As we start an exciting new school year and settle into our new routines, we have some common practices that we can reflect upon. Here's a 'starter question' to help you build blogging into your weekly habits. :) Responses to these prompts are optional, as always! This is just one way to get your feet wet...
My October reflection-of-the-month is: What is one way that active participation in a PLC is impacting your professional practice?
Think about: How is your PLC...
... enhancing your reflective practice?
... improving your instructional practice?
... challenging your philosophical beliefs?
I absolutely believe that adding this additional PLC time to my “plate” has made me a better teacher and more reflective. I have looked more deeply at my students' individual needs as learners. I have also been able to give more formative assessments that help guide my teaching as a whole. Even in my 6th year of teaching, at times I still have the feeling as if I am barely treading water, but I know in the end my students will be the beneficiaries.
ReplyDeleteI started this year with a brand new PLC from last year. Our PLC last year was pretty functional and we made huge strides. I was a little nervous about this year simply because it was new. However, I have been extremely pleased with how it has been going. The biggest thing is that by being with new people, it has enhanced both my reflective practice (how did things go-with a new, fresh pair of eyes to reflect with) and how could we improve our instructional practice (it has been really fun to work with someone who has a very different teaching style than memebers of my PLC last year). So, while sometimes it is nice to have the same PLC members for consecutive years so you can build upon what you did the previous year-a new perspective can welcomingly shake things up! :)
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of PLCs are wonderful. I love that the students in second grade are getting instruction aimed specifically at his/her academic needs. I enjoy looking at the students in second grade as a whole, rather than "Mr. or Mrs.'s class". I know that being a part of a PLC is benefiting every child in the school. It is also strengthening me as a teacher. I am forced to step out of my comfort zone to find creative ways to reach the needs of these second graders. I enjoy bonding and getting to know the students who aren't in my class.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I feel tired and overwhelmed. I think the only thing that is keeping me above water right now is the fact that I know all this extra work is pushing students to reach their full potential. I am hopeful that this phase of exhaustion will pass in the next couple of years as PLCs become more familiar with teachers. In the mean time, I will continue to push through and know that I am a part of district that holds high expectations to improving student achievement and sees results. Not every teacher can say that.
... enhancing your reflective practice?
ReplyDeleteI feel like I haven't changed much in this regard other than I know I need to write down my reflections because I may not be teaching World Geography next year, but likely will the year after. I've been going back and making changes right away to documents that need revision rather than putting it off.
... improving your instructional practice?
We don't plan together on my PLC much, which I'd like to improve on hopefully! I have noticed that I have improved my instruction by making things more relevant and connected to student lives. Perhaps that is just because the content is easier to do that with. Ancient Civilizations was challenging to make it relevant to the lives of 11 year olds!
... challenging your philosophical beliefs?
I think that with a new PLC, I have become more set in my grading practices and that we have solidified some of my policies. Everyone seems on board with giving full credit to late work, which is perfect! I haven't made any major philosophical changes.
Overall, the biggest change I have noticed is that I immediately am taking on the tech responsibilities because I have the ability. Before, because of lack of experience, I never took on those types of PLC assignments. Now, I'm leading the way!
I agree with Sarah Hartman. I feel that PLCSs have many positive benefits. First, it is a great way to collaborate with other teachers. I like the idea of meeting once a week (sometimes more) and working on common curriculum and/or assessments to use in the classroom. I feel like we are all on the same page. Second, I feel the students benefit more. Since I am a special education teacher, I am able to know what it going on in other English 10 classrooms; therefore I am able to help all of tenth grade students on my caseload. PLCs are a great idea in my opinion!
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest benefits of my PLC this year is that I actually have one, albeit, a small one. Last year, I was teaching Communications which was part technology/business and part Language Arts, so I was considered a Specialist and was lumped in with other Specialists or departments of one. It was not a good use of staff development time. Having a small PLC is nice in that we can really hear what each other has to say and be able to respond to each other’s needs. When I share my reflections, I am able to get feedback right away and if I need a resource or an idea, my counterpart is very resourceful and ready to help.
ReplyDeleteMy PLC is quite different this year when it comes to instructional practice! Since I am working with small groups of kids doing interventions and keeping them from failing, I am making my focus on the whole child instead of worrying about how I am going to teach the topic of the day. We might be doing math or science or English, but if the child has a barrier that has little or nothing to do with the subject, they may not learn it completely. I am learning that by creating a trusting environment, students will be more likely to use that trust to help themselves. Just today when I came up with a plan to start tackling a student’s missing algebra assignments and improve homework results, he came right out and told me that he doesn’t know his basic multiplication facts and that is why he is struggling so much.
Working with the kids I am work with this year is absolutely is challenging my philosophical beliefs. Late work policies are a major consideration for my kids this year! Retaking tests, extended deadlines, clear directions and rubrics for students to follow are critical. Also, grading policies and teacher websites as a communication tool for students and parents and how those should be managed is a major consideration. I am finding that if I don’t know what an assignment is, I sometimes have a really hard time figuring it out, my kids sometime don’t know for sure or don’t care if they are having a bad day. Working in my PLC has helped me to come to grips with some of these new realities for me! I think that the PLCs allow for so much growth as a professional, and at a faster rate than without them.
I am really grateful to be working in a PLC. I feel that the interaction that I have gotten from being in the 7th grade language arts PLC has opened my eyes to how content teachers work, plan, think, evaluate, and reflect. As an EL teacher, I am often the only one in my department. This has given me a format to connect with other teachers and see what great resources we have in this school, in each other. I feel that from last year to this year, the PLC seems more open to contributions from specialists to the planning. I think this has been a deliberate effort of the PLC teachers, and I really appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteSo I feel that participating in the PLC has helped me improve my instructional practice, and enhanced my reflective practice. As for challenging my instructional beliefs, often I feel that it is ME who is the challenger--but I feel that this year it is a conversation we are having--not a directive from the PLC. That has made the difference between feeling like I am a bystander versus a full participant.
As this is my first year being a part of a PLC, it has all been a bit overwhelming and even a bit intimidating at times. On the other hand, I have already seen the benefits for me as a professional, for my students, and for all of our 4th grade students.
ReplyDeleteAlthough all teachers at my grade level are covering the same content, we often teach in different ways. PLC's have allowed us to reflect on our practices and really narrow down to best practices that we increase the knowledge and achievement of ALL our students. We are really focusing on using data to help us make informed instructional decisions. Together, we have come up with some new ideas and additional common assessments that will help guide us toward meeting our SMART goal.
I think PLC's can be very effective and I have been part of PLC's that work well in other districts. What I have noticed is that PLC's are only as effective and beneficial as the members of it want it to be. When one or more members aren't invested and want to continue to stay in "their classroom" and look at "their students data" it makes it difficult for that PLC to function. In the past my team has done a great job at looking at data, but not so great at deciding exactly where to go with it. Going through the process and training of the PLC has helped our team figure out the "what now". PLC's have definitely improved my teaching practice because it gets us talking about a certain skill and how different teacher taught it. It is a good way to get new ideas.
ReplyDeleteI like the whole PLC concept, especially as it continues to be implemented in our buildings. I believe that I already have a PLC framework with the SPED team at Sweeney as we meet frequently, reflect on what we can do better, share ideas, and most importantly, communicate often. This is essential for using others to help guide professional practice and professional communities.
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