Question 4: How will we respond when they already know it?

Introduction

A professional learning community responds collectively to provide enrichment for students who already know the material. For us, this involves each team to focus on diagnostic and formative assessments that measure student learning. The team analyzes data not only for students who have not learned the learning targets or standards but also analyzes it for students who already know it. The team then collaborates to implement enrichment activities as a team so that it is a collective response rather than an individual teacher decision.

That "Pesky 4th PLC Question" & Ways to Stop Ignoring It

That Pesky Fourth PLC Question _ Solution Tree Blog.pdf

Four Ways to Stop Ignoring the Forgotten Fourth Critical Question of a PLC _ Solution Tree Blog.pdf

The four "DuFour questions" drive the work of PLTs and PLCs; influencing conversations and actions of collaborative planning team members.

However, as teams aim to impact students’ learning by using these questions as a framework, many likely focus most of their time and efforts on the first three questions (rather than the fourth question).

These two blog posts (Douglas Fisher & Nancy Frey, left and Mark Weichel, right) respond to answering and not ignoring, "that pesky [and sometimes forgotten] fourth PLC question."

Book Previews

When They Already Know ItDiscover how your collaborative team can address the fourth critical question of a PLC: “How will we extend the learning for students who are already proficient?” Explore five elements of personalized learning and five instructional strategies for extending learning in a competency-based curriculum that motivate students to learn.

Enriching the LearningEffectively answer question 4 of the Professional Learning Community process: How will we extend the learning for students who have demonstrated proficiency? Learn how to plan and execute lesson extensions—such as grouping students by interest—to engage proficient students for deeper learning.

Additional Resources

Tool for Planning Extension Standards

Individual Reflection Implementing Flexibility

Developing a Tiered Task Card

Page updated

Report abuse