Professional Learning Communities at Work®

Reboot, energize, and simplify the professional learning communities (PLC) process with The 15-Day Challenge! This practical guide brings the PLC process to life through seven simple unit design steps, providing a clear road map for creating a guaranteed and viable curriculum. Designed for results, this challenge helps educators navigate the PLC journey with clarity and impact.

The impact of Covid-19 will have a long-lasting effect on every facet of our society. Very few institutions were more disrupted than schools. The pandemic affected staffing, funding, morale, and the continuity of student learning. Participants explore the history of the field of education and examine why the tenants of the PLC at Work process were important before the global pandemic and why they are even more important after the pandemic. This is not the time to back away from the PLC at Work process; this is the time to reinforce its foundation.

It has been said that isolation is the enemy of improvement, and yet singleton teachers are too often left alone. Singleton teachers are the only ones at a school who teach a specific course or subject—like a music or art teacher or the only physics teacher—and these teachers often ask how they can effectively participate on a collaborative team at a PLC school (e.g., teachers who teach the same course or subject). Additionally, leaders frequently ask what they should be doing to guide and support these outstanding educators.

The impact of Covid-19 will have a long-lasting effect on every facet of our society. Very few institutions were more disrupted than schools. The pandemic affected staffing, funding, morale, and the continuity of student learning. Participants explore the history of the field of education and examine why the tenants of the PLC at Work process were important before the global pandemic and why they are even more important after the pandemic. This is not the time to back away from the PLC at Work process; this is the time to reinforce its foundation.

Hillary Woest helps teams see the big picture of a PLC and put it all together in a recurring cycle of collective inquiry. The 15-day challenge is a practical way to bring the PLC process to life.

Brian K. Butler is an educational presenter with over 30 years of experience who has worked with thousands of schools throughout the U.S.A., Australia, and Canada, presenting on the Professional Learning Communities at Work^® and Response to Intervention at Work^™ models. Brian is a retired principal who last served at Mason Crest Elementary School in Fairfax County, Virginia in 2017. Under Brian’s leadership, Mason Crest received Solution Tree’s first annual DuFour Award in 2016.

David LaRose is an education coach and presenter specializing in PLCs, RTI, leadership, and organizational culture. He is former superintendent for Culver City Unified School District in California.

With over 30 years of experience in K–12 education, author and education expert Jeanne Spiller is an associate with Solution Tree, supporting schools and districts through workshops, coaching, and collaborative initiatives to enhance instruction, foster innovation, and promote equity.

Karen Power is an educational presenter and a former teacher, principal, superintendent, and senior advisor for professional learning and leadership. Karen has implemented the PLC process both as a principal and as a superintendent, and for several years, she has supported collaborative work in schools to meet the needs of students.

Kenneth C. Williams, a former teacher, assistant principal, and principal, shares his experience and expertise as a recognized trainer, speaker, coach, and presenter in education and leadership.