Let's Put the C in PLC
(Subtitle: No Election Coverage Here)
November 6, 2020
And, just like that, it's here!
A project that started several years ago, prodded (ironically) by the global health pandemic, is finally full term. Let’s Put the C in PLC: A Practical Guide for School Leaders published last week. It’s a combination of research, practice, stories, and tools–all rolled into one.
This journey started shortly after my dissertation received international accolades. Within a few years, multiple schools in the district I was leading received national recognition for improving student learning. Prodded by my wife, I started to put my learning into a format that might be useful to others.
But it languished.
Until this Spring when I decided to get it back out and start updating, clarifying, and adding to it. The result, amazingly: an Amazon #1 Hot New Release in multiple categories, and an overall Best-Seller in a number of other categories.
There are so many people to Thank–the “Acknowledgements” does just this, as well as the facebook live sessions I did last week. Here I’d like to share a brief overview of the 10 Elements of Principal Knowledge: what every principal needs to know in order to Put the C in PLC; to build collaborative Communities of Professional Learning.
There is widespread consensus that knowing-doing gaps are difficult to overcome. How much more challenging when we don’t know what we need to know! Hence, this work focuses on what principals need to know–to close any potential knowing gaps. With a baseline of knowledge, knowing-doing gaps can then be addressed.
So what does a principal need to know?
To build a collaborative culture of professional learning, principals:
Recognize that charismatic leadership does not equal success.
Team teachers for effectiveness.
Focus staff meetings on student learning.
Use principles of adult learning.
Apply elements of continuous improvmeent and innovation
Model your own professional learning.
Allocate resources.
Involve staff in important decisions.
Understand principles of student learning.
Utilize principles of change and sustainability.
(For a free study guide, downloadable printables, and overview, visit tinyurl.com/PuttheCinPLC)
These ten elements came from a thorough review of the research–from Marzano to Mattos, Collins to Costa, Garmston to Heifitz, DuFour to Deming, Fullan to Lambert, Sparks to Schmoker, Hord to Hargreaves, Wellman to Whitaker.
(Whew!! Kuddos to those who made it through reading all those names.)
But it’s not just pie-in-the-sky research, it’s practical, on-the-ground application of what makes for Communities of Professional Learning.
Creating this culture, or ethos (as DuFour frequently called it), is not about labeling meetings “PLC,” or releasing students early one day a week for “PLC,” or reading a book together, or grouping teachers and hoping for “PLC.” Creating a community of professionals who are learning together takes hard work, focused attention, and clear priorities. These 10 elements provide that focus.
Interconnectedness
None of these elements can be separated from the rest. They are intertwined and interdependent. For example:
Principles of adult learning (the role of external trainings, job-embeddedness, etc)
fit hand-in-glove with
Teaming teachers (small groups, teacher voice, the focus of the work, etc)
mesh with
Applying continuous improvement and innovation (focused, using groups as the main unit of improvement, talk about instruction, etc), and more.
These aren’t discrete steps where you start with one, then add another, then another. Rather, they are complex and integrated with each other. Building Communities of Professional Learning requires an understanding of each and every one of them, and then bridging any potential gaps. It’s about creating a culture and community.
Some are more straightforward than others, like focusing staff meetings on student learning. Others are far more involved–like recognizing that charismatic leadership does not lead to long-term success. If charismatic leadership doesn’t work, what does?
Next Steps
Future posts will dig into these different elements.
In the meantime, consider subscribing to Justin Baeder, Director of The Principal Center, podcasts at https://www.principalcenter.com/radio/. He does great work, and look for an interview with me to drop soon!
Enjoy!
Questions for Reflection
Which of the 10 Elements do you need to learn more about?
How might you go about pursuing that learning?
Do you have a story you’d like to share?
Comment below
(or email [email protected])
and share it with me!
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- Overview to what every principal needs to know,
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