Conclusion

So, I have reached the end of my goal.  I have completed the two books that I set out to read at the beginning of the school year,  a goal that I honestly set just because it was a requirement.  But now as I come to the end, I have found myself reflecting on my teaching practices and what I can do to help all of my students to succeed.  I hope to continue that reflection so that I become the teacher that I want to be, not just the lecturer that I have been in the past, but the coach who believes in the abilities of my students and who meets them where they are and helps them to improve, no matter what their starting points may be.

What We Are Already Doing or Need to Do

     In writing our lesson plans, we should already have a target to hit and should be communicating this target to the students.  Assessments should show true student learning.  I am not in agreement that the current standardized tests in Virginia show true student learning; rather, I believe that it shows the teacher's ability to adapt and teach to the test.  All teachers need to stand for higher expectations for their students and testings should never be tied to dollars for education.  That process takes the focus on the importance of the learning and puts the pressure on to get high scores just to get the dollars, not for the sake of the students to actually be able to perform. 
     If I may quote Dr. King, "I have a dream" but my dream is not one of equality for race, but one in which teachers work together to create a learning environment for all students to achieve at the very highest level of which they are capable.  My dream does not include federal testing mandates, but collaboration of teachers who truly want to educate the next generation to succeed in whatever their future endeavors may be.  I like the idea of PLC and what it could be, but for now, it is a Utopia that has not yet been achieved where I teach.  
 

A "Stretch Culture"

Learning should be the central purpose of every school, and no matter how high the scores are on the standardized tests, there is always more that students can learn, so there is more that teachers can teach.  In the "stretch culture" described in the final chapter of Dufour's book, the premise that teachers will work together to set goals, develop assessments, look at the results and then help each other solve problems.  I am particularly drawn to the statement that in a PLC, all students should achieve a high level of learning.  Intervention occurs whenever any student has a difficulty, whether this student is a gifted student or a special education one.  Teachers in a PLC are not lecturers, but they are coaches, inspiring students to practice, step higher, practice, step higher and learn how to learn.  I wholeheartedly agree that our schools today only recognize the elite learners, those on the Honor Roll or the NHS students.  In a PLC, students should receive recognition for being persistent learners, for showing improvement or for good attitude and character. 

Challenges to Interventions

There are some rather amazing statements on this particular topic in Dufour's book.  The one that I found astounding was that students aren't invited to join the support system; rather, they are directed to do so. Tutoring was not just offered, but it was mandatory.  No excuses are accepted for not doing work, and students lose privileges like lunch with their friends if they don't complete it.   The most true statement in this chapter is that the teachers and students have to form a relationship in which the teacher shows consistently that he/she cares that the student succeeds.  In this era of teaching and moving on and leaving some behind, this is an eye-opening statement.  "I care that you are failing, and I will work hard to help you to pass.  So, my expectation is for you to work hard, too."  I think that I tried this method before I read the book with an academic contract that I had my struggling students sign.  Within a few weeks of signing the contract that required that they work harder, almost 70%of my students had improved in their learning and work habits.  I would like to find a way to keep this motivation up all the way until the end of the year, but I have found that during this fourth quarter, students are returning to the old belief that since they can't pass, they may as well not work.  Unfortunately, this attitude is fed by parental attitudes who tell students that is okay to "quit trying" and just work on their other subjects.  It is my firm belief that we need a class on how parents can help their students to succeed, and one part of that class would be that choosing to fail is never an option.

Common Threads in Successful Schools

     It is interesting that sharing power in a school results in more job satisfaction and better performance.  Dufour also clearly states that good principals empower teachers.  I think that is the goal, but we aren't there yet in my school.  There are too many divisions among the teachers in order for administration to empower us.  What has happened is that some teachers feel empowered while others do not, creating a school environment that is competitive and non-trusting rather than a cohesive unit.  We need to take our eyes off of our differences and return to our fundamental reason for working at the school, i.e. to ensure that our students learn. 
     Collaboration is required in a PLC school and the author makes it clear that time needs to be deliberately scheduled to allow this.  When teachers work together for a common goal, then they are more likely to find common ground and look for common ways to ensure the success that is our purpose.
     Assessments should be used to improve teaching and learning, not to show whether students passed or failed or to evaluate the effectiveness of a school.  Intervention following the assessments is critical.  After an analysis is done of what is needed to improve the learning, then there needs to be the practical application of what can be done to intervene.
     In the model presented in the book, the leadership team met daily.  This team consisted of the principal, the assistant principals, and  the department chairs.  They then divided into teams for other meetings and parents were parts of the learning teams.  No one member of the team was the designated leader for every member; leadership flowed from one member to another based on what expertise was needed at the time.
     The author made it clear that there would be members of any staff not willing to buy into the PLC concept.  These teachers should be allowed to request a transfer, if needed, in order to maintain the integrity of the final goal. The community can only be achieved if everyone involved buys in, including administration, teachers, support staff, students and parents.