Proactive Planning Protocol

Popular question: We've got the data, now what do we do?

Usually this is the spot in the PLC conversation where teams hit a rut. They are proud of the fact they've followed through, brought the data, crunched the numbers, looked for trends/patterns...but how determining responses can feel like a huge decision they no longer have the mental bandwidth for.

When your team hits a lull, bump, snag, roadblock, pitfall--whatever you want to call it...take this as a sign that the thinking needs to become visual.

There are no shortage of PLC or discussion protocols out there--and honestly my favorite thing to do is simply grab a piece of paper and start sketching in the meeting. In my recent post, Make Good Decisions, Faster, I share the Proactive Planning Protocol along with a few others we've found to be helpful.

A few years ago, I started sketching this protocol when working with upon this strategy when working with some teams at Avon Community School Corporation in Avon, Indiana. They had beautiful data sheets and a clear process for what types of questions they were trying to analyze, but how to respond to the data was where the thinking stopped for some teams.

Enter the Proactive Planning Protocol:

This protocol started as a web (but I've found a lot of folks prefer the Frayer Model look).

Download Protocol

We teach that the best way to respond to data is to learn from the results to better plan instructional, assessment, and student-response situations during the next unit of learning.

By focusing our scaffolding strategy on improving visual cues to provide reinforcement and support--teams are anchored in the top Visible Learning Feedback strategy (and there are 6).

Sometimes a helpful response to data is to add lines or an answer box on the assessment. Sometimes you have your CUBES or RACE acronym on an anchor chart on the wall...when really students need to write it down on their assessment as a visual cue.

Sometimes we format practice problems a particular way--but then on the assessment, it looks totally different. Why are we confusing our students this way if we don't have to?

Sometimes our students need to fail and make mistakes (often!) to actually learn the material. But...when we don't build in time or a process for them to review their results and then do something with it, there's a missed feedback opportunity.

In my upcoming book, Proactive PLCs, I share the Proactive Planning Protocol along with several others that help teams respond by improving their intentional design and instruction.

But for now, I wanted to share this resource for you to use with your teams. I'm also modeling this protocol in my upcoming session, Proactive PLCs on May 1st (and I hope you'll join me!)

Reserve Spot for May 1st