Professional Learning Communities at Work®

Singletons—teachers who are the only ones teaching a specific course or subject—often ask how they can effectively participate on a collaborative team. Additionally, leaders frequently ask what they should be doing to guide and support singletons. This webinar provides participants clear direction to help singletons engage in meaningful collaboration. Teachers and leaders receive templates they can implement immediately.

Maria Espinoza, EdM, is the principal of Freeport Elementary in Freeport, Texas. With 17 years of experience, she specializes in early childhood education and implementing the professional learning community process to help underperforming schools.

Explore how teacher teams can ensure equitable literacy learning so that every student masters essential reading standards. Jacqueline Heller and Paula Maeker, authors of Literacy in a PLC at Work®: Guiding Teams to Get Going and Get Better in K–6 Reading, will help literacy educators navigate the teaching, learning, assessment, and feedback cycle of reading through the lens of Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at Work.

Join us for this webinar to engage in a unique professional learning experience that can work for schools, departments or teams. Choose Your Own Master Class is designed with standalone chapters to offer busy educators the opportunity to join together for a book club, yet begin with the chapter that speaks to their most urgent needs. This webinar will highlight the chapter on civil conversations, including its thought leaders from across disciplines. It will feature reflective exercises and classroom strategies to help you start off the year cultivating a supportive classroom environment. Together we’ll explore ideas to nurture inclusivity and belonging throughout the school year.

As educators and leaders across the nation grapple with the challenge of changing policies, practices, and procedures to ensure high levels of learning for all students, the inability to effectively change the mindsets of colleagues, faculty, and staff is proving to be the biggest hurdle of all. Hence, in order for systems to change, outlooks will also need to change.

In this practical webinar, Mona Toncheff will explore how collaborative teams can ensure all students learn grade-level mathematics through Tier 1 core instruction and Tier 2 interventions. Mona will provide ready-to-use tools and strategies from the latest book in the Every Student Can Learn Mathematics series, Mathematics Strategies for Tier 1 and Tier 2 Interventions in a PLC at Work®.

When school leaders foster a culture of frequent, specific recognition, it creates an environment for collaborative teams to function at high levels. In this edWebinar, Drs. David Chiprany and Phillip Page will discuss how celebrating the “right work” of professional learning communities (PLC) stimulates the culture shift necessary for successful PLC implementation. Using intentional celebrations, K–12 leaders can improve collaborative team performance, resulting in higher student achievement.

PLC concepts resonate with most educators, but making collaborative learning work in small schools or for singleton teachers can be challenging. In this webinar, participants explore three models for creating meaningful professional learning teams—vertical teaming, cross-curricular teaming, and supporting roles— while reviewing common structural barriers that prevent singletons from joining collaborative teams and exploring how others have overcome similar challenges.

Kevin Strahley is the principal of Windsor Central Middle School. He was named the New York State Principal of the Year in 2018 and has more than 30 years experience as a teacher, coach, administrator, and consultant.

Dr. Jennifer Chastain is currently a principal in the Raymore-Peculiar School District located in the Kansas City area. She is passionate about fostering a positive collaborative school culture where students and educators learn at high levels.