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The Brilliance in the Building

Effecting Change in Urban Schools With the PLC at Work® Process

This essential guide for urban teachers and leaders delivers field-tested strategies for supporting successful Professional Learning Communities at Work®. Learn how to use the “brilliance in the building” and implement specific action steps to reach high levels of student achievement.

Benefits

  • Access excellent, data-backed reproducibles.
  • Make immediate changes that positively impact student learning.
  • Realize the value in the resources you have and leverage them.
  • Gain insight into the PLC at Work process.
  • Reflect on your own personal mindsets and ways you personally can improve.

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Brilliance in the Building

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1: A Culture of Care
Chapter 2: A Culture of Collaboration
Chapter 3: A Results-Driven Culture
Chapter 4: A Culture of High-Quality Instruction With More Time and Support
Chapter 5: A Culture of Continuous Improvement
Final Thoughts
Appendix

PRINTABLE REPRODUCIBLES

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Appendix

SUGGESTED RESOURCES

BOOKS

  • Bailey, K., & Jakicic, C. (2017). Simplifying common assessment: A guide for Professional Learning Communities at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Bailey, K., & Jakicic, C. (2019). Make it happen: Coaching with the four critical questions of PLCs at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Bailey, K., & Jakicic, C. (2021). The collaborative team plan book for a PLC at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Bailey, K., Jakicic, C., DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Keating, J., Kramer, S. V., et al.
  • (2019). Common formative assessment [Video course]. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Bailey, K., Jakicic, C., & Spiller, J. (2014). Collaborating for success with the Common Core: A toolkit for Professional Learning Communities at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Barr, R. D., & Gibson, E. L. (2013). Building a culture of hope: Enriching schools with optimism and opportunity. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Bayewitz, M. D., Cunningham, S. A., Ianora, J. A., Jones, B., Nielsen, M., Remmert, W., et al. (2020). Help your team: Overcoming common collaborative challenges in a PLC at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Borrero, K. K. (2019). Every student, every day: A No-Nonsense Nurturer approach to reaching all learners. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Buffum, A., & Mattos, M. (2020). RTI at Work plan book. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Buffum, A., Mattos, M., & Malone, J. (2018). Taking action: A handbook for RTI at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Buffum, A., Mattos, M., & Weber, C. (2012). Simplifying response to intervention: Four essential guiding principles. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Conzemius, A. E., & O’Neill, J. (2014). The handbook for SMART school teams: Revitalizing best practices for collaboration (2nd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Depka, E. (2017). Raising the rigor: Effective questioning strategies and techniques for the classroom. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Dimich, N. (2015). Design in five: Essential phases to create engaging assessment practice. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Dougherty, C., & Reason, C. (2019). Inside PLCs at Work: Your guided tour through one district’s successes, challenges, and celebrations. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R. (2015). In praise of American educators: And how they can become even better. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., & DuFour, R. (2012). The school leader’s guide to Professional Learning Communities at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., DuFour, R., & Eaker, R. (2006). Professional Learning Communities at Work plan book. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., DuFour, R., & Eaker, R. (2008). Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work: New insights for improving schools (1st ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Karhanek, G. (2004). Whatever it takes: How professional learning communities respond when kids don’t learn. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Karhanek, G. (2010). Raising the bar and closing the gap: Whatever it takes. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2006). Learning by doing: A handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work (1st ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2010). Learning by doing: A handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work (2nd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. W., & Mattos, M. (2016). Learning by doing: A handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work (3rd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Mattos, M., & Muhammad, A. (2021). Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work: Proven insights for sustained, substantive school improvement (2nd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., & Eaker, R. (1998). Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best practices for enhancing student achievement. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & DuFour, R. (Eds.). (2005). On common ground: The power of professional learning communities. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., & Fullan, M. (2013). Cultures built to last: Systemic PLCs at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., & Marzano, R. J. (2011). Leaders of learning: How district, school, and classroom leaders improve student achievement. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., & Reason, C. (2016). Professional Learning Communities at Work and virtual collaboration: On the tipping point of transformation. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • DuFour, R., Reeves, D., & DuFour, R. (2018). Responding to the Every Student Succeeds Act with the PLC at Work process. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Eaker, R. (2020). A summing up: Teaching and learning in effective schools and PLCs at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Eaker, R., DuFour, R., & DuFour, R. (2002). Getting started: Reculturing schools to become professional learning communities. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Eaker, R., & Keating, J. (2015). Kid by kid, skill by skill: Teaching in a Professional Learning Community at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Eaker, R., & Marzano, R. J. (Eds.). (2020). Professional Learning Communities at Work and High Reliability Schools: Cultures of continuous learning. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Erkens, C. (2016). Collaborative common assessments: Teamwork. Instruction. Results. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Erkens, C. (2019). The handbook for collaborative common assessments: Tools for design, delivery, and data analysis. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Ferriter, W. M. (2020). The big book of tools for collaborative teams in a PLC at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Ferriter, W. M., Graham, P., & Wight, M. (2013). Making teamwork meaningful: Leading progress-driven collaboration in a PLC at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Friziellie, H., Schmidt, J. A., & Spiller, J. (2016). Yes we can! General and special educators collaborating in a professional learning community. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • García, H., McCluskey, K., & Taylor, S. (2015). Game plan: A playbook for developing winning PLCs at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Grafwallner, P. (2020). Ready to learn: The FRAME model for optimizing student success. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Graham, P., & Ferriter, W. M. (2010). Building a Professional Learning Community at Work: A guide to the first year. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Gregory, G., Kaufeldt, M., & Mattos, M. (2016). Best practices at Tier 1: Daily differentiation for effective instruction, secondary. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Hall, B. (2022). Powerful guiding coalitions: How to build and sustain the leadership team in your PLC at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Hannigan, J., Hannigan, J. D., Mattos, M., & Buffum, A. (2021). Behavior solutions: Teaching academic and social skills through RTI at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Hoegh, J. K. (2020a). A handbook for developing and using proficiency scales in the classroom. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Resources.
