Leading Professional Learning Communities: Voices From Research and Practice by Shirley M. Hord, William A. Sommers

Foreword   Andy Hargreaves     ix
Preface     xiii
Acknowledgments     xvii
About the Authors     xix
Imagine...     1
What Is a PLC? Professional Learning Communities: Definitions and Effects     5
Characteristics of a Professional Learning Community     8
Membership in the Community of Professional Learners     16
Professional Learning Community Benefits     18
Leadership Implications     21
Vignette: Cottonwood Creek School: Principal's Role, Staff Impact, Student Outcomes     23
Rocks in the Road     24
Engage in Learning Activities     24
Why Leadership? Leadership Imperatives for Professional Learning Communities     27
Vision: What Are We Trying to Do?     30
The Seven C's of Leadership     32
The Principal's Role in Professional Development and Learning     37
Vignette: A Request     40
Rocks in the Road     41
Engage in Learning Activities     42
Culture and Context, Structures and Schedules, Policies and Procedures     45
The Culture in the Context     47
Aspects of the Campus Infrastructure: The Context     51
Policies and NormativePractice     58
Resources Required     59
Leadership Implications     62
Vignette: Garage Sale Junkies and Other Unusual Ideas     64
Rocks in the Road     65
Engage in Learning Activities     66
Creating Conditions to Get Started     69
Why Do Things Differently?     72
The Knowing-Doing Gap     75
Focusing on Learning     79
Shared and Supportive Leadership     80
Keeping the Focus and Continuing to Learn     86
Leadership Implications     89
Vignette: Beginning to Change the Way We Do Business     90
Rocks in the Road     92
Engage in Learning Activities     92
What Are the Skills Needed to Lead Professional Learning Communities?     95
Conversational Skills to Promote Professional Learning Communities     96
Embedding Reflective Practice in Our Daily Work     101
Conflict Management and Effectiveness     105
Leadership Implications     108
Vignette: An Urban School Reflects     109
Rocks in the Road     110
Engage in Learning Activities     111
Where Are We? Where Should We Be? Who Is Monitoring Our Work?      113
Assessing the Professional Learning Community Operation     115
Monitoring Members' Transfer of Their PLC Learning     117
Linking Professional Learning to Student Results     130
Leadership Implications     135
Vignette: Data... Macadamia Nut Cookies... Data!     137
Rocks in the Road     138
Engage in Learning Activities     139
What Have We Learned?     141
Lessons Learned     141
Critical Elements for Successful Professional Learning Community Operation     143
Vignette: Implementing a Mandate: The Right Way to Get Started     146
Vignette: Initiative du Jour     147
Vignette: Share the Wealth     147
Rocks in the Road     148
Our Final Message     149
References     153
Index     159