Standards+Question+2


 * Read the Case Study regarding Learning Communities on page 9 of the NSDC Standards text handed out in class. In your PLC discuss Discussion Questions 1-3. Have a record keeper in your group synthesize your group's responses to these questions. If your group needed more information, describe what you need to know and how you would go about discovering this information.**

__1. What is the role of district and school visions, missions, and goals in relation to this standard?__ District sets aside professional development days. School visions use areas of weakness as a guide for the support of student learning. __2. What factors and/or structures at the district and school levels support continuous learning and development, collaboration, and shared purpose of learning communities? What inhibits them?__ Built in time to collaborate and have discussions, sometimes several times a week (grade level meetings, collaborative planning). There are lots of other things to do, time, other pushes from the district,dynamics of the collaborative groups, and unrealistic time frames. __3. What kinds of teams are administrators and teachers assigned to? What are some of the current strengths and weaknesses of each team?__ Admins meet to deepen understanding of instructional leadership, identify practical ways to assist teachers in improving quality of student work, critique one anothers school improvement efforts, and learn important skills such as data analysis and providing helpful feedback to teachers. Strengths include new ideas and points of view, common focus and a clear direction, but the weaknesses is if the admins are all from the same area, they may not have different knowledge to bring to the table. Teachers look at student mastery of standards, plan effective lessons, critique student work, and solve common teaching problems. They also attend workshops and observe each other teaching, with support from admin. Strengths they are given the chance to co-teach and help one another. Weaknesses include teachers not willing to change and resist the committment to collaborate. __Extension Question:__

__How is the NSDC Learning Communities standard evidenced or not evidenced within your school systems? How did you come to these understandings about your school?__ We have professional learning communities once every 1-2 weeks, grade level meetings every week