Help Your Team: Overcoming Common Collaborative Challenges in a PLC (Supporting Teacher Team Building and Collaboration in a Professional Learning Community) - Softcover

Bob Sonju is an award-winning educational leader and educational consultant recognized for his energetic commitment to building effective teams, developing response to intervention (RTI) structures that support teachers and students, and creating effective school culture committed to student learning. He is executive director of learning and development for Washington County School District and a former adjunct professor of education at Dixie State University in Utah. Bob was formerly the principal of US-recognized Fossil Ridge Intermediate School and has also served as a district leader, high school administrator, and special education teacher.

Michael D. Bayewitz is principal of Cloverly Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland. He has also previously served as a director of elementary schools, principal, assistant principal, and classroom teacher. Through his twenty-four years of education experience, he has provided supervision and direct support to over 70 schools at the elementary, middle, and high school level.

Scott A. Cunningham is principal of Orange Middle School (Olentangy Local School District) in Ohio. He has more than 23 years of experience in education as a principal, assistant principal, and teacher. As principal of Norton Middle School in Columbus, Ohio, Scott and his team transformed this low-achieving school into a nationally recognized model PLC.

Joseph A. Ianora has spent 15 of his 30 years in education as an administrator. He has been both a comprehensive and continuation high school principal. Prior to that, he held nearly every position in a school site, including custodian, counselor, teacher, campus minister, coach, and 504 coordinator. Joe uses his varied school experiences to help transform schools into 21st century, student-centered learning facilities.

Brandon Jones, a high school principal, consultant, and author, works with educators of all grade levels to develop and enhance teacher leadership, build sustainable collaborative teams, and produce effective systems for a tiered approach to RTI using the PLC at Work® and RTI at WorkTM processes.

Maria Nielsen, consultant and author, specializes in supporting teachers and administrators in the areas of PLCs, RTI, school culture, curriculum design, the highly engaged classroom, and assessment systems. Her life's work is to help schools build successful systems to ensure high levels of student learning.

Will Remmert, an elementary principal, consultant, and doctoral student in the Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development PhD program at the University of Minnesota, works with educators at all levels to implement proven practices designed to enhance student and professional learning through the PLC at Work and RTI at Work processes.

Jeanne Spiller is assistant superintendent for teaching and learning for Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96 in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. School District 96 is recognized on All Things PLC (AllThingsPLC.info) as one of only a small number of school districts with all schools in the district earning the distinction of model professional learning community (PLC). Jeanne's work focuses on standards-aligned instruction and assessment practices. She supports schools and districts across the United States to gain clarity about and implement the four critical questions of a PLC. She is passionate about collaborating with schools to develop systems for teaching and learning that keep the focus on student results and helping teachers determine how to approach instruction so that all students learn at high levels.

"The authors of Help Your Team are highly successful and knowledgeable education leaders who have come together as a team to write a powerful and practical book. If you want to help your team and improve your school, read what these real-world experts write. They have done the work, and we are fortunate that they have shared their collective wisdom with us." ---Jack Baldermann, principal, Westmont High School, Illinois

"Help Your Team is a must-read for anyone leading the professional learning community (PLC) process in his or her school. The book is powerful yet practical. It provides tools and procedures for coaching both teams and individuals, and it helped me discover how to overcome some major barriers I'm currently facing in my school's journey. Students will benefit the most from the strategies in this book." ----Daniel Evans, principal, Moores Mill Intermediate School, Alabama

"Help Your Team is a welcome resource for teachers, leaders, and administrators looking for specific, practical strategies to help teams on their PLC journey. Through their collective experience, the authors understand the challenges teams face in implementing a high-functioning PLC. By providing real-world examples, research-based solutions, and thoughtful advice, the authors show educators how to overcome challenges and reach new heights to ensure high levels of learning for all students." --Erica Martin, reading interventionist

"Help Your Team describes various situations that can affect and challenge teams in a professional learning community (PLC). The team is the fundamental tool that accomplishes the primary goal of the PLC--ensuring students learn at high levels. However, a fully functioning and efficient team does not happen simply by telling teachers to work together in a team. The authors provide anecdotal evidence of situations in schools followed by an analysis of the team's behavior and how to address that behavior. The explanations are clear, concise, and easy to follow. The book offers several guidelines and forms to help in the planning and implementation of team strategies and addresses the critical need of teacher leaders as they try to establish and improve school teams." --Robert G. Robins, science department chair, Hallsville High School, Texas

"Great book! For those of us in the trenches, this book has wonderful ideas that truly make a difference in helping our PLC teams. Too many times, books focus on philosophies or ideas without giving practical, 'this is how you do it' advice. The tools I found in this book I can use at any time with my team and they help me get results." ----Rusty Taylor, principal, Crimson Cliffs High School, Utah