I’ve always believed in the power of the PLC as most do. Where I struggle is an over emphasis on data that as you say may not be relevant to your kids. Grant it, things like Math and ElA have fairly universal appeal but still.

In our case, the issue is that many of the PLC’s needed so much direction as they were floundering. That said, it’s my bias that we allow those with clear understanding to focus on student learning in whatever way makes sense for them and benefits learning. It just seems to me that data can get in the way. It doesn’t have to but in some cases thwarts the process.

If the basic questions remain:

1. What do they need to know?
2. How will I know they’ve learned?
3.What will I do if they don’t?

We should all be able to find meaning and purpose in that.

Dean, what I think you’re struggling with is the outcomes on which the PLCs are focused. PLCs, assessment for learning, and data-driven practices are all processes. In this case they’re focused on standardized test results. You want them focused on 21st century skills. Once students get past some basic traditional literacies, I’m with you.

My district has adopted “PLCs” as the new buzzword/reform movement and we are in the second year of this “model” being officially adopted across the district.

HOWEVER — I was on a campus that started trying to use this model several years ago and our focus was on improving what happened in the classroom so that it improved student learning. We attempted to combine it with Smaller Learning Communities in the form of career academies to make real-world connections for the kids. We hoped that in time our program would result in a high school that had Juniors and Seniors involved in the community — doing real work, producing real things for real audiences, while also learning more about themselves and the intended state-adopted curriculum. Our goal was to create a real community of learners that included everyone from the students, to the parents, to the teachers and the adminsitrators — Everyone would be a learner. We were also a new campus with state of the art technology in every classroom and a staff that included many tech savvy people who used a variety of tech in the classroom.

Now for the reality of what I see happening in my district… everyone says “PLC this… PLC that…” — but in most instances, the PLCs are really just traditional department meetings where no professional learning is occurring — just data analysis and lesson planning all focused on the state tests. NCLB, AYP, and state accountability ratings are all that matter on most campuses and the PLCs, for the most part, are focused around that. I don’t consider this to be true PLC work.

I’ve had people argue with me that a PLC that plans lessons, common assessments, and develops common assessments together is a PLC that is learning together through the work. I argue that learning is not occurring if the community does not take time to reflect on their work individually and collaboratively, and if the work/learning does not result in changed behavior or changed practice.

PLCs are — or should be — about professional learning. What we do on our blogs and in Twitter and in our other online networking/communications tools is professional learning. In my opinion, the “mob” that collaborated on exploring Google Presentations on Wednesday was closer to a PLC than many of the so-called PLCs that I see operating in our district.

And “Assessment FOR Learning” — a term used frequently in our district and in association with PLCs IS NOT the same as just giving a bunch of common assessments that are really just mini-versions of the state test. Assessment FOR Learning encompasses a wide variety of assessment methods that include everything from quizzes and exams to portfolios, presentations, journals, “exit tickets”, and projects. Assessment FOR Learning can very, VERY easily be done through student created blogs, wikis, podcasts, websites, and even the use of tools like Twitter. I assess FOR learning everyday that I meet with my class through our classroom discussions and the journal entries and other assignments that the students submit through our class Moodle site.

I even find myself using buzzwords sometimes at the urging of those who say that these words “legitimize” the work that I do. A rut can be called a rut or it can also be called… comfort zones or boundaries. It is just a rut, plain and simple.

Although it is so important to remember that excellence should always be the goal… we can have students excellent learn how to sew a straight seam in a dress when indeed it is unlikely that in today’s society that they will have to or that is necessary.

I got frustrated the other day as I was looking over a course offering by our local RESA — it was on differentiated instruction… it held no mention of anything computer related… Nothing! It had ways to cut paper, make manipulatives, etc. and yet the greatest manipulative invented in the history of mankind was left out.

The person who attended the course said, “Well, they just didn’t have time for that. This was for real teachers.”

And that, Dean, is the rut!

Phenomenal post — I’m going to simulpost it on my blog. Keep blogging the hard questions.

From “On Common Ground”, Dufour writes about how “the PLC concept represents more than just a series of practices–it rests upon a set of beliefs, assumptions, and expectations regarding school.” How do you change these beliefs (comfort zone) and transform the school culture when everyone is treading water and barely keeping from drowning in bureacracy, paperwork, testing, and accountability?

Other Questions:
How can assessment be more authentic and still meet the guidelines of the tests?
How do you create new roles for teachers to lead, share expertise, and learn from one another?
How can you incorporate shared resources such as teaching time, ideas, and materials?

Blogs and wikis engage all stakeholders and encourage collaboration. However, to do something like lesson study or action research, I found that there has to be a place online for confidential discussions and a private area for sharing proprietary materials, videos of students working, and even teachers teaching the lesson. They are not ready to share their classroom with the world yet. I am working with LAUSD Arts Branch where we are uploading all of the curriculum for the Arts discipline and will be designing example lessons for the teachers. The coaches are spending this year creating materials as examples. Then the teachers will use the lessons and share as part of lesson study what worked and what they would do different next time. I also work with BTSA (Beginning Teachers) in the SF Bay area where we have private spaces for mentoring. The BTSA Support Providers created an online BTSA Toolkit where all of the materials are available for the new teachers and mentors. They also created a private space for confidential discussions.

I believe that comfort and trust is important to consider when asking teachers to open their classroom doors to the world. Especially in the U.S. with where we are in this testing frenzy. Dean, I appreciate you sharing this post.