PLC Discussion Guide - Option 1

Purpose: Help grade-level or content teams turn one Education Research Brief into concrete instructional action within a single PLC meeting. 

Step 1 – Individual read and quick reactions (5 –10 minutes) 

Each person silently skims the selected brief, focusing on “Why this matters,” “What it is,” and “Key classroom moves.” 

As you read, mark or note: 

o   One idea that confirms something you already do; 

o   One idea that challenges or stretches your current practice; 

o   One sentence or phrase you might want to share with colleagues or families. 

Step 2 – Connect the brief to your students and data (10 –15 minutes) 

•         What evidence do we see in our current student data or work that relates to this

•         topic? (Bring recent assessments, student work, or observation notes.) 

•         Where are we already aligned with the research in this brief? Where are the gaps? 

•         Which students or classes stand to benefit most if we act on this brief? 

Step 3 – Identify 1 –2 high-leverage practices to try (10 –15 minutes) 

Look at the “Key classroom moves” and “Implications by grade” sections in the brief. As a team, choose 1 –2 specific practices you all agree to try in the next 2 –3 weeks. Clarify: 

o   Exactly what will students see and experience differently in our classrooms? 

o   What materials, routines, or supports do we need in place before we start? 

o   How will we communicate this change to students (and families, if appropriate)? 

Step 4 – Plan a simple check for impact (5 –10 minutes) 

Decide how you will know whether the new practice is helping. Keep it light-touch and doable within your normal work. 

o   What quick evidence will we collect? (For example, exit tickets, student work

o   samples, observation notes, short survey.) 

o   When will we bring that evidence back to this PLC? (Set a specific date.) 

o   What will count as “success,” and what will we do if we do not see it yet? 

Step 5 – Capture commitments before you leave (3 –5 minutes) 

•         What is our shared focus practice from this brief? 

•         Who will do what, by when? (List names and next steps.) 

•         How will we support one another as we try this (for example, classroom visits, co-planning, sharing materials)? 

Optional: Bring this guide and the same brief back to a later PLC to quickly debrief what happened, adjust, and decide whether to continue, scale up, or try a new brief. 

PLC Discussion Guide - Option 2

Using an Education Research Brief with Your Team 

1.       Clarify our focus (2 –3 minutes) 

What topic does this brief address? Why does it matter for our students right now? 

2.       Capture key takeaways (5 –7 minutes)

Individually skim the brief, then jot 1 –2 notes:

•         Confirms what we already do 

•         Challenges / stretches our practice 

•         Most important idea for student learning 

•         Questions or concerns 

3.       Connect to our students and data (8 –10 minutes)

•         What do our recent data (assessments, student work, observations) suggest about this topic? 

•         Which student groups, classes, or grade levels most need this practice? 

4.       Decide on 1 –2 concrete actions (8– 10 minutes) 

Look at the “Key classroom moves” and “Implications by grade” sections of the brief. As a team, choose 1 –2 specific practices you will all try. 

• Practice we will try 

• What this will look like for students

• Who will do what by when?  

• Supports/resources needed

• How we will explain this to students/families 

• When we will start  

5.       Plan a quick check and follow-up (5 minutes) 

•         What quick evidence will we collect to see if this practice is helping (for example, exit tickets, student work, observations)? 

•         When will we bring that evidence back to a PLC and reflect together?

Reminder: Start small and specific. It is better to implement one practice well and study the impact than to adopt many changes at once.