According to huffman and hipp 2003, plcs are a way of working. Professional learning communities plc and how to use. Best practices for enhancing student achievement richard dufour, robert eaker on. Shirley hord, an expert on school leadership, came up. This book is a must read for those interested in approaching the creation or further development of a professional learning. The following myths represent common misconceptions about these communities. Best practices for professional learning communities. Creates and maintains a learning community to support teacher and student learning. In fact, the term has become so commonplace and has been used so ambiguously to describe virtually any loose coupling of individuals who share a common interest in education that it is in danger of. During the eighties, rosenholtz 1989 brought teachers workplace factors into the discussion of teaching quality, maintaining that teachers who felt supported in their own ongoing learning and classroom practice were more committed and effective than those who did not receive such confirmation.
Building professional learning communities sage books. Demystifying professional learning communities delivers on its promise. Professional learning community definition the glossary of. Plcs are a form of professional development in which small groups of educators with shared interests work together with the goals of expanding their knowledge and improving their craft. An ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve 2. When members of your school collaborate in an intentional and consistent manner to support student learning. Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students occurs within learning communities committed to continuous improvement, collective responsibility, and goal. The professional learning community model flows from the assumption that the core mission of formal education is not simply to ensure that students are taught but to ensure that they learn.
Revisiting professional learning communities at work. In a teacher learning community everyone agrees about. What is professional learning community plc a professional learning community plc, is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. Reclaiming our teaching profession 2011 by shirley m. And better teaching will have a positive impact on classroom instruction and student learning. Professional learning communities are a vehicle for connecting teacher practice and student outcomes, improving both. Instead, a plc represents the institutionalization of a. Research on professional development practices suggest that in some cases plcs. Explore the world of edweb to get advice from experts, share ideas and resources, and discover ways to. See more ideas about professional learning communities, instructional. People use this term to describe every imaginable combination of individuals with an interest in. What we are doing now current what we want to do desired barriers boosters strategies learning communities teacher principal 1. At corwin, we believe that professional learning is what makes teacher growth and school change possible.
Together our curricula and continuous professional learning empower teachers to transform classrooms, build school community, and create the conditions for authentic, studentcentered. For example, similar grade teachers, content area teachers, committees, etc. How to create a professional learning community edutopia. We acknowledge the authors of the professional learning community materials that support the teaching academic. Professional learning communities ideas for teaching. Jessie the research is replete with cries for principals to become instructional leaders in their buildings. Professional learning communities at work plan book rebecca dufour, richard dufour, robert eaker on. Professional learning communities plc are not a new idea.
Professional learning communities and communities of. People use this term to describe every imaginable combination of individuals with an interest in educationa gradelevel teaching team, a school committee, a high school department, an entire school district, a state department of education, a national professional organization, and so on. As teachers, a strategy we often use is placing our students into groups to collaborate to solve a problem or answer a question. Professional learning community is the page for those education professional who want to be the part of a. A prolific author and consultant, he was recognized as one of the leading authorities on helping school practitioners implement the professional learning communities at work process in their schools and districts. Professional learning action plan learning communities.
Professional learning communities are groups of professional educators who meet regularly to reflect upon and discuss their instruction and student work. The small groups of teachers, versus one large faculty meeting, are used to focus in on student achievement, as well as the teacher behaviors that bring about changes. Here are 5 ways to tell if your plc isnt living up to its name. In their book, the authors make the distinction that the term organization connotes efficiency and structure, whereas community connotes individuