Developing Collaborative Expertise Teams

Transforming Schools Through Coherence, Belonging, and Consistency
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 979-8-3488-3278-0
Verlag: SAGE Publications

Buch, Englisch, 240 Seiten, Format (B × H): 178 mm x 254 mm

Transform your school teams into engines of student growth

Despite significant investment, many schools struggle to translate professional learning efforts into measurable student achievement. The challenge isn't a lack of will but a need for a new approach—one that moves beyond mandated meetings that lack impact to cultivating genuine collaborative expertise.

Developing Collaborative Expertise Teams provides a clear, research-based blueprint for school and district leaders to transform how their teams work together and align efforts and actions to desired goals and outcomes. Drawing on Visible Learning research and proven strategies from high-performing organizations, the authors introduce a framework for designing and sustaining teams that maximizes impact and growth. Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your teams

With this book, you’ll learn to:

- Determine core essential actions that unite the efforts of all the adults in your school or system

- Embrace a nine-element framework to foster authentic collaboration, psychological safety, and a shared commitment to student learning

- Utilize a variety of practical tools, including vignettes, case studies, self-assessments, instruments, and reflection logs, to effectively guide team development and track progress toward shared goals

- Align professional learning with PLC actions to ensure new knowledge is applied effectively in the classroom, bridging the "knowing doing" gap

- Strengthen your existing PLC model by integrating strategies that enhance team leadership, cohesion, and a focus on high-impact outcomes

This book offers a powerful blend of insights and strategies that leaders can implement immediately. By investing in the people and practices that matter most, you can create a system of connected classrooms, teams, and structures that lead to lasting success for all students.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Nagel, Dave

Potter, Bruce

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Foreword
Acknowledgments
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Part 1. The Breaking Point—And the Blueprint
A Tough Truth
Urgency in the Teacher Workforce
It Goes Deeper
Stop Looking Across the Street—Look Inside
A Path Forward: What Data Tell Us
Systems Thinking and Collaborative Expertise Are Nonnegotiable
Chapter 1. The Need for Expertise
The Quest for Expertise
The Need for Expertise in Teaching
Examples of Enhancing Probability
The Need to Scale Expertise in Our Schools
Chapter 2. Unlocking Potential: Dismantling Barriers to Collaborative Educational Expertise
Collaboration: True Potential Catalyst for Driving Collective Expertise
It Takes More Than a Model
Failed to Live Up to Their Promise
Chapter 3. A Model for Developing Collaborative Expertise
A Vision for the Future
Conclusion
Part 2. Collaborative Expertise Team FrameworkTM for Impact
The Nine CETeam Frameworks for Driving Impactful Collaboration
Maximizing Impact: The Interdependence of All Nine Frameworks
Chapter 4. Framework 1: Relevance to Role
Lack of Relevance = Lack of Engagement
2. Align Macro Goals With Micro Actions
Example: Empowering Belonging in PLC Settings: Goal to Action Clarity
Prioritizing Collaborative Time Spent on Goals
Example: Willow Creek Elementary (45-minute weekly PLC)
3. Ensure Transparent Purpose for ALL Aspects of Collaboration
Conclusion
Chapter 5. Framework 2: Tier 1 Professional Learning: Aligning PL?PLCs
Expertise Is Built by Professional Learning, Not Training
Monitoring Consistency: Staying the Course in Professional Learning
Chapter 6. Framework 3: Teams of Significant Impact
Build for Impact Not (Just) Convenience
The Structure Must Support the Purpose
Conclusion
Chapter 7. Framework 4: Guiding Questions Drive Deep Inquiry
Consistency of Your Inquiry Model
Digging Deeper into Guiding Questions With a What, Why, How Approach
Conclusion
Chapter 8. Framework 5: Cognitive Diversity, The Power of Thinking Differently—Together
Utilizing Cognitive Diversity as a Driver of Team Effectiveness and Impact
From Like-Minded to Impact-Minded
Conclusion
Chapter 9. Framework 6: Ensuring Relational Trust and Psychological Safety
Culture is What You Do; Climate Is How It Feels
Psychological Safety: The Fuel for the Fire
Critical Need for Psychological Safety in Schools
Trust: The Key That Unlocks Potential
Three Types of Trust, With Relational Trust as the North Star
Cohesive Commitments Driven by Developing Shared Commitments (Values)
Chapter 10. Framework 7: Authentic Norms and Commitments to Drive Effective Collaboration
Norms Extend Beyond Education
Norms Drive Authentic Adult Engagement
Establishing Norms for All Fundamental Aspects of Collaboration
Co-Constructing Norms
Chapter 11. Framework 8: Team Leadership and Cohesion: The Anchor of Impactful Collaboration
Fostering Cohesion: The Role of PLC Leaders in Developing Collaborative Expertise
1. PLC Leaders/Activators Establish and Protect Strategic Focus
2. PLC Leaders/Activators Ensure a Businesslike and Mature Approach for Collaboration
3. PLC Leaders/Activators Support Team in Clarifying Roles and Maintaining Accountability
4. Capitalize on Strengths to Maximize Collective Expertise
5. Designing Purposeful PLC Work Through Consistent Use Routines, Protocols, and Adaptive Action
Systemizing Team Collaboration for Maximum Impact
Chapter 12. Framework 9: Scaling Success: How to Expand Collaborative Expertise Across Your School
Scaling Success in Schools: Five Drivers of Scalable Impact
Driver 1: Clarifying Core Practices—Monitoring What Matters Most
Quick Summary
Driver 2: Create Conditions for Endurance and Driver 3: Streamline for Replication
Driver 4: Empower Ownership and Driver 5: Embrace Adaptive Growth
Putting It All Together—Scaling for Success
Avoiding Regression—Working Through the PIT
Conclusion: Scaling Success Is the Work
Chapter 13. A Call to Action, the Courage to Transform Schools
Embracing Strategic Coherence
Cultivating Belonging Through Empowerment
Ensuring Consistency of Action
Leveraging Collaborative Expertise
The Courageous Path Forward
References
Index

Über Autor(innen)

Potter, Bruce
Bruce Potter is a school administrator with over 30 years experience. Bruce began his career as a classroom teacher and has held leadership roles at the building level as a principal and at the district level as a superintendent for 11 years. In 2013 he secured special legislation which was signed into law by the Governor of New York to open a public school for at-risk and special education students who were identified by their home districts as future high school dropouts. Over a 6 year period, they achieved a graduation rate of 80%. In his current role he is leading his district’s certification as a Visible Learning school through the implementation of effective PLC’s. Over the course of his career he has shared his district’s successes at several national conferences. Bruce is an independent consultant for Corwin Press and is co-founder of the Center for Collaborative Expertise

Nagel, Dave
Dave Nagel has been a professional developer and educational consultant both nationally and internationally since 2003 and has done so as his primary job in education since 2008. Prior was a middle and high school science teacher and administrator in a large district in Indianapolis. As a school leader at Ben Davis High School (enrollment 3000 students) Dave was instrumental in developing a focused plan for differentiated goals for students based on specific proficiency measures which supported the school in improving its graduation rate 14% in just over 4 years.

Dave’s primary areas of expertise are in the areas of effective teacher and leader collaboration, assessment and feedback, and specifically effective grading actions both at the school and classroom level. He has been working specifically with Professor John Hattie’s Visible Learning research since 2011 that is a driving force for all of his work with teachers, coaches, and administrators. He has authored 5 books previous to this one, including four within the PLC+ series of publications (Corwin).

Published multiple times in various publications such as Principal Leadership and Educational Leadership, Dave has also presented at various national conferences.

Dave has a strong moral aspect, strives to be very relatable and practical when working with people, and has a savvy sense of humor that supports him in his life and work. Dave stays very busy with his beautiful and supportive wife, Kristen, and three boys (ages 20, 15, and 13). He acknowledges every day that the Lord guides his actions and is the driving force in his life. Dave is an independent consultant for Corwin Press and is the owner of NZJ Learning LLC (named after his three boys) and the Founder of The Center for Collaborative Expertise.