RSA 2: Learning as Our Fundamental Purpose

RSA 2: Learning as Our Fundamental Purpose

Elizabeth Meza

RSA 2:  Learning as Our Fundamental Purpose

EDT 6030 Using Technology to Build Learning Communities

Online Source : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEoJ6DLrBtQ

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_now/2010/12/plcs_for_analyzing_student_work.html?qs=PLC

           

            In Learning by doing p. 182, the authors’ state, “The very reason to engage in the PLC process is to improve results…”   One very important step is to collaborate in creating common formative assessments and to get feedback from each other.  Working periodically to evaluate each other’s teaching practices using data is essential in a effective PLC.  Without doing this type of reflection a teacher can not determine the strengths and weakness in their teaching or determine the areas that a student might be struggling with in the curriculum (p.184).

In the blog excerpt, PLC for analyzing student work, by Heitin, it supports this idea.  She presents the idea of using protocol to help ease the transition from looking at work to analyzing it. She presented the ideas of a session she went to that was called “Teacher-Led Collaboration: Using Protocol to Facilitate Conversation.” She seemed impressed with the idea of using student work to reflect on their teaching practices. This protocol that was demonstrated showed how a protocol can be used effectively. By using clarified questions, giving “warm and cool” comments, and having the presenting teacher reflect on what they learned from the process the teacher can positively go back to the classroom to change they teaching.  

In the YouTube video, Visitation School provides the definition of a PLC and spotlighted the 4 questions used to create their PLC. In the video, they also note the success of their nonfiction writing program due to the process of evaluating their common assessments. Part of this success was creating a common assessment throughout the grade levels and following up with the evaluation of each these assessments. A part of evaluation process, they used these assessments to see what students learned and what they did not learn. They used the assessments to evaluate at the beginning of the school year what the students know and during the middle of the year to see what they have learned.  By looking at the trend they can then look at their way of teaching and improve each time they do this process (March, 2010)

References

Dufour, R. Dufour, R., Eaker R., Many T. (2010). Learning by doing. Bloomington. IN:Solution Tree Press

Heitin, L. (2010, December 6) PLC for analyzing student work

Visitationtv (2010, March 6)  PLC (Professional learning communities) [Video] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEoJ6DLrBtQ