Supportive Conditions – Relationships &

StructuresModule 5:Genesis

Agenda

This module will cover the following components of Supportive Conditions – Relationships & Structures:• Relationships are caring, trusting, and

respectful• Positive culture with change embedded• School Schedule (Time Management)• Fiscal Resources• Technology Accessibility

Learning Outcomes

• The participants will develop an understanding of the genesis of professional learning communities in Domains 5 & 6 – Supportive Conditions – Relationships & Structures.

• The participants will identify the specific roles and responsibilities of the principal and school faculty in Domains 5 & 6– Supportive Conditions – Relationships & Structures.

Phases of Development

There are three phases of development for PLCs:

Genesis – The initiation of the process. The primary responsibilities for facilitation are incumbent on the principal. The principal works extensively on building the leadership of the faculty to foster capacity and start the process of developing shared leadership.

Phases of Development

Process – the second phase of development starts once there is an understanding of the purpose and function of PLCs.

The principal collaborates with the faculty to build leadership capacity. As this process matures, more of the facilitation and leadership responsibilities are managed by teacher leaders.

Phases of Development

Implementation – the collaborative practices of PLCs are institutionalized in school practices.

The culture of the school is based on collaboration between the faculty, administration, and school community. School practices are regularly adjusted to meet the needs of the students, teachers, and school community. Decision-making authority is shared.

Supportive Conditions - Relationships

Strong collegial relationships form the support structure of the shared leadership

and collaborative practice of PLCs.

Relationships

Collegial relationships require colleagues to speak to the core issues of beliefs, attitudes and practices. This topic appears in two domains (Collective Learning and Application & Supportive Conditions) because the importance of collegial relations is interwoven into all of the collaborative aspects of PLCs.

Goal: All professional relationships are collegial in nature to allow for the implicit trust required for deep reflective practice.

Positive Culture With Change Embedded

When schools examine and modify practices to generate alignment with the shared vision, the professional dialogue confronts and resolves potential barriers to create a positive culture.

Goal: A positive school culture proactively addresses concerns and barriers to changing practices to align with the shared vision.

Principal Actions•Principal – facilitate the on-going dialogue

about shared vision and collaboration to include strengths and weaknesses in the school culture.• Facilitate the evaluation of school

programs to determine perceptions of the function and effectiveness

• Model the process of modifying school programs to meet the needs of the stakeholders – continue the program, modify the program, or discontinue the program.

Teacher Actions

•Teachers – engage in the collaborative discussion to examine strengths and weaknesses of school programs• Develop an understanding of the

importance of communicating the purpose and function of school programs

Shared Collaborative Practice

Shared collaborative practice is the most fundamental aspect of PLCs. The professional dialogue about how instruction can be designed to meet the needs of learners creates the most professional growth and develops a critical approach to learning.

Goal: All school faculty engage in collaboration to increase the effectiveness of instruction through the sharing and review of lesson plans, assessments, and student performance data.

Principal Actions

• Principal – facilitates the use of protocols to discuss instructional practice with an emphasis on learning the purpose and function of collaboration. • Dialogue may be limited to specific common

assessments to relieve potential barriers• Process occurs concurrent with the development of a

shared vision. The shared vision will provide parameters for the process.

• Model the objective use of protocols to encourage instructional modifications that meet the needs of students. Vital to the success of this process is the use of objectivity and conscious effort to avoid any appearance of indicting an instructional practice.

Teacher Actions

• Teachers – develop an understanding of how to collaborate with colleagues. Essential to this development is the initial creation of strict parameters to maintain an objective conversation.• Focus the conversation on student performance.

This process is not an opportunity to present editorial opinions on colleagues’ instruction.

• Recognize that the shared vision will impact this dialogue. During the genesis phase, the goal is to gain an understanding of the process and instruments.

Reflections

1. What aspect of shared personal practice do you find to be the most important? Why?

2. What aspect of shared personal practice do you see as the greatest challenge? Why?

3. How do you feel about addressing core issues of personal practice that lead to difficult conversations?