Building a Professional Learning Community Foundation

1. Building a Professional Learning Community Foundation

2. The First Pillar : Mission / Purpose Why do we exist?

3. The First Pillar : Mission / Purpose Clarity of purpose should be the goal of any mission statement. Our mission gives focus to the question, “Why do we exist?”

4. Mission Statements

5. End of part I….

6. The Second Pillar : Vision What do we hope to become?

7. The Second Pillar : Vision If there is a spark of genius in the leadership function at all it must be in this transcending ability, a kind of magic, to assemble – out of all the variety of images, signals, forecasts and alternatives – a clearly articulated vision of the future that is at once single, easily understood, clearly desirable and energizing! Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus

8. Vision Statements

9. Effective Vision Statements… • Are based on background and research. • Are desirable, feasible, and credible. • Clarify directions and priorities. • Are easily communicated. • Are developed collectively.

10. End of Part 2….

11. The Third Pillar : Values How must we behave in order to make our shared vision a reality?

12. Values are the link between emotion and behavior, the connection between what we feel and what we do…With everything changing around us we need something unchanging… to hang on to…Values are our moral navigational devices. ~James Champy

13. Values describe how we intend to operate on a day-to-day basis as we pursue our vision. Peter Senge, 1992

14. Values are the commitments that everyone must make in order for our school to reach its vision.

15. Shared Examples of Values • We will identify the essential outcomes of each grade level and help each student to achieve those outcomes. • We will teach for understanding, frequently assessing students’ understanding and providing a variety of opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery.

16. Tips for Developing Shared Values • Keep them few in number. • Link the statements directly to the vision statement. • Be direct. • Focus on behaviors and not beliefs. • Focus on yourselves rather than others (We will…)

17. Value Statements

18. End of Part 3….

19. The Fourth Pillar : Goals Which steps will we take first, and when?

20. Things to remember when setting goals: • Effective goals will specify: • EXACTLY what is to be accomplished. • The specific steps that will be taken to achieve the goal. • The individual or group responsible for initiating and/or sustaining each step toward achieving the goal. • The timeline for each phase of the activity. • The criteria to be used in evaluating progress toward the goal.

21. Goals should be: • Clearly linked to the vision. • Limited in number (five or fewer) to ensure focus. • Focused on the desired outcome rather than on the means to achieve the outcome. • Translated into clear, measurable, performance standards. • Monitored continuously. • Designed to produce some short-term wins. • Understood and accepted as significant by all parties.

22. Goal Statements