Comments on: Addressing Differences http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339 All Information, No Commerce Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:17:23 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Rick and Becky DuFour http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339&cpage=1#comment-810 Rick and Becky DuFour Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:31:42 +0000 http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339#comment-810 Dear Eraduly, Typically the easiest and most meaningful (to the team members) collaboration is job-alike. For example, all of the elementary music teachers from the same district form a collaborative team; or the elementary and middle school music teachers form a vertical team. But there are other options. We’ve written about this topic many times and educators from across the country have contributed some additional ideas. For more information and ideas on team structure, please explore the following blog article and comments: http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=47 Best Wishes, Becky & Rick DuFour Dear Eraduly,

Typically the easiest and most meaningful (to the team members) collaboration is job-alike. For example, all of the elementary music teachers from the same district form a collaborative team; or the elementary and middle school music teachers form a vertical team. But there are other options. We’ve written about this topic many times and educators from across the country have contributed some additional ideas. For more information and ideas on team structure, please explore the following blog article and comments:
http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=47

Best Wishes,
Becky & Rick DuFour

]]> By: Rick and Becky DuFour http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339&cpage=1#comment-808 Rick and Becky DuFour Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:52:11 +0000 http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339#comment-808 Hi Cliff (Docgreen), Your argument that the percentage of Stevenson students being successful in the AP program is solely a function of the socio-economic status of its students simply does not align with the facts. In 1985 two-thirds of the Stevenson student population came from high income communities and there were no ESL students; yet, 7% of the graduates wrote AP exams, the school had a 35% failure rate, and its scores on the ACT exam were only slightly above the national averages. In 2009 10% of the students resided in high income communities and one in four had parents who did not speak English at home; yet, almost 80 percent of graduates had been successful in the AP program, the school's failure rate had dropped to about 1% and its students score significantly above the national average on the ACT in ever aspect of the test. This ACT statistic is particularly interesting because all high school juniors in Illinois must take the test whereas in almost every other state, only the college-bound students take the exam. So a public high school that requires all students to be tested on a national assessment is scoring much higher than select college-bound students across the nation, and its scores continue to rise. So Cliff, if your argument that demographics is destiny were valid, the indicators of achievement at Stevenson should have been on a steady decline for the past quarter century rather improving virtually every year. But rather than focus on a single school, look at the other high schools on this website. All of them have seen dramatic gains in student achievement in virtually every indicator. Some of those schools, for example, those in Whittier Union High School District in your home state of California, have experienced higher levels of student achievement despite a tremendous increase in the percentage of students who live in poverty to the point that today almost 3 of every 4 students is low SES. You contend that schools that operate as PLCs focus only on raising student scores on multiple choice tests rather than focusing students on learning. Are you really suggesting that schools that are attempting to give all students the skills and self-efficacy to be successful in the most rigorous curricula a high school can offer are only interested in improving scores on multiple choice tests? If you go to the Stevenons website and download its annual student survey, you will discover that Stevenson graduates feel far better prepared than the other students in their college and are more than twice as likely to earn a degree within five years. So if a Stevenson student at Harvard or Northwestern or any public university or any community college reports she is better prepared, earns better grades, and is more likely to graduate than her peers, are you prepared to argue that she has those advantages solely because of her SES?, Would you accept the possibility that the achievement of students might have something to do with the effectiveness of their teachers? How many schools would it take to convince you that the professional practice of the adults in the school can have a dramatic impact on student achievement? I urge you to become a student of the structures and cultures of such schools rather than dismissing what they have accomplished. Hi Cliff (Docgreen),
Your argument that the percentage of Stevenson students being successful in the AP program is solely a function of the socio-economic status of its students simply does not align with the facts. In 1985 two-thirds of the Stevenson student population came from high income communities and there were no ESL students; yet, 7% of the graduates wrote AP exams, the school had a 35% failure rate, and its scores on the ACT exam were only slightly above the national averages. In 2009 10% of the students resided in high income communities and one in four had parents who did not speak English at home; yet, almost 80 percent of graduates had been successful in the AP program, the school’s failure rate had dropped to about 1% and its students score significantly above the national average on the ACT in ever aspect of the test. This ACT statistic is particularly interesting because all high school juniors in Illinois must take the test whereas in almost every other state, only the college-bound students take the exam. So a public high school that requires all students to be tested on a national assessment is scoring much higher than select college-bound students across the nation, and its scores continue to rise. So Cliff, if your argument that demographics is destiny were valid, the indicators of achievement at Stevenson should have been on a steady decline for the past quarter century rather improving virtually every year.

But rather than focus on a single school, look at the other high schools on this website. All of them have seen dramatic gains in student achievement in virtually every indicator. Some of those schools, for example, those in Whittier Union High School District in your home state of California, have experienced higher levels of student achievement despite a tremendous increase in the percentage of students who live in poverty to the point that today almost 3 of every 4 students is low SES.

You contend that schools that operate as PLCs focus only on raising student scores on multiple choice tests rather than focusing students on learning. Are you really suggesting that schools that are attempting to give all students the skills and self-efficacy to be successful in the most rigorous curricula a high school can offer are only interested in improving scores on multiple choice tests? If you go to the Stevenons website and download its annual student survey, you will discover that Stevenson graduates feel far better prepared than the other students in their college and are more than twice as likely to earn a degree within five years. So if a Stevenson student at Harvard or Northwestern or any public university or any community college reports she is better prepared, earns better grades, and is more likely to graduate than her peers, are you prepared to argue that she has those advantages solely because of her SES?, Would you accept the possibility that the achievement of students might have something to do with the effectiveness of their teachers? How many schools would it take to convince you that the professional practice of the adults in the school can have a dramatic impact on student achievement? I urge you to become a student of the structures and cultures of such schools rather than dismissing what they have accomplished.

]]> By: eraduly http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339&cpage=1#comment-803 eraduly Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:33:36 +0000 http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339#comment-803 Rick, Can you identify the role of special area teachers (Art, music, Phy Ed, Library) in a PLC? Is it effective to have them folded into grade-level PLCs to focus on more general education goals, say, math and/or reading? Or is it more appropriate to have specialists meet as a PLC themselves with common subject-area goals to compare data and improve instruction so that student achievement in their specific subject areas is positively impacted? Rick,
Can you identify the role of special area teachers (Art, music, Phy Ed, Library) in a PLC? Is it effective to have them folded into grade-level PLCs to focus on more general education goals, say, math and/or reading? Or is it more appropriate to have specialists meet as a PLC themselves with common subject-area goals to compare data and improve instruction so that student achievement in their specific subject areas is positively impacted?

]]> By: docgreen http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339&cpage=1#comment-802 docgreen Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:46:04 +0000 http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339#comment-802 Hi Rick, As an AP teacher (3 sections) I can see the value of collaboration,yet I think your example of Adlai Stevenson H.S. is misleading at best. The demographics make it a surprise that there was ever a time when only 7% participated in an AP program. The kids drive nicer cars than the teachers and come from well educated upper middle class parents that value education. I graduated from a H.S. where the teachers were not versed in all things PLC or PC or particularly caring about individual students, yet 95% of the students went on to college. I am not saying PLC is a bad idea, yet the focus is too much on creating a 'product' that is numerical to demonstrate that the kids can answer a m/c test a bit more accurately than last time. It would be refreshing to see a focus on how the tone or attitude of the students can be refocused on learning. Cliff Hi Rick,
As an AP teacher (3 sections) I can see the value of collaboration,yet I think your example of Adlai Stevenson H.S. is misleading at best. The demographics make it a surprise that there was ever a time when only 7% participated in an AP program. The kids drive nicer cars than the teachers and come from well educated upper middle class parents that value education. I graduated from a H.S. where the teachers were not versed in all things PLC or PC or particularly caring about individual students, yet 95% of the students went on to college. I am not saying PLC is a bad idea, yet the focus is too much on creating a ‘product’ that is numerical to demonstrate that the kids can answer a m/c test a bit more accurately than last time. It would be refreshing to see a focus on how the tone or attitude of the students can be refocused on learning.
Cliff

]]> By: mitchell http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339&cpage=1#comment-800 mitchell Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:19:21 +0000 http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339#comment-800 Hi Ric, Could you adrress a couple of questions/areas in future blogs? 1. How do PLC schools address the issue of "responsility" in a PLC? It seems to be surfacing as an issue this year in regards to work completion or failure? 2. How do you define "mastery" of essential learning skills. Thanks, Dale Mitchell Supt. Homewood Schools Long-time PLC Lincolnshire particpant. Hi Ric,

Could you adrress a couple of questions/areas in future blogs?

1. How do PLC schools address the issue of “responsility” in a PLC? It seems to be surfacing as an issue this year in regards to work completion or failure?

2. How do you define “mastery” of essential learning skills.

Thanks,
Dale Mitchell
Supt. Homewood Schools
Long-time PLC Lincolnshire particpant.

]]> By: Randall Squier http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339&cpage=1#comment-797 Randall Squier Sat, 12 Dec 2009 02:38:24 +0000 http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339#comment-797 Rick, You describe someone who is present in all types of organizations. When a teacher becomes so toxic, it becomes mal practice. Each school leader has the enormous responsibility of minimizing the caustic impact resisters have. School leaders mean more then the principal. With administrator turnover averaging five years, it is imperative that leadership capacity is grown among teachers. Principals must create positive movement. Fullan calls this motion leadership. Principals can do this if they keep the goals of the school to a minimum (3). Schmoker has been saying this for years. Then create the structures and “time between the bells” for teachers to work together in reaching their goals. All data that informs instruction must be transparent and results determine whether the teacher work is effective. Our problem is we take so long to move in schools. We have a nasty habit of complicating a simple process to impact student learning. The irony is the reasons adults use to justify resisting working collectively is exactly opposite of why they have their students work cooperatively in the classroom, to provide a more effective and efficient way to learn. It is common sense to realize that a team of teachers looking at data will develop a wider range of ideas and solutions to support students who need additional support. To challenge those who excel, a team of teachers will always make a more robust enriching learning opportunity then a single teacher working alone. Working together the learning outcomes become clear for teachers and in turn the assessments they create are a more accurate, and fair measure of student learning. We have many teams in our schools in Oxford who see the power in working together. We, the administrators, have not done everything perfectly. We have made a mess of some change initiatives. Yet, the teachers persevere in spite of us sometimes getting in the way. This happens because we have been committed to providing them time between the bells to go from congenial teams to collegial teams. If they need other resources we have found a way to provide it. We have been gentle bulldozers, sometimes too gentle, in pushing teachers to stretch their efficacy in the use of assessments as a formative tool. We now have teachers actually wanting data from benchmark assessments immediately, and they want it broken down to the individual student level so they can personalize their interventions and enrichment. They used to talk about data by looking at averages. Now they talk in specifics. They know what concepts or skills each student needs extra time and support. This has given us many reasons to celebrate. It is exciting to see the capacity of our faculty grow every day. We still have our resisters, and always will. Our goal as leaders now is to spread the great work being done by some of our teacher teams and making it the norm building and district wide. This can be accomplished by staying true to our core values, continually clarifying and being precise in what we want students to learn so we can personalize our instruction and doing this by supporting, making time and expecting continual professional learning in order to build our collective capacity as a learning organization. It has been and will be messy, emotional and exciting! Rick,
You describe someone who is present in all types of organizations. When a teacher becomes so toxic, it becomes mal practice. Each school leader has the enormous responsibility of minimizing the caustic impact resisters have. School leaders mean more then the principal. With administrator turnover averaging five years, it is imperative that leadership capacity is grown among teachers. Principals must create positive movement. Fullan calls this motion leadership. Principals can do this if they keep the goals of the school to a minimum (3). Schmoker has been saying this for years. Then create the structures and “time between the bells” for teachers to work together in reaching their goals. All data that informs instruction must be transparent and results determine whether the teacher work is effective.
Our problem is we take so long to move in schools. We have a nasty habit of complicating a simple process to impact student learning. The irony is the reasons adults use to justify resisting working collectively is exactly opposite of why they have their students work cooperatively in the classroom, to provide a more effective and efficient way to learn. It is common sense to realize that a team of teachers looking at data will develop a wider range of ideas and solutions to support students who need additional support. To challenge those who excel, a team of teachers will always make a more robust enriching learning opportunity then a single teacher working alone. Working together the learning outcomes become clear for teachers and in turn the assessments they create are a more accurate, and fair measure of student learning.
We have many teams in our schools in Oxford who see the power in working together. We, the administrators, have not done everything perfectly. We have made a mess of some change initiatives. Yet, the teachers persevere in spite of us sometimes getting in the way. This happens because we have been committed to providing them time between the bells to go from congenial teams to collegial teams. If they need other resources we have found a way to provide it. We have been gentle bulldozers, sometimes too gentle, in pushing teachers to stretch their efficacy in the use of assessments as a formative tool. We now have teachers actually wanting data from benchmark assessments immediately, and they want it broken down to the individual student level so they can personalize their interventions and enrichment. They used to talk about data by looking at averages. Now they talk in specifics. They know what concepts or skills each student needs extra time and support. This has given us many reasons to celebrate. It is exciting to see the capacity of our faculty grow every day.
We still have our resisters, and always will. Our goal as leaders now is to spread the great work being done by some of our teacher teams and making it the norm building and district wide. This can be accomplished by staying true to our core values, continually clarifying and being precise in what we want students to learn so we can personalize our instruction and doing this by supporting, making time and expecting continual professional learning in order to build our collective capacity as a learning organization. It has been and will be messy, emotional and exciting!

]]> By: kbergevin http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339&cpage=1#comment-795 kbergevin Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:06:04 +0000 http://www.allthingsplc.info/wordpress/?p=339#comment-795 After reading Dr. Anthony Muhammad's description of a Level 4 Fundamentalist I'm wondering if there perhaps needs to be a Level 5! After reading Dr. Anthony Muhammad’s description of a Level 4 Fundamentalist I’m wondering if there perhaps needs to be a Level 5!

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