This presentation addresses the following questions: How to unpack, synthesize and make sense of the complex learning and understandings gained from shared professional learning experiences? How to sustain ongoing learning? How to create an environment where teachers and administrators from across a school can learn with and from one another? What can be learned from case studies?

In 2015 The American School of Warsaw sent seven faculty members to the Project Zero conference in Amsterdam. Learn how this conference was used as an entry point for creating a professional learning community that sustained itself after the conference through the engagement of the attendees in action research. This presentation will take participants through the stages.

a) Beliefs about professional learning
b) How the professional learning community was formed.
c) Expectations
d) The inquiry process: Creating a focus question. Documentation. Analyzing the documentation to tell the story. Making thinking and learning visible.
e) Reflection. Strengths and challenges of sustaining professional learning communities.
f) How this model has been extended to include professional book studies and other conferences.

Carol Jordan

Carol Jordan is the Director of Teaching and Learning at the American School of Warsaw.

Her teaching career began in Auckland, New Zealand. In 1998, she had her first opportunity to teach in the Diploma programme. Since then she has been involved with the IB Programme in Egypt, Thailand, China and Poland. Over this time, she has held a number of IB roles ranging from a teacher of Theory of Knowledge, Chemistry and Ecosystems and Societies, Programme Coordinator, Extended essay coordinator, IBO Workshop facilitator and developer, Senior examiner, Curriculum developer, Consultant, Concept based trainer and facilitator, Author and IB Authorization team member. She is currently overseeing the PYP and MYP journey to authorization at the American School of Warsaw.