SCHOOL BASED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY MODEL FOR

SYLLABUS DESIGN

TRIINU SOOMERE

KATRI SIRKEL

ESTONIAN NATIONAL DEFENCE COLLEGE

BILC 2015 MADRID

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WHAT YOU MIGHT TAKE AWAY FROM THIS PRESENTATION…

• CONCEPT OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY

• MODEL FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY

• IDEAS FOR CREATING A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY IN YOUR INSTITUTION

• MANAGER’S PERSPECTIVE – TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE

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• CURRICULA AND SYLLABI IN CONSTANT CHANGE

• RESPONSIBILITY FOR CHANGE

• LANGUAGE TEACHER=MILITARY SPECIALIST?

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AS A COLLEGE…

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

WHY ARE WERE HERE?

•ENGAGEMENT OF STUDENTS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATION, THE DEFENCE FORCES AS EMPLOYER

•OWNERSHIP

CADETS’ SYLLABUS CHANGE (3 SEMESTERS – 2 + 1 SEMESTERS)

SENGE, P. (2009). SCHOOLS THAT LEARN

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SCHOOL BASED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY CORE PRINCIPLES (DUFOUR, 2004)

BIG IDEA #1: ENSURING THAT STUDENTS LEARN

•WHAT DO WE WANT EACH STUDENT TO LEARN?

•HOW WILL WE KNOW WHEN EACH STUDENT HAS LEARNED IT?

•HOW WILL WE RESPOND WHEN A STUDENT EXPERIENCES DIFFICULTY IN LEARNING?

BIG IDEA #2: A CULTURE OF COLLABORATION

•SYSTEMATIC PROCESS IN WHICH TEACHERS WORK TOGETHER TO ANALYSE AND IMPROVE THEIR CLASSROOM PRACTICE

REMOVING BARRIERS TO SUCCESS

•MERELY PRESENTING TEACHERS WITH STANDARDS OR A CURRICULUM

•FACULTIES MUST STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR FAILING TO COLLABORATE

•BUILDING THE COLLABORATIVE CULTURE OF A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY IS A QUESTION OF WILL

BIG IDEA #3: A FOCUS ON RESULTS

•STOP ASSESSING EDUCATOR’S OWN EFFECTIVENESS ON THE BASIS OF HOW BUSY THEY ARE OR HOW MANY NEW INITIATIVES THEY HAVE LAUNCHED AND ASK, “HAVE WE MADE PROGRESS ON THE GOALS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO US?”

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THE COMMON ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK (2013)

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PROCESS 1

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PROCESS 2

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PROCESS 3

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NO TEACHER LEFT BEHIND

SIMPLY CHANGING THE AIMS OR LEARNING OUTCOMES WILL NOT DO. THE CHANGE ONLY HAPPENS WHEN EVERYTHING IN THE PROGRAMME CHANGES, INCLUDING PEOPLE. (SENGE, 2009)

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„EVEN THE GRANDEST DESIGN EVENTUALLY TRANSLATES INTO HARD WORK. THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY MODEL IS A GRAND DESIGN—A POWERFUL NEW WAY OF WORKING TOGETHER THAT PROFOUNDLY AFFECTS THE PRACTICES OF SCHOOLING. BUT INITIATING AND SUSTAINING THE CONCEPT REQUIRES HARD WORK.“

DUFOUR (2004)

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THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! QUESTIONS?

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