BEST Practice #1:
Professional Learning Community (PLC)
Curriculum, Assessment, Remediation & Enrichment (CARE)
A Focused & Authentic Professional Learning Community (PLC) Process
A Professional Learning Community (PLC) is a process where teachers work together to improve their teaching skills. Teachers work in teams and use student information to develop strategies to improve their classroom practices. Professional learning for teachers takes place in all grades and across all academic subjects. School-based administrators, teachers, and staff participate in on-going training to improve teaching and learning.
In their professional learning meetings teachers demonstrate they CARE. CARE represents the 4 key areas of a complete educational cycle.
Teachers work together to determine:
Curriculum - What do we want all students/staff to know?
Assessment - How will we determine students/staff meet mastery/expectation?
Remediation - How will we respond to students/staff who do not meet mastery/expectation?
Enrichment - How will we respond when students/staff meet or exceed mastery/expectation?
How will the school community demonstrate that they CARE?
In Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) teachers answer the following questions:
Curriculum
What do we want all students to know during this cycle?
How are the Units of Study influencing this work?
How are College & Career Readiness Standards influencing this work?
What are some of the BEST instructional strategies to use in order to maximize student learning?
Assessment
How will we determine student mastery? How will we create/select the assessment instrument?
What percent correct will define mastery? How soon after assessment administration will results be reported?
Remediation
How will we respond to students who do not meet mastery?
What process will be put in place to ensure students receive additional time and support for learning?
How will you ensure this process is timely, precise, diagnostic, directive, and systemic?
How will remedial efforts be measured?
Enrichment
How will we respond when students meet/exceed mastery?
What will be enriched? When will it be enriched?
How will it be enriched? Who will do the enrichment?
How will enrichment efforts be measured?
BEST Practice #1 Resources:
Professional Learning Community (PLC) Resources for Teachers
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/talentdevelopment/html/plc/
CARE Resources:
The BEST Blueprint & AdvancED Accreditation Standards Correlation:
Standard 1 - Purpose and Direction:
PLC’s help BCPS meet accreditation standards by maintaining and communicating at all levels of the District a purpose and direction for continuous improvement that commit to high expectations for learning as well as shared values and beliefs about teaching and learning. PLC’s serve as one way BCPS has engaged a systematic, inclusive and comprehensive process to review, revise and communicate a district-wide purpose for student success. PLC’s are conducted at each school facilitating a culture of shared values and beliefs about teaching and learning and helps to create and maintain learning experiences for student learning, thinking and the development of life skills.
Standard 2 - Governance and Leadership:
PLC’s are part of the district’s policies and practices to ensure effective administration and ensures that the leadership at all levels is autonomous in meeting student achievement and instructional goals.
Standard 3 - Teaching and Assessing for Learning:
PLC’s are part of the district’s curriculum, instructional design, and assessment practices that help guide and ensure teacher effectiveness and student learning across all grades and courses. During PLC’s teachers monitor and adjust curriculum, instruction and assessment in response to student test data and their instructional practices.
Standard 4 - Resources and Support Systems:
PLC’s are part of the district’s systematic process for retaining qualified educators to fulfill their roles and responsibilities and support the purpose and direction of the district, their respective schools and county-wide educational programs. PLC’s are customized and utilize various resources made available through the district. Technology infrastructure and material resources support the PLC process by developing teachers’ skills to ensure success for all students.
Standard 5 - Using Results for Continuous Improvement:
Through PLC’s, district and school leaders monitor and communicate comprehensive information about student learning, school performance, and the achievement of district and school improvement goals to stakeholders.