  • Hoegh, J. K. (2020b). Six action steps for a guaranteed and viable curriculum. In R. Eaker & R. J. Marzano (Eds.), Professional Learning Communities at Work and High Reliability Schools: Cultures of continuous learning (pp. 129–146). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Jensen, E. (2016). Poor students, rich teaching: Mindsets for change. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Jensen, E. (2019). Poor students, rich teaching: Seven high-impact mindsets for students from poverty (Rev. ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Kanold, T. D., Barnes, B., Larson, M. R., Kanold-McIntyre, J., Schuhl, S., & Toncheff, M. (2018). Mathematics homework and grading in a PLC at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Kanold, T. D., Kanold-McIntyre, J., Larson, M. R., Barnes, B., Schuhl, S., & Toncheff, M. (2018). Mathematics instruction and tasks in a PLC at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Kanold, T. D., Schuhl, S., Larson, M. R., Barnes, B., Kanold-McIntyre, J., & Toncheff, M. (2018). Mathematics assessment and intervention in a PLC at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Kanold, T. D., Toncheff, M., Larson, M. R., Barnes, B., Kanold-McIntyre, J., & Schuhl, S. (2018). Mathematics coaching and collaboration in a PLC at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Keating, J., Eaker, R., DuFour, R., & DuFour, R. (2008). The journey to becoming a professional learning community. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Kramer, S. V. (2015). How to leverage PLCs for school improvement. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Kramer, S. V. (Ed.). (2021). Charting the course for collaborative teams: Lessons from priority schools in a PLC at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Kramer, S. V., & Schuhl, S. (2017). School improvement for all: A how-to guide for doing the right work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Many, T. W., Maffoni, M. J., Sparks, S. K., & Thomas, T. F. (2018). Amplify your impact: Coaching collaborative teams in PLCs at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Many, T. W., Maffoni, M. J., Sparks, S. K., & Thomas, T. F. (2020). How schools thrive: Building a coaching culture for collaborative teams in PLCs at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Many, T. W., Maffoni, M. J., Sparks, S. K., & Thomas, T. F. (2022). Energize your teams: Powerful tools for coaching collaborative teams in PLCs at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Marzano, R. J. (2017). The new art and science of teaching. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Marzano, R. J. (2018). The new art and science of teaching [Video]. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Marzano, R. J., Heflebower, T., Hoegh, J. K., Warrick, P. B., & Grift, G. (2016). Collaborative teams that transform schools: The next step in PLCs. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Resources.
  • Marzano, R. J., Warrick, P. B., Rains, C. L., & DuFour, R. (2018). Leading a High Reliability School. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Mattos, M., & Buffum, A. (Eds.). (2015). It’s about time: Planning interventions and extensions in secondary school. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Mattos, M., DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. W. (2016). Concise answers to frequently asked questions about Professional Learning Communities at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. Muhammad, A. (2015). Overcoming the achievement gap trap: Liberating mindsets to effect change. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Muhammad, A. (2018). Transforming school culture: How to overcome staff division (2nd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Nickelsen, L., & Dickson, M. (2019). Teaching with the instructional cha-chas: Four steps to make learning stick. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Onuscheck, M., & Spiller, J. (Eds.). (2020). Reading and writing strategies for the secondary English classroom in a PLC at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Palmer, K. (2022). Parentships in a PLC at Work: Forming and sustaining school-home relationships with families. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Provencio, N. (2021). Community connections and your PLC at Work: A guide to engaging families. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Reeves, D. (2020a). Achieving equity and excellence: Immediate results from the lessons of high-poverty, high-success schools. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Reeves, D., & Eaker, R. (2019). 100-day leaders: Turning short-term wins into long-term success in schools. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Rogers, P., Smith, W. R., Buffum, A., & Mattos, M. (2021). Best practices at Tier 3: Intensive interventions for remediation, secondary. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Schimmer, T., Hillman, G., & Stalets, M. (2018). Standards-based learning in action: Moving from theory to practice. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Smith, W. R. (2015). How to launch PLCs in your district. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Sonju, B., Kramer, S. V., Mattos, M., & Buffum, A. (2019). Best practices at Tier 2: Supplemental interventions for additional student support, secondary. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Spiller, J., & Power, K. (2019). Leading with intention: Eight areas for reflection and planning in your PLC at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Stronge, J. H., Grant, L. W., & Xu, X. (2017). Designing effective assessments. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Stronge, J. H., & Xu, X. (2016a). Instructional planning for effective teaching. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Stronge, J. H., & Xu, X. (2016b). Instructional strategies for effective teaching. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Wiliam, D. (2018). Embedded formative assessment (2nd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Williams, K. C., & Hierck, T. (2015). Starting a movement: Building culture from the inside out in professional learning communities. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Wink, J. R. (2017). A leader’s guide to excellence in every classroom: Creating support systems for teacher success. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
  • Wink, J. R. (2020). A teacher’s guide to excellence in every classroom: Creating support systems for student success. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

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