Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) are the foundation for making your entire school a professional learning community dedicated to improving student academic performance. This form of professional development is cited in the research as key to the success of turnaround schools. Schools at all levels, especially those facing NCLB corrective action or restructuring, can use this service to increase the use of research-based practices throughout the school.

In this model, small groups of teachers from the same school, department, or grade level work at finding and implementing research-based strategies designed to meet the most pressing learning needs of their students. Teacher teams meet weekly or biweekly to analyze student work, discuss formative assessment data, and support one another in modifying instruction to increase student achievement.

This turnaround service, which is sustainable and collaborative, goes beyond abstract ideas and global concepts: schools receive practical tools and hands-on support to ensure that all teams make concrete, research-based changes in classroom instruction.

What Participants Will Learn

• Research-based strategies in core content focus areas
• Protocols for sharing teaching practices with their PLT
• Methods for collecting classroom data to document activities and assess results
• Strategies for using reflective dialogue to share personal practices and expertise, analyze student work, and provide feedback following classroom observations

Format

Schoolwide or department-level PLT training is individualized to meet the specific needs of each school and may be delivered via a variety of approaches:

• Two-day initial training and monthly follow-ups throughout the school year
• Ongoing technical assistance
• Specialized training for school leaders based on Education Northwest's Leading Professional Learning Teams: A Startup Guide for Improving Instruction (Corwin, 2009)
• Training of trainers for district and/or school site facilitators

This service can be customized for

• Small or large faculty groups
• NCLB improvement needs for specific student populations
• Specific content areas such as secondary mathematics, adolescent literacy, and science
• Smaller learning community priority areas

The work of PLTs has transformed how our grade levels work together. With all teachers on a team this year, PLT is now the culture of our school.

- Cathy Carson, Elementary Principal, Oregon

One of our successes has been to change our school culture to one of teamwork, collegiality, and collaboration. The difference is huge since the start of the PLT process.

- Lonnie Barber, former high school principal, current assistant superintendent, Idaho

This year, my PLT has accomplished more research and decisionmaking than any other team I've been on. It's been a slow-growing process that has finally led to results.

- Elementary Teacher, Reading PLT, Idaho

Contact

Deborah Davis @ 800.547.6339, ext 644 or use the contact link below to submit a request electronically.