Elements of Professional Literacy Communities

Give everyone the opportunity to communicate their thoughts, practices, and insight through peer walks and lesson feedback through non-evaluative measures. (checklists, grow/glow charts)

• Voice

• Choice

• Critical Thinking

• Opportunities for Innovation

Like students, educators deserve options in what and how they learn, including strength-based learning. Giving teachers a chance to build on their strengths, builds capacity and efficacy.

• Problem Finders/Solvers

• Connected Learning

• Critical Thinking

• Choice

Teachers need time to think about their current practice as well as how new learning will and should change their classroom teaching.

• Problem Finders/Solvers

• Self-Assessment

• Reflection Time

• Voice

Encourage risk-taking and give others and yourself permission to fail along the way to greatness!

• Choice

• Reflection Time

• Connected Learning

• Opportunities for Innovation

Explore & Challenge current practices by asking questions and building capacity to refine your thinking.

• Voice

• Choice

• Critical Thinking

• Connected Learning

Identify problems you see and work as a community to develop solutions (Example: students struggle with academic vocabulary, the community works to align language used in instruction to support student success in 2nd/3rd grade assessments)

• Problem Finders/Solvers

• Connected Learning

• Critical Thinking

• Reflection Time

Through blogging or journal writing, this practice can support individual and professional growth. Evaluate your own development as you continue learning about applying literacy development in your classroom.

• Problem Finders/Solvers

• Self-Assessment

• Connected Learning

• Voice

Bring experts in to build capacity through face to face or virtual visits. Hearing new learning directly from the expert and from multiple different views can help educators internalize new learning.

• Choice

• Critical Thinking

• Reflection Time

• Connected Learning