Leadership Cycle 2

Part A: Written Narrative:

Context, Area of Educational Focus, Community of Practice Template

Step 1: Investigate
Part A: Written Narrative: Context, Area of Educational
Focus, Community of Practice Template
Directions: Respond to the prompts below (no more than 5 pages). Type your responses within the brackets
following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts.

I. Inquiry into Collaborative Professional Learning at the School

1. Describe and analyze the role of collaborative professional learning at the school as it
relates to student learning and/or well-being.

a. Analyze the ways in which professional educators (e.g., teachers, specialists, aides,
support staff) at the school currently engage with one another in professional learning or
communities of practice. In addition, describe the impact and/or lack of impact of this
professional learning and/or community of practice approach in relation to student
learning and/or well-being.
[ ]

b. Provide information about any formal training offered to professional educators (e.g.,
teachers, specialists, aides, support staff) at the school within the past three years
related to collaborative professional learning, communities of practice, or group learning
process.
[My district has not offered any formal training with regards to collaborative professional
learning, communities of practice, or group learning process within the past three years. When I
was hired in 2007, weekly collaboration opportunities had been established between the union
and district. It is possible training was offered the first year of implementation however that
would have occurred prior to me being hired. The professional development currently offered is
not specific to the collaborative learning environment however it is meant to provide targeted
support to teachers in best instructional practices to support all students. Trainings are offered
prior to the start of the school year or after school throughout the year. Teachers are not
required to attend any professional developments offered outside of their contracted days/time.
When development opportunities cover new strategies, departments/grade-levels do their best
to have at least one colleague attend the training in order to bring the information back and
share.]

c. Analyze the role of professional learning at the school (e.g., the history of collaborative
professional learning in the school; practices of collaborative professional learning or
communities of practice among teachers, staff, students, and families; the management
of communities of practice at the school; expected outcomes for collaborative
professional learning at the school). Does professional learning facilitate or hinder
collaborative learning at the school?

Copyright © 2021 by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Page 1 of 3

1900 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95811 5 pages maximum
All rights reserved. V04
 Leadership Cycle 2
Part A: Written Narrative:
Context, Area of Educational Focus, Community of Practice Template

[Collaborative professional learning communities (PLCs) have been a district-wide expectation

for over 15 years. Teachers meet every Wednesday for 50-minutes to collaborate with their
department/course-alike peers. Without this protected time, teachers would have no additional
time to collaboratively meet. Teachers utilize this time to discuss planning and pacing, develop
joint lessons for upcoming units of study and then later discuss successes and failures of the
created lesson, calibrate grades by analyzing student work samples as a team, and to analyze
overall student needs within a department. One expected outcome from the PLCs is through the
collaborative process teachers are working to fulfill the school’s mission to ensure student
success, we will provide a rigorous and supportive academic experience that motivates all
learners to meet high expectations. Building a strong sense of culture and belonging is an
additional outcome of weekly PLC meetings. Through these meetings, teachers have an
opportunity to solidify relationships with each other and build trust which allows them to feel
comfortable to take risks when implementing new strategies and techniques.

Unfortunately PLCs do not exist outside of the role of administrator or teacher. Having
instructional assistants (IAs) either join on existing collaborations or create one specific to their
job responsibilities and in doing this increase their effectiveness in the classroom. Currently, our
IAs only need to have a high school diploma and pass a basics skills test.

d. Describe how collaborative professional learning reflects evidence-based adult learning

processes and cite relevant research to support your analysis.
[ ]

2. As a result of your investigation and given the contexts as well as available school data
related to student learning and/or well-being, describe the most important issues you will
need to consider in preparing to co-facilitate and support a community of practice to engage
in collaborative professional learning.
[ ]

II. Selecting an Area of Educational Focus Based on Data and

Establishing a Community of Practice

1. Describe the agreed-upon area of educational focus for improving student learning and/or
well-being (obtained with guidance from one or more school administrators and/or teacher
leaders), discussing the relevant data and connecting to the school’s vision, mission, and/or
goals, selected for group professional learning.
[ ]

2. Provide a list of the job titles for each member of the community of practice group, detailing
the specific reason(s) for each member’s inclusion and referencing the area of educational
focus.
[ ]

Copyright © 2021 by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Page 2 of 3

1900 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95811 5 pages maximum
All rights reserved. V04
 Leadership Cycle 2
Part A: Written Narrative:
Context, Area of Educational Focus, Community of Practice Template

3. Provide a brief description of your relationship or positionality (e.g., coach, mentor, teacher
colleague, administrator) to each member of the group.
[ ]

4. Provide a description of each group member’s demographics and how this reflects or is
different from the school’s demographics.
[ ]

5. Provide an explanation of how you obtained each group member’s commitment, including
their reasons for agreeing to participate in the community of practice. Explain how the work
of this group is likely to advance conditions for students’ learning and/or well-being.
[ ]

Copyright © 2021 by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Page 3 of 3

1900 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95811 5 pages maximum
All rights reserved. V04