Overview Table - A Better PLC – Impact Teams
Area of Concern
Competencies: 001, 004,
005, 007
This is a district initiative,
which is used with great
success by our English
Department and initiated in
the Math department.
In a recent Science
department meeting, it was
clear that PLC time is being
used to only calendar for
courses.
Teams are not embracing
the link between PLC –
Data Analysis – Planning
with a purpose.
Our curriculum is focused on
Learning Intentions and
success criteria to increase
student self / peer
assessment and more
student centered learning
opportunities.
This is a shift from what
was done in the past and is
aligned with all current
research regarding student-
learning and efficacy.
Needs Assessment Action Plan
(Identify sources of data (Describe in
used) detail what your
plan of action
 Teacher Perception Data involved)
Survey regarding:
PLC (Pre/Post) Goal: My goal is to
implement the Impact
Curriculum Team Protocol with
Planning Chemistry to improve
 Campus Support Team the planning cycle and
Walkthrough Data (Pre) making decisions based
upon student growth
 Department Head and data-
Observations of
Chemistry PLC and
Action Plan:
teacher lessons (Pre/Post) 1. Training for me regarding
 Appraiser walkthrough Impact Teams
2. Gather PLC / CST
observation
walkthrough data.
 Meet with English 3. Facilitate impact teams
Department chair during PLC
regarding impact teams – 4. Have team lead take
implementation over, while I observe.
5. Translate into
 Lesson design Tool classroom.
 Feedback from Team
Leads
Time Line:
Week 1-3:Develop
survey, Gather pre- data;
train on impact team
model. (myself and chem
team)
Week 4-6: Still working
out kinks on impact team
model – finalized form to
help the team structure
lessons.
Evaluation
(Describe how you
evaluated the impact of
each project and
provide the results of
each evaluation.)
To train myself in Impact team
Protocol, I did a book study,
and discussed with the English
department chair. In reality,
this is a long process that is not
going to be implemented with
fidelity during six weeks.
Perception Data – teachers
think they spend time planning
and discussing – thus have
successful PLCs
However, PLC observations
indicate that teachers are not
discussing lessons and
activities in terms of
student experiences,
feedback, learning
intentions and success
criteria.
Discussions were mostly
based on logistics – TEKS
were not discussed, data
was not discussed.
Phase 2 – I sent a planning It is very difficult to convert
form to help get adults who are not in a growth
discussions – I sent the two mindset to change. The buy-in
is the most difficult part and
Reflection
(Describe what you learned
from this project. What
would you do if you could do
it over?)
I chose this as a project because
the newly rewritten curriculum
is student based – focusing on
feedback, peer-self assessment,
and learner experiences
meeting criteria. It made sense
to implement a better PLC
protocol. This project is still
going, it is not yet successful
but I am not giving up.
Since Science is not the focus
for this district initiative right
now, I had to figure out a
protocol that would work.
There was no formal PD for me
over the topic. It was
challenging.
When I started having
discussions with the team leads
and observing PLCs – it was
apperant they were resistant to
changes and focusing on
compliance.
Overview Table - A Better PLC – Impact Teams

Week 7-9: Introduced chemistry team leads a the PLC process will not change
form to team leads, planning document (in with only one or two meetings.
received feedback.
artifacts) to help them
Week 10-11: Waiting for
full team implementation align lessons to the I was able to get the team leads
curriculum, success to fill out the form and I did get
criteria, and preliminary feedback.

The timeline had some If I had to do this over, I would

bumps as there were like to have the team leads read
teachers out due to family excerpts of the book – have
emergencies and illness. discussions with them to
analyze the benefits of building
I didn’t get as far as I team efficacy.
wanted to, but I did get
feedback from the team The second largest hurdle is
leads regarding the form. time to meet, the chemistry
team does not have 60 minutes
Second Semester, focus on to meet – no common planning
PLC discussions, data and many are coaches. They
collection. meet during lunch on Fridays
which is not feasible to carryout
the discussions that need to
take place. Also, most teachers
teach two preps, so it is difficult
to completely focus on the one
PLC.