Personalized Learning in a PLC at Work™: Student Agency Through the Four Critical Questions (Develop Innovative PLC- and RTI-Based Personalized Learning)

Highly effective learning-progressive schools share two common elements: they operate as high-functioning professional learning communities (PLCs) with well-implemented RTI structures, and they promote student agency in the learning process. Rely on this resource to help you build a highly effective school where students are engaged in personalized learning experiences and empowered to take ownership of the four critical questions of the PLC at Work™ process.

Use this book to create student-centered learning pathways that drive authentic learning and achievement:

• Discover how to use the four critical questions of a PLC to form pathways and progressions for personalized learning in the classroom.
• Begin the inquiry process through the use of personal reflections provided at the conclusion of each chapter.
• Understand how the school system has changed over the years and why it is important to address these changes.
• Explore innovative teaching methods and curriculum-development strategies for achieving different learning outcomes.
• Learn how schools all over the world have successfully implemented personalized and self-directed learning.

Contents:
Introduction
Chapter 1: A Changing Educational Paradigm
Chapter 2: Student Agency for Personalized Learning
Chapter 3: Systems of Collaboration and Support for Personalized Learning
Chapter 4: Teacher-Led Instruction and Release of Responsibility for Essential Disciplinary Learning Outcomes
Chapter 5: Co-Constructed Learning for Transdisciplinary Learning Outcomes
Chapter 6: Personalized Learning Outcomes
Chapter 7: From Theory to Practice in Elementary Schools
Chapter 8: From Theory to Practice in Middle Schools
Chapter 9: From Theory to Practice in High Schools
Chapter 10: The Change Process and Strategic Planning
References and Resources

Timothy S. Stuart, EdD, is head of school for the International Community School of Addis Ababa. In his previous role as executive director of strategic programs at the Singapore American School, he served as the chief architect for research and development and supported strategic school reform.

As the former high school principal of Singapore American Schools (SAS), he led his division through the PLC at Work™ implementation process, culminating in recognition as a PLC exemplar school. Dr. Stuart also served as the high school principal of Jakarta International School, where he helped introduce the PLC construct. JIS is now also recognized as a PLC exemplar school. Dr. Stuart has been an international and cross-cultural educator for 25 years, serving schools in Turkey, Switzerland, Indonesia, Singapore, and on a Navajo reservation in the United States.

Stuart is author of the book Global Perspectives: Professional Learning Communities at Work™ in International Schools.

To learn more about Stuart's work, follow him on Twitter @drtstuart.

To book Timothy S. Stuart for professional development, contact pd@SolutionTree.com.

Sascha Heckmann, EdD, is an innovative practitioner with broad experience in a variety of contexts. He is currently director at the American International School of Mozambique. Previously, he was the high school principal at Shanghai American School, where he leveraged the PLC at Work™ process as the foundation for innovative and progressive teaching and learning. During his time in Shanghai, Sascha created the Innovation Institute, a transdisciplinary, project-based learning community that empowers students to personalize their learning through agency.

Sascha is the founder of 8 Degrees Up, an educational consulting firm that specializes in supporting schools in making the shift to personalized learning through student empowerment and agency.

To learn more about Sascha Heckmann's work, visit 8degreesup.com, or follow him at @8degreesup.

Mike Mattos is an internationally recognized author, presenter, and practitioner who specializes in response to intervention and PLC processes. Mike co-created the RTI at Work™ model, which builds on the foundation of the PLC at Work™ process by using team structures and a focus on learning, collaboration, and results to drive successful outcomes and creating systematic MTSS to ensure high levels of learning for all students.

Mike has co-authored many other books focused on RTI and PLCs, including Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work, Simplifying Response to Intervention: Four Essential Guiding Principles, and Pyramid Response to Intervention.

To learn more about Mike's work, visit allthingsplc.info and mattos.info, or follow him @mikemattos65 on Twitter.

Austin Buffum, EdD, has forty-seven years of experience in public schools. His many roles include serving as former senior deputy superintendent of California's Capistrano Unified School District. Austin has presented in over nine hundred school districts throughout the United States and around the world. He delivers trainings and presentations on the RTI at Work™ model.

Austin is co-author with Suzette Lovely of Generations at School: Building an Age-Friendly Learning Community. He has also co-authored It's About Time: Planning Interventions and Extensions in Elementary School, It's About Time: Planning Interventions and Extensions in Secondary School, Simplifying Response to Intervention: Four Essential Guiding Principles, and Pyramid Response to Intervention.

To learn more about Austin's work, follow him @agbuffum on Twitter.