Powerful tools for facilitating teachersÆ professional development and optimizing school improvement efforts! This step-by-step guide presents specific strategies for coaches who work with professional learning communities (PLCs) that practice action research, better known as 'inquiry-oriented PLCs.' This resource illustrates how incorporating action research can significantly influence professional development practices and provides coaches with lessons learned from facilitators of inquiry-oriented PLCs. This research-based book also offers: The 10 essential elements for a healthy PLCSample inquiry projects and case studies of actual inquiry-based PLCs12 lessons to help good coaches become great coachesReflection prompts in each chapter for study groups

List of FiguresList of TablesForewordPrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbout the Authors1. Facilitating the Professional Development of Others: The Role of Action Research and Professional Learning Communities What Constitutes Powerful Professional Development? What Is Action Research? What Are Professional Learning Communities? How Can Action Research and Professional Learning Communities Become the Dynamic Duo? What¿s in a Name?: The Importance of Clarifying Language What Might an Inquiry-Oriented Professional Learning Community Look Like?2. Establishing and Maintaining a Healthy Inquiry-Oriented PLC Ten Essential Elements of Healthy Inquiry-Oriented PLCs Assessing the Health of Your PLC Using Action Research to Advance Inquiry-Oriented PLC Work3. Helping PLC Members Locate a Wondering The Wondering Playground The Wondering Litmus Test Looking Across the Litmus Test Questions and Stories4. Helping PLC Members Develop an Action Research Plan Facilitating the Development of an Inquiry Brief: The Inquiry-Planning Meeting The Inquiry Brief Litmus Test5. Helping PLC Members Analyze Data Data Analysis for the Action Researcher: A Review Coaching Analysis: The Data Analysis Meeting6. Helping PLC Members Share Their Work With Others The Importance of Sharing: A Review Creating a Space and Time for Sharing Sharing PLC Inquiry Work With a Larger Audience Four Core Components of Sharing7. From Good to Great: Lessons Learned in Coaching an Inquiry-Oriented PLC One Dozen Lessons for Coaching Inquiry-Oriented PLCsReferencesIndex