Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Communities at Work
Learning by Doing is not only the title of an incredibly powerful book, it is also the description of our district s journey over the last five years. Without a doubt, the establishment of PLCs as a district and the deepening of our collaborative culture have had the single greatest impact on student achievement of any of the initiatives we have implemented. It has changed who we are, how we work and, most importantly, our outcomes. Learning by Doing has been our guidebook on the journey and helped us to understand and move from knowing to doing and finally being a professional learning community. I encourage you, read this book and answer the call to action. Once you begin the journey, you will never go back! --Marcus Johnson, superintendent, Sanger Unified School District, Sanger, CAOur distictwide success in improving student academic achievement has been a remarkable journey. Learning by Doing has been our road atlas and the PLC concept our GPS as our staff members have built their collective capacity to meet the needs of all students. If you are looking for a clearly delineated road map to building a collaborative professional culture and helping all students learn, the second edition of Learning by Doing is one resource you must have. --Sandra Thorstenson, Superintendent, Whittier Union High School District, Whittier, CAAs educators, we know what it takes to ensure high levels of learning for every child. Compelling, conclusive research proves professional learning communities create the collaborative culture and structures needed to transform our schools into places where all students and educators can succeed. Our problem is not a lack of understanding about what to do, but rather how to turn what we know into daily practice. Learning by Doing bridges this gap, providing the proven practices and practical tools needed to move an organization from theory to action. Like the bunny in The Velveteen Rabbit, my copy has become real its tattered cover, numerous highlights, and earmarked pages demonstrates that it does not sit on my bookcase, but instead lives where I work each day. It has truly been an indispensable resource. In their second edition, the authors have not merely updated the original, but have expanded and refined their recommendations, including greater clarity on the roles of site and district educators, the potential obstacles to becoming a PLC, and the proven solutions to overcome these setbacks. No matter your role in education, if you want to improve the learning for your students, you need this book. --Mike Mattos, coauthor, Pyramid Response to InterventionOur distictwide success in improving student academic achievement has been a remarkable journey. Learning by Doing has been our road atlas and the PLC concept our GPS as our staff members have built their collective capacity to meet the needs of all students. If you are looking for a clearly delineated road map to building a collaborative professional culture and helping all students learn, the second edition of Learning by Doing is one resource you must have. --Sandra Thorstenson, Superintendent, Whittier Union High School District, Whittier, CAAs educators, we know what it takes to ensure high levels of learning for every child. Compelling, conclusive research proves professional learning communities create the collaborative culture and structures needed to transform our schools into places where all students and educators can succeed. Our problem is not a lack of understanding about what to do, but rather how to turn what we know into daily practice. Learning by Doing bridges this gap, providing the proven practices and practical tools needed to move an organization from theory to action. Like the bunny in The Velveteen Rabbit, my copy has become real its tattered cover, numerous highlights, and earmark --Mike Mattos, coauthor, Pyramid Response to InterventionOur distictwide success in improving student academic achievement has been a remarkable journey. Learning by Doing has been our road atlas and the PLC concept our GPS as our staff members have built their collective capacity to meet the needs of all students. If you are looking for a clearly delineated road map to building a collaborative professional culture and helping all students learn, the second edition of Learning by Doing is one resource you must have. --Sandra Thorstenson, Superintendent, Whittier Union High School District, Whittier, CAAs educators, we know what it takes to ensure high levels of learning for every child. Compelling, conclusive research proves professional learning communities create the collaborative culture and structures needed to transform our schools into places where all students and educators can succeed. Our problem is not a lack of understanding about what to do, but rather how to turn what we know into daily practice. Learning by Doing bridges this gap, providing the proven practices and practical tools needed to move an organization from theory to action. Like the bunny in The Velveteen Rabbit, my copy has become real its tattered cover, numerous highlights, and earmarked pages demonstrates that it does not sit on my bookcase, but instead lives where I work each day. It has truly been an indispensable resource. In their second edition, the authors have not merely updated the original, but have expanded and refined their recommendations, including greater clarity on the roles of site and district educators, the potential obstacles to becoming a PLC, and the proven solutions to overcome these setbacks. No matter your role in education, if you want to improve the learning for your students, you need this book. --Mike Mattos, coauthor, Pyramid Response to Intervention