Module 3: Building Effective PLC Teams - Next Steps
Next Steps
In addition to these important factors to consider in building professional collaborative cultures, here are some suggested steps which can support the creation of PLC at the school level.
Use the following links to SKIP to the steps below: Step 1 - Build Trust | Step 2 - Develop Purpose
In addition to these important factors to consider in building professional collaborative cultures, here are some suggested steps which can support the creation of PLC at the school level.
Use the following links to SKIP to the steps below: Step 1 - Build Trust | Step 2 - Develop Purpose
Step 1: Build Trust
Effective teams can seldom afford to fast forward to “The Work” without ensuring shared norms which guide the work of team members. We can’t emphasize too strongly how critical the creation and observance of norms are for creating effective teams. Often schools worry about how to “get” teacher “buy-in” to PLC. Teachers need to be able to explore those concerns to arrive at a common agreement to commit to PLC work. Simply creating—and honoring-norms of conduct is often such a giant step towards creating community that even the biggest hold –outs are often amazed at what it feels like to be working in a
well-functioning group.
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Effective teams can seldom afford to fast forward to “The Work” without ensuring shared norms which guide the work of team members. We can’t emphasize too strongly how critical the creation and observance of norms are for creating effective teams. Often schools worry about how to “get” teacher “buy-in” to PLC. Teachers need to be able to explore those concerns to arrive at a common agreement to commit to PLC work. Simply creating—and honoring-norms of conduct is often such a giant step towards creating community that even the biggest hold –outs are often amazed at what it feels like to be working in a
well-functioning group.
- Create norms of understanding. Give the creation of norms the time it critically deserves. Each group that meets needs to have current norms that are created by those at the table. When that dynamic changes (someone leaves/someone comes) then norms need to be re-visited. Another approach to pushing discussion about norms is to start a meeting by using the Peeves and Traits Protocol which allows each member to be graphically clear about what he or she needs to make working in a team effective. This is a safe way for team members to share what they really need, and used more than once can help in re-visiting what may be static norms.
- Post norms where everyone can see them, or including them on the day’s agenda allows everyone to remain aware of agreed upon understandings of conduct.
- Reflecting on Norms is an effective practice as well. Recording your group’s norms on the day’s agenda gives the group time to reflect on them at both ends of a meeting. At the end of the meeting, members rate how they did in honoring their norms and those numbers are shared at the next meeting. (“Last week we did really well with our norms but were challenged by observing our norm of watching air space.”) This is often enough of a prompt to remind members to be thoughtful!
- Keep active and transparent about working with norms. Everyone is responsible for supporting them. When a norm is challenged (example: the group has a norm of “Be Present” and some members are continually checking their cell phones) any member of the team should feel safe addressing it (“I’m wondering if we can re-visit our norm of ‘Be Present’ “ or “It would be really helpful for me as a participant if we could agree to include cell phones under our norm of ‘Be Present’?”
- Starting each meeting by using some form of Connections to allow people to share what is on their mind in a structured format so that they can be “present” for the work of the team is well worth the 3 minutes it takes on the agenda. Connections can take many forms but the very simplest format is just to provide a space for one voice at a time to share what is on his or her mind VERY briefly, with NO dialogue. It is a listening protocol and when it is done it is done, and the team moves into its agenda.
- Include activities that build trust as a regular part of early meetings. Compass Points is an excellent way to begin to break down barriers to trust by helping groups to see the value of each other’s working styles and nearly always helps groups relax—and laugh. Classroom Meeting is often enjoyed by PLC teams as a protocol that helps get the question on the table allows for shared input and allows everyone to get a sense of how each member feels. We include several more in this section’s Tools as well as in the Project’s Tool Kit.
- Review and arrive at how decisions will be made. Most PLCs use consensus which means each member agrees to be willing to “give” to find common decisions in the best interest of how that supports teaching and learning. Go through the process of what that looks like and how the group agrees to get there. Many teams use a simple “thumbs up” (in favor) “thumbs down” ( don’t agree) “thumb” neutral” (I can live with it).
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Step 2: Develop Purpose& Accountability
Establish the structures that allow this work to be done. Effective teams can seldom afford to fast-forward to “The Work” without ensuring shared vision and goals.
- Create common templates for agendas and a system of communication so that all members of your school-wide learning community are informed about the work of each group. Using prompts built-in to the templates to ensure critical parts of each agenda are met are a very helpful tool.
- Review the work and responsibilities of Facilitator, Time-Keeper, and Note-Taker and identify what these roles look like when done well. Rotating responsibility for these roles is one valuable way of preserving equity on the team. One good way to gain experience in using and facilitating protocol if you do not have a coach is to identify a co-facilitator and work
together. Don’t forget to debrief the process! - Use Module 2 Survey Data as an entry point to successes and challenges on your team. Where is your group in its stages of development? Where does it want to be? An active way to assess what he data looks like is to ask members of the group to participate in a Continuum Dialogue based on questions from the Survey. This protocol requires a facilitator who asks people, “Why have you placed yourself at that point of the continuum?” Answers inform the group as well as raising further questions about what the group needs to have in place in order to do this work well.
- Define your team’s purpose. “Why are we a team? What is our purpose?” The work of all PLCs in schools is focused on teaching and learning. Teams who find themselves working on issues which are a long way from what happens in the classroom would be well advised to ask themselves, “How is what we do in our work together positively impacting teaching and learning? What is our evidence? ” This question can serve as a reflective benchmark throughout a team’s work together and should be re-visited frequently.
- Communicate the work of teams. Many schools now use a Wiki, Google Drive or access on the school’s website to upload meeting notes, tools, resources and discussion forums. They use school e-mail as a way to alert the community to new notes or information but the material itself is on the Wiki and not just an addition to an unwieldy load of e-mails.
- Finally, reflection is one norm, habit of mind and practice your PLC will want to observe frequently. How are we doing? What went well? What didn’t? What questions do we have? What more do we need to know? Building a practice of recording responses to these reflections and sharing them (often not inclusive of names but just bulleted under each prompt) and including them in the meeting’s notes is enormously helpful in staying focused. Referring back to them at the start of the next meeting keeps the group mindful of where it is and where it wants to be, allowing for wiggle room in how to get there.
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