Building Teaching Practice that is Collaborative, Public and Powerful through Professional Learning Communities

In the USA, many schools are building their reform efforts on a foundation of professional learning communities that engage participants in honest examination and refinement of their daily practice.

This session will discuss the characteristics of effective teacher and principal learning communities. We will examine a variety of models of gathering data and insights that can inform changes in individual and school practices, transforming the teaching profession and accelerating student achievement.

Gary Bloom, Associate Director, New Teacher Centre, University of California Santa Cruz.

Gary Bloom has twenty-three years of K-12 education experience, having served as a bilingual teacher, principal, director of curriculum, and assistant superintendent. He served as the superintendent of the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District, known for its innovative programs such as graduation exhibitions, a teacher-led high school, and teacher peer review. Gary is a Kellogg National Fellow, adjunct faculty to San Jose State University's Educational Administration graduate program, and has consulted and presented on a variety of topics throughout the United States and in Latin America.

Currently, he is supporting a number of urban school districts and states in designing and implementing coaching-based leadership induction programs, and in increasing the capacity of principals to serve as instructional leaders.  He has published articles in ASCD, AASA and ACSA's educational leadership journals, most recently on the topics of teacher leadership, professional learning communities, new teacher support, principal induction, teacher supervision and the appropriate use of technology.

He is lead author of Blended Coaching: Skills and Strategies for Principal Development, Corwin Press 2005, and editor of The Peer Assistance and Review Reader, New Teacher Center, 2000.