as an answer for accelerating student performance, meeting student needs, “de”stressing teachers, not adding to their load and stress quotient.

Professional Learning Communities...What Works?

Professional Learning Communities can effectively “raise the bar” for all of us if they are based on:

1. Common philosophical beliefs about kids, learning and the role of the teacher in the process need to be the foundation of the forming of a group. When folks are already forming ad hoc PLCs and are committed to each other, why try to force a new organization? We need to look at natural tribe creation, as long as the tribes are healthy and committed to the principles of working together to improve instruction.

2. Understanding and valuing the differences in how colleagues process and express themselves. Training needs to take place that allows those involved to come to a better understanding of each other and to create group agreements as to how they will function together as a group.

3. Time must be taken to establish trust between members. For this reason the first ½ or more of the year they work together, their task will be to get to know each other and to trust each other. They will then get a chance to continue with each other in subsequent years. Time must also be provided for members to work well with each other and not feel rushed.

4. A course on listening skills is essential for effective communication among PLC members. Actively listening will provide a bridge between people, as they practice gifting each other with respect and appreciation and are able to work through tough issues together. Successful PLCs have this as part of their foundation.

5. As teachers work together in PLCs other demands on their time MUST be lessened. We all only have so many hours in a day and we keep trying to cram more and more into each day and still expect teachers to impact student learning and create positive and productive collegial relationships. After the implementation of site-based management techniques in school in the early 90’s, teachers have been overwhelmed with all of the “extra duties” duties they have been given to do, while nothing has been taken away, except TIME to teach well! Opportunities to demonstrate lessons or observe each other teaching, is the ultimate in great staff development.

6. Teachers must know how to utilize Classroom Based Assessments effectively to be able to share information and make wise choices in altering instruction. Training and practice must take place.

Super Teachers are Positive Contributors to their Professional Learning Communities

Here are some practical ways to celebrate the abundance of your staff:

• Speak and send written appreciations

Written appreciations can be reviewed and revisited when your colleague needs positive support. I also send a copy to my administrator because I think he/she needs to hear something positive about my colleagues.

Imagine the difference in attitude when an administrator says, “I heard from your team that you are doing this amazing thing.”

• While you are at it, give five hugs a day to staff members.

Therapists tells us that, “We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth." So, remember, everyone needs hugs a day to be healthy, just like Charlotte Diamond’s wonderful song Four Hugs a Day shares.

• Comment appropriately on work well done and on effort

I have found that by looking for the good in others I can overcome my own negative attitudes. I try to keep negative thoughts to myself and always share the positive ones, especially in the teacher’s lounge. A child, a family or a staff member can easily be destroyed in the lounge, without anyone meaning to; through negative, careless conversations.

By only looking for the best in other staff members, including classified staff, cooks, bus drivers, administrators and cooks, you can spread roses and not thorns.

If you work with someone with whom you do not have a good relationship, you will need to honestly share your hesitance at sharing with them your comments because you do not have a trust relationship. Appeal to their better nature by humbling yourself and being sincere and very specifically complimentary.

Don’t ever just say “Good Job." Encouragement is always specific and helps the person see value in themselves, not draw attention to you.

Remember “a vision is caught, not taught”.

So live and teach with abundance, passion and enthusiasm and others will catch the vision.

Make sure that you Judge not!If your colleagues don't feel judged or at risk, then their fear levels will drop and you will see that they are committed people who want to make a difference, just like you. Whereas, if they feel judged they will try to protect themselves and may become either actively or passively aggressive.

I see so many passive aggressive behaviors because people assume that colleagues are judging them and react for self preservation. Fear creates meanness. As my dad always said, “You catch a lot more flies with honey than with vinegar!” You can have a much more productive staff if you simply expect the best of everyone.

In the SPOTLIGHT Save-the-Teacher Podcast Double click Play to listen to the first episode, "Stop the Pendulum I Want to Get Off". Here Phyllis talks about Building a Community of Colleagues and the role Fear and Trust play in teaching and learning. Or listen to the episode, "Don't Monkey Around...Change the Face of Education," where Phyllis speaks directly to creating Professional Learning Communities.

This can be your experience too...See Phyllis Live!

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Continue your emergence as Super Teacher
by exploring more of the Super Teacher Manual

Community in your staff is important, but it needs to be supported by a shared strong teaching philosophy.

How can you fit it all in? Integrated Instruction is your Super Strength. Teaming your theme units with your colleagues creates school wide unity and success.

Before you can embrace your colleagues' abundance you need to recognize and nurture your own. You need to Know You.

The Time is NOW...the MISSION is yours, if YOU choose to accept it.