The Powerful Conversations Network (PCN) consists of more than 81 public schools where educators believe and act on the belief that both adult and student learning are critical to high achieving schools.


The Network includes both elementary and secondary schools, which meet as separate groups on a quarterly basis. One of the four meetings is actually a site visit to another school.

PCN meetings last a full day and are organized around whole-group and small group learning activities, where participants are engaged in interactive strategies aligned with best practices for adult learners. Networking opportunities are provided throughout the day.

The focus
for both elementary and secondary schools in 2010-2011 will be on formative assessment – for both adults and students. As always, we’re designing interactive sessions and are using the Alabama Continuum for Teacher Development, which is the central piece of the EducateAlabama system, and the books Instructional Rounds: A Network Approach to Improving Teaching and Learning, Transforming Professional Development into Student Results, and Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing it Right, Using it Well.