Becoming a PLC is no small feat—it requires years of collaboration and commitment. In this powerful guide, discover ten evidence-based actions to help move your school teams beyond “PLC Lite,” and center student agency and efficacy in curriculum, assessment, instruction, and intervention practices. Access sample rubrics, protocols, and templates designed to build a culture of continuous improvement.
This book will help K–12 educators: - Learn the ten essential actions to elevate their PLC to the next level
- Encourage meaningful student participation through the gradual release of responsibility model
- Understand how to evaluate diverse student feedback
- Design curriculum and assessments centered on student agency and well-being
- Work with the four critical questions of intervention
- Explore how the three big ideas of a PLC intersect at the teacher, student, and school levels
Contents: Introduction: Moving Beyond the Futility of PLC Lite
Chapter 1: Efficacy: The Tie That Binds the Three Big Ideas of a PLC at Work
Chapter 2: Focus: Taking Theory to Practice
Chapter 3: Action 1: Defining Student Success
Chapter 4: Action 2: Creating an Enduring Skills-Focused Curriculum
Chapter 5: Action 3: Creating Skills-Focused Proficiency Scales and Rubrics
Chapter 6: Action 4: Utilizing Evidence-Based Assessments
Chapter 7: Action 5: Creating a Skills-Focused Scope and Sequence
Chapter 8: Action 6: Aiming for Evidence-Based Instruction
Chapter 9: Actions 7 and 8: Implementing Evidence-Based Grading and Reporting and Restructuring the Gradebook
Chapter 10: Action 9: Stressing Feedback and Reflection
Chapter 11: Action 10: Responding to Students’ Learning Stories
Epilogue: Build a New School, Build a New Future?
Appendix
References
Index
Eric Twadell is the superintendent of Adlai E. Stevenson District 125 in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Prior to his role as superintendent, Dr. Twadell served Stevenson as a social studies teacher, curriculum director, and assistant superintendent for leadership and organizational development.
Stevenson High School recently received its fifth National Blue Ribbon Award and is one of only six schools to win the United States Department of Education (ED) National Blue Ribbon Award on five different occasions. Stevenson was also one of the first comprehensive schools designated as a New American High School by ED as a model of successful school reform. Stevenson has been described by the United States Department of Education as “the most recognized and celebrated school in America.” In the popular press, Stevenson High School has been repeatedly cited as one of America’s top high schools and the “birthplace” of Professional Learning Communities at Work®.
Mark Onuscheck is director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. He is a former English teacher and director of communication arts. As director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, Mark works with academic divisions around professional learning, articulation, curricular and instructional revision, evaluation, assessment, social-emotional learning, technologies, and Common Core implementation. He is also an adjunct professor at DePaul University.
Mark was awarded the Quality Matters Star Rating for his work in online teaching. He helps to build curriculum and instructional practices for TimeLine Theatre’s arts integration program for Chicago Public Schools. Additionally, he is a National Endowment for the Humanities’ grant recipient and a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, National Council of Teachers of English, International Literacy Association, and Learning Forward.
Anthony R. Reibel is former assistant principal for teaching and learning and the current director of research and evaluation at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Illinois. He administers assessments, manages student achievement data, and oversees instruction, grading, and assessment practices. Anthony began his professional career as a technology specialist and entrepreneur. After a few years, he became a Spanish teacher at Stevenson, where he has also served as a curricular team leader, core team leader, coach, and club sponsor.
In 2010, Anthony was recognized by the state of Illinois as Outstanding New Educator; and in 2011, the Illinois Computing Educators named him Tech-nology Educator of the Year. He is also the founder and editor of The Assessor magazine, an annual publication that showcases articles that teachers submit to discuss the realities of their practice.
Troy Gobble is principal of Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. He previously served as assistant principal for teaching and learning at Stevenson. Troy taught science for eighteen years and served as the science department chair for eight years at Riverside Brookfield High School in Riverside, Illinois. The United States Department of Education (USDE) describes Stevenson as “the most recognized and celebrated school in America,” and Stevenson is one of only three schools to win the USDE National Blue Ribbon Schools Award on four occasions. Stevenson was one of the first comprehensive schools that the USDE designated a New American High School as a model of successful school reform, and it is repeatedly cited as one of America’s top high schools and the birthplace of the Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) at Work® process.
