How can educators create a collective method of professional development that results in the genuine, sustained teacher learning essential to improving student achievement? That question is at the heart of this comprehensive and practical guide to process learning circles, a unique and powerful way to develop, strengthen, and enrich professional learning communities. Authors Geoffrey and Renate N. Caine have dedicated more than 20 years to researching how people learn naturally. From this foundation, they describe in detail how process learning circles work, and they provide readers with a clear understanding of how powerful and successful this approach to professional learning can be. Along the way, they explore * The three critical elements of great professional development* How to create a field of listening* The logistics and phases of process learning circles* Tips for success as a process leader* The effects of individual differences and group dynamics* Principles for developing a process that worksExamples from schools that have implemented process learning circles provide evidence of the method s success, and the authors also include an explanation of 12 underlying brain/mind learning principles, guidelines for using online tools, and broader suggestions for how to move from teaching for memorization to teaching for understanding. Written with both teachers and administrators in mind, Strengthening and Enriching Your Professional Learning Community: The Art of Learning Together is an essential guide to professional learning and development that works.
Author(s): Geoffrey Caine, Renate N. Caine
Publisher: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development
Year: 2010
Language: English
Pages: 219
Front cover
......Page 1
Title page
......Page 4
Copyright
......Page 5
Dedication
......Page 6
Contents
......Page 8
Acknowledgments......Page 9
Introduction......Page 10
Part I-Foundations in Research......Page 18
1-Foundations of Professional Development......Page 20
2-Effective Learning Communities......Page 30
Part II-How to Conduct Process Learning Circles......Page 42
3-The Process Learning Circle Format......Page 44
4-Logistics......Page 50
5-Ordered Sharing......Page 58
6-Reflective Study......Page 71
7-Implications for Practice, Commitment to Action, and Action Research......Page 81
8-Regrouping......Page 93
9-The Process Leader......Page 103
10-Asking the Right Question......Page 113
11-Results......Page 125
Part III-Advanced Keys to Success......Page 136
12-Individual Differences......Page 138
13-Group Dynamics......Page 148
14-Process Principles......Page 160
15-The Path Forward......Page 168
Appendix A-How People Learn......Page 176
Appendix B-The Field of Listening......Page 186
Appendix C The Second Meeting of Spring Valley’s PrLC......Page 193
Appendix D-Expanding Online......Page 199
References......Page 204
Index......Page 209
About the Authors......Page 216
Back cover
......Page 219
