Smart educators know simplicity is key to mitigating overwhelm and ensuring success. This book will help. Access the proven PLC at Work® process in a straightforward, easy-to-implement guide. Designated actions and essential steps for teachers, school leaders, and coaches focus on answering each of the four critical questions of a professional learning community so you can be confident you are doing the right work. This book will help teachers, school leaders, and coaches: Learn the six actions that help answer each of the four critical questions of a PLC - Create a shared vision among teacher and leadership teams and gain clarity on student mastery of essential standards - Employ meaningful feedback to encourage student self-assessment and ownership of learning - Utilize field-tested prompts, rubrics, and templates to facilitate effective ongoing collaboration - Address common roadblocks in establishing a collaborative school culture and work environment Contents: Introduction Chapter 1: Identifying Essential Standards and Skills Chapter 2: Gaining Shared Clarity and Defining Mastery Chapter 3: Encouraging Student Ownership Through Student Self-Assessment Chapter 4: Utilizing Formative Assessment for Feedback Chapter 5: Learning From Formative Data Chapter 6: Creating Extra Time and Support Chapter 7: Ensuring Focused, Productive Collaboration Final Thoughts References and Resources Index “Simplifying the Journey provides a clear, easy-to-follow, and effective path for school improvement and success. It isn’t one more thing, but rather, is the thing that will ensure high levels of learning for all students. The simple, clear organization provides an achievable road map that results in high-quality learning experiences for students and a strong, collaborative culture for educators.” ---- Sheri Heiter , Director of Curriculum, Weber School District, Ogden, Utah “The processes in Simplifying the Journey are what takes teaching from an overwhelming, often stressful, experience to an experience grounded in research-supporting ideas that are straightforward and attainable. Gaining clarity on the standards and sharing that clarity with the team members create a space where everyone’s voice and talents truly shine. As a teacher whose only goal is for my students to learn at high levels, I can’t wait to implement each piece of this process and watch my students shine.” -- Amy Greene , English Language Arts Teacher, Copper Mountain Middle School, Herriman, Utah “As a school principal, my main job is to help students learn. Simplifying the Journey helps our school do just that. It makes the process easy to understand, with practical tools and examples that teachers and leaders can use immediately.” ---- Rusty Taylor , Principal, Crimson Cliffs High School, Washington, Utah “Simplifying the Journey provides a clear, easy-to-follow, and effective path for school improvement and success. It isn’t one more thing, but rather, is the thing that will ensure high levels of learning for all students. The simple, clear organization provides an achievable road map that results in high-quality learning experiences for students and a strong, collaborative culture for educators.” --Sheri Heiter, Director of Curriculum, Weber School District, Ogden, Utah Bob Sonju is an award-winning educational leader, author, and speaker nationally recognized for his energetic commitment to coaching educational leaders and teacher teams in research-based processes and systems that create the conditions for lasting success. Bob has led two separate schools to national Model PLC at Work status; one of his schools also received the prestigious National Breakthrough School Award from the National Association of Secondary School Principals. As a district leader, Bob led the implementation of the PLC process in a district composed of over fifty schools. Bob was named Principal of the Year by the Utah Association of Secondary School Principals and was selected as one of three finalists for National Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. His work has been published in the Solution Tree books It’s About Time, Secondary; Best Practices at Tier 2, Elementary; Best Practices at Tier 2, Secondary; Help Your Team; and Women Who Lead , as well as in the magazine Principal Leadership . Maren Powers is an award-winning educator and Solution Tree associate. Maren is a practicing language arts teacher and learning coach in the Washington County School District. Throughout her time in the district, she has worked and trained at two Model PLC Schools―Fossil Ridge Intermediate and Washington Fields Intermediate. At Washington Fields, she was integral in the opening and implementation of the PLC process and school culture at WFIS. Because of her experience as a teacher and learning coach, she has learned how to do the work successfully. Maren is passionate about helping other educators implement