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How to Develop PLCs for Singletons and Small Schools addresses how singletons—solitary subject-area teachers—and small schools can achieve collective visions in forming teams in a PLC. PLCs carry great potential, but without careful implementation, they can foster divided cultures rather than collaborative ones. To better involve singletons and address small schools, author Aaron Hansen presents five methods for structuring PLC teams. With each method, he provides effective strategies and real teacher experiences detailing success with collaborative teams.
K–12 administrators and teachers will:
• Learn what it means to practice and support team collaboration in a PLC • Discover scenarios, principles, opportunities, challenges, and recommendations for including singletons and small schools in a PLC
Learn more . . . HOW TO DEVELOP PLCS FOR SINGLETONS AND SMALL SCHOOLS
professional learning network (PLN) that he had already established through Twitter (@rutherfordcasey), he reached out to other physics teachers inviting them to join him as a true collaborative team. After sifting through multiple responses, Casey was able to form a team with five other AP physics teachers who met in the evenings using Google Hangouts, Google Docs, and other Google forms. His team, composed of teachers from upper New York State, New York City, Minnesota, Iowa, How to Develop PLCs for and Pennsylvania, got to work answering the four criticaland Small Schools Singletons questions, determining what’s essential in physics, developing common assessments, analyzing student results, and determining what to do in response. (Learn more about Casey’s experience by reading his blog post at AllThingsPLC: www.allthingsplc.info/blog /view/210/a-physics-plc-collaboration-at-a-distance.) Casey proved that the tech tools make it possible to have rich collaboration without being in the same room or even the same time zone. That’s not to say there aren’t challenges. Virtual teams often struggle with finding others who are willing to commit to the process and finding a common time to meet since school schedules often don’t converge to provide a common time. Technology itself can be a challenge. The technology has to work, district filters have to allow access to tech tools, and teachers have to be proficient at using the tools. Although virtual teams are generally more complex to establish, tech tools aren’t what’s holding people back. Virtual teams must have a strong commitment to work together because they probably don’t have a shared expectation from a supervisor as most traditional teams do. As with Casey, the opportunity is there to find others who are just as committed and passionate about your subject as you are and you can form a virtual team to do the work of a true PLC team. Find other interested teachers by reaching out via Twitter or another favorite social network, post your query on the forum at allthingsplc.info, or just start to ask teachers at your next district meeting or professional learning opportunity. • Review the steps for establishing and promoting successful teams in a PLC
• Read sample dialogues and tips on how to build teams in a PLC
Visit go.solution-tree.com/PLCbooks to access materials related to this book.
solution-tree.com
AARON HANSEN
Solutions Series: Solutions for Professional Learning Communities offers K–12 educators easy-to-implement recommendations on professional learning communities (PLCs). In a short, readerfriendly format, these how-to guides equip practitioners with the tools they need to transform their school or district or take their PLC to the next level.
Portions of this article were excerpted from Aaron Hansen’s How to Develop (2015) book, How to Develop PLCs for Singletons PLCs for Singletons and Small and Small Schools Schools. Look there for more detailed tactics used for singletons and small-school PLCs or at www.allthingsplc.info. Another Solution Tree Press book is also great on this topic: Professional Learning Communities at Work™ and VirtuAaron Hansen al Collaboration by Richard DuFour and Casey Reason (2016). To get a taste of what’s in this book, read Casey Reason’s blog posts about virtual teams on the Solution Tree website: Solutions for Professional Learning Communities
• Virtual teams: How to improve instructional practice and jump-start your PLC www.solution-tree.com/blog/virtual-teams • Virtual teams: Technology as the tipping point www.solution-tree.com/blog/virtual-teams -technology-as-the-tipping-point
AARON HANSEN started his career as a high school English and sociology teacher in Ely, Nev., and now works as a leadership consultant with the Northeastern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program. This father of five—ages two to thirteen—is an avid outdoorsman and fly fisherman who went to college on a golf scholarship and also speaks Danish. Follow Aaron on Twitter @Aaronhansen77.
Summer 2016/AllThingsPLC Magazine
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