A Proactive Approach
I've been in educational leadership since 2014, and had you asked me then if I'd spend the majority of my team coaching and developing teams--specifically PLCs--my answer would have been a clear and resounding, "No!"​
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But just because you can't see the plan, doesn't mean it doesn't already exist. I've had the great opportunity to co-plan and guide over 60 districts and schools over the past five years, and it's from those experiences that Proactive Planning for Productive PLCs was born.
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I continue to learn that PLCs function best when there are plans in place to navigate inevitable obstacles and explains that the best way forward is smarter PLC design and facilitation. In this book, I offer solutions to the 10 most anticipated struggles teams will face--and how they can be managed or avoided altogether.
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If your teams have encountered any of the following obstacles, or you are about to develop PLCs with your teachers and aren't quite sure where to start--this book was written for you.
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10 Most Common Challenges a PLC will Face:
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Overcome initiative fatigue.
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Model and foster emotional regulation in PLC meetings.
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Adopt a collaborative, inquiry-based problem-solving approach to student struggles.
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Build trust and respect among team members.
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Ensure consistent practices, processes, and protocols.
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Maintain high expectations for both students and PLC team members.
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Hold space for disagreement and engage in difficult conversations.
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Gather and respond to data more effectively.
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Embrace productive struggle.
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Reflect on and celebrate teacher successes.
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With insightful, real-life examples, Proactive Planning for Productive PLCs will enable instructional leaders at all grade levels to design and sustain strong PLCs and teacher teams that improve learning outcomes and opportunities for all students.
Praise for Proactive Planning for Productive PLCs
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"Finally, someone is saying what every educator feels but rarely has time to articulate. In Proactive Planning for Productive PLCs, Carrie Rosebrock tackles the epidemic of initiative fatigue and time poverty head-on, offering a powerful framework to restore clarity and forward motion in our schools. This is the book education has been waiting for."
—Kim Strobel, motivational speaker, founder of Strobel Education, and author of Teach Happy: Small Steps to Big Joy
"We've all experienced PLCs that feel like just another meeting to survive. But what if they became a place for building trust and engaging in productive conversations? In Proactive Planning for Productive PLCs, Carrie Rosebrock shows how leaders can shift from managing tasks to improving student learning through the collective strength of their teams."
—Casey Watts, author of The Craft of Clarity
"This book isn't another ‘PLCs are great' pep talk; it's the manual for making them work. Grounded in research and written with real-world insight into what schools actually need, it will help leaders build collective efficacy and educators move from compliance to authentic, empowered collaboration. For anyone stuck in the ‘We've tried PLCs, but . . .' cycle, Proactive Planning for Productive PLCs is your way forward."
—Shelly Wilfong, assistant superintendent and author of Ensuring Teachers Matter
"Proactive Planning for Productive PLCs is a must-read for educators. Bridging the gap between theory and practice, Carrie Rosebrock combines wisdom, humor, and actionable tools to elevate teacher voice, strengthen efficacy, and ensure PLCs are not just meetings but powerful engines for student success."
—Lena Darnay, director of major projects and grants, CIESC
"Proactive Planning for Productive PLCs is the perfect guide for district, school, and teacher leaders. No matter where you are in the PLC process, it will help you develop a toolbox of support for establishing a strong foundation for your professional learning communities. From navigating conflict to setting consistent expectations and boundaries, this book has it all!"
—Emily Cochran, middle school principal
"This book is a must-read for any educator committed to collaboration. It shows how proactive and productive PLCs transform schools by shifting their focus from talk to action, from isolation to teamwork, and from problems to solutions. With Carrie Rosebrock's guidance, our school implemented these steps and experienced significant academic growth and a stronger, more positive school culture."
—Rebecca McPherson, EdS, assistant superintendent, Greencastle Community School Corporation
"We've all sat in PLCs that felt reactive, scrambling to fix what went wrong. This book shows how to move from putting out fires to lighting the path forward. As an administrator, I've seen firsthand how the right PLC culture can transform a school. Carrie Rosebrock provides the tools necessary to shift a school from isolated efforts to a culture of proactive collaboration, accountability, and shared success—values that now define the way we work."
—Morgan Stout, director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, Westview School Corporation