RSA1: The Use of Common Planning Time: A Case Study of Two Kentucky Schools to Watch

 http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ914054

Building a collaborative culture and the use of common planning time go hand in hand when building a Professional Learning Community but the members and the use of this planning time make a bigger difference. The fact that teachers collaborate will do nothing to improve a school. The pertinent question is not "Are they collaborating?" but rather "What are they collaborating about?" (DuFour, 2009). When I looked at the four questions that drive the PLC; 1. What is it we want our students to learn? 2. How will we know if each student has learned it? 3. How will we respond when some students do not learn it? and 4. How can we extend and enrich the learning for students who have demonstrated proficiency? To best answer these questions in a Middle School, I believe that subject area PLC's are the way to go.

PLC's in Middle School should be comprised of same subject area teachers because it is conducive for the aligning of curriculum, developing common assessments and analyzing the student assessment data. These key factors of a sustaining PLC are also the keys to the high performing middle school in my journal article. Having the opportunity to share ideas, strategies, techniques and compare assessments provides a solid base for all students to receive the most appropriate instruction. This professional learning community enables teachers to be reflective practitioners and to improve their instruction and assessment techniques to provide instruction that was relevant and engaging for the students (Cook, 2010).

The use of this common planning time also has to be addressed. Agendas, notes and goals for each meeting have to be set. Guidelines and timelines have to be thought out, kept and meet. The students needs must be the primary focus. If we focus on the student needs and embrace the idea that there is always room for improvement in ourselves. We will soon see the personal benefits to common planning time. These being improved teacher moral, a sense of collegiality and heightened levels of professionalism (Cook, 2010). If this is done properly we will be cultivating a learning environment in which students are challenged academically in a individualized and appropriate classroom.