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Schoolutions: Curious Educators. Evidence-Based Strategies. Classrooms Where Every Child Thrives.

PLC at Work® Is Being Reignited by Leaders Like This

July 6 · 43 min · Season 3 · Episode 37 · 31.6 MB
0:00-43:47

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I sat down with Dr. Anthony Muhammad for Schoolutions S3E37 to talk about his book The Way Forward: PLC at Work and the Bright Future of Education, and this conversation just landed in the top 20 most listened-to episodes in our summer series re-release. Anthony spent nearly twenty years as a teacher, assistant principal, and high school principal before becoming one of the most respected voices in school leadership and instructional leadership today.

We get into the three big ideas behind real professional learning community work: a focus on student learning, collective effort over individual effort, and evidence-driven decision-making. This is effective teaching and instructional strategies at the school-wide level, not just a classroom-by-classroom fix.

Anthony also breaks down the difference between healthy and toxic school culture, and he explains the actual physical harm that negative collaboration does to a staff. If school improvement in your building feels stuck, this names why. We talk about what separates true commitment from what Anthony calls PLC Lite, and he lays out six non-negotiable tights that define PLC Right. 

Episode Mentions:

Would you rather watch this conversation? Here's the YouTube link.

Chapters:

0:00 Welcome and introducing Dr. Anthony Muhammad
1:51 The mentor behind the book: Rick DuFour
4:00 Why the book is structured past, present, future
9:24 The story behind the cover art
12:28 The three big ideas of PLC at Work
18:48 Turning big ideas into staff-specific questions
21:20 Healthy vs. toxic school culture
24:44 The physical toll of negative collaboration
29:44 PLC Lite vs. PLC Right
33:17 The six non-negotiable tights
39:06 The best first step for educators
41:15 Closing thoughts and where to find the book

Schoolutions is the podcast for educators and school leaders, families and homeschoolers, and the coaches, counselors, and mentors who believe every student deserves to thrive. Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child.

🌿Ready to grow alongside your children? Book a coaching session with me here. We'll unlock the expert who is already within you and surround you with a community of educators committed to forever getting better through collective expertise.

🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl

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When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.