Send This Article to a Friend Community: Getting everyone to buy in
By Rick DuFour
Journal of Staff Development, Fall 2001, (Vol. 22, N0. 4)
Copyright, National Staff Development Council, 2001. All rights reserved.
In my last column, Becky Burnette, a principal of a small elementary school in rural Virginia, described her efforts to introduce the concept of a professional learning community in her school.
This column presents Mike O’Brien, who faced the same challenge in a different context — the opening of an urban middle school serving one of the poorest sections of Buffalo, N.Y.
DuFour: How did you introduce the topic of a professional learning community for your staff’s consideration?
O’Brien: I was in the unique position of recruiting a new staff for a new building, and I decided to take full advantage of the opportunity. I made several informational presentations throughout the district for potential candidates interested in working at the school. From the outset, I described the school as a professional learning community. I cited compelling research to support the model. I emphasized that every teacher would function as a member of a grade-level team or curriculum extension team. I told interested candidates that they would be required to attend nearly 120 hours of professional development during the spring and summer preceding the opening of school.
These informational sessions were followed by interviews of interested candidates. I designed the interview to ascertain which candidates were willing both to accept responsibility for student learning and to function effectively as members of teams.
Once the staff was selected, we conducted intensive professional development sessions to develop awareness of current research and best practices in education. We began to speak a common language and, ultimately, developed the common mission, shared vision, collective commitments, and specific goals that were to serve as the foundation of our professional learning community.
DuFour: What has been your biggest challenge in promoting a professional learning community, and how have you responded to that challenge?
O’Brien: Providing time for teachers to meet as teams is critical. I carefully designed the master schedule so all members of a teaching team had their contractual preparation period at the same time. This meant scheduling their students to a curriculum extension during the same period. Additionally, I made provisions in the schedule so each team could meet with me and/or my designee three times per six-day rotation.
Assisting teams to function as effective teams, or teams that impact student achievement in a positive manner, is another challenge. Our teams have established group norms and achievable goals. Most importantly, my continued presence helps ensure that the teams remain focused on key issues pertaining to learning. In this early phase of development as a professional learning community, I think it is critical not to abandon teams, but to be present and offer strong focus and support.
DuFour: What insights or advice could you offer?
O’Brien: Approach teachers as professionals with a strong work ethic. Introduce professional learning communities as the best hope we have for student success and suggest: "If we are going to labor so hard, let’s not labor in vain. If we’re going to dig for gold, let’s at least dig where the map says we can expect to find gold!" I have found teachers to be more responsive when they feel assured their work ethic isn’t being questioned and everything is more a matter of redirecting our effort, energy, and resources.
Also, begin with the end in mind. Articulate a vision statement that assures success for all students. There is absolutely no sense in soliciting collective commitment statements to a vision that would do anything less. The vision statement should reflect current research and best practice. Most importantly, resist the temptation to sell your vision as the principal, and genuinely allow the vision to be a shared vision. If the staff’s fingerprint is not on the design of the vision, they will not commit to it in a substantial way.
Finally, reference the vision to the point of risking redundancy. References to our vision are made in morning announcements, memorandums, and at every faculty meeting.
Common themes
Although Becky Burnette and Mike O’Brien work in two very different environments, common themes emerge from their experience in initiating the professional learning community process in their schools.
1. Honor the history and acknowledge the strengths.
Burnette made a point to meet with the entire staff in teams to probe the school’s history and what made it special. O’Brien made certain to recognize the work ethic and expertise of each person on his staff as he opened a new school. Both made it clear that they were honoring, not denigrating, the past efforts of their staff.
2. Solicit shared hopes.
Burnette asked a veteran staff member what might be done to make a good school even better. O’Brien offered a picture of the school that was to be created and asked for those who were stirred by the image to join him in making it happen. Both spoke to the hearts of their colleagues.
3. Build a shared vision.
Both principals used the information and feedback from staff to offer a vision of what the school might become. More importantly, they took the time to work with staff to develop ownership for that vision.
4. Provide a conceptual framework for improvement.
Both used the professional learning community model as a conceptual framework for advancing improvement. They built a common vocabulary about school improvement and presented staff with comprehensive research affirming the direction their schools were taking. In short, they were staff developers.
5. Align school structures to support a professional learning community.
Both Burnette and O’Brien stressed the importance of building a schedule that gave teachers time to work together in meaningful ways. They also created structures to give students additional time and support if they were having difficulty.
6. Keep the focus on learning.
Both principals created systems to monitor teaching teams to ensure team time remained focused on student learning. They called on teams to analyze student achievement data and develop and implement strategies to improve the results.
7. Communicate priorities.
O’Brien and Burnette both stressed the need for consistent communication about the school’s commitment to the professional learning community model.
The reflections of these two wonderful principals offer valuable insights to all of us interested in improving schools.
About the Author
Rick DuFour is superintendent of Adlai Stevenson High School District 125. You can contact him at Two Stevenson Drive, Lincolnshire, IL 60069, (847) 634-4000 ext. 268, fax (847) 634-0239, e-mail: DuFour@district125.k12.il.us.
Mike O’Brien is principal of Pfc. William J. Grabiarz School #79. You can contact him at 225 Lawn Ave., Buffalo, NY 14207, (716) 871-6000, fax (716) 871-6115, e-mail: irisheyes3@adelphia.net.
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