Search Result (2487)
Districts speak with one voice
How do some school districts not only attain excellence but sustain it over time in the face of remarkable challenges? Two districts — Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, Kan., and Kildeer..
Crunching numbers, changing practices
As I stood at the door of the 4th-grade classroom, I couldn’t help but notice how busy the room was. Pairs of students sat at desks and on the floor with lapboards, taking turns reading and reacting..
Evolution of the professional learning community
Let’s start with the basics. People everywhere generally agree that the purpose of schools is student learning. Further, people are generally in agreement that the most significant factor determinin..
One step at a time
Imagine having the opportunity to work at a new middle school, built around professional learning community principles. From day one, teachers are organized into professional learning teams working to..
Members skilled in questioning technique can keep the group work on track
Professional communication lies at the heart of getting work done in schools. Educators communicate informally within and across disciplines, grade levels, departments, and schools. They talk in pairs..
A new principal learns what it takes to survive the storm
When I arrived at Freedom Hill Elementary School in a driving rainstorm two years ago to be introduced as the new building principal, my umbrella would not open on the way into the building. I got dre..
Put the ‘I’ back in team
Teamwork is one of those words with the power to make me cringe no matter how much I sincerely believe in the concept behind it. I suspect I’m not the only one. Yes, we’re all for team building, b..
Declaration of interdependence
JSD: As we have been compiling this issue of JSD on professional learning communities, I have been fascinated by how many schools and districts are seizing the concept of community, a..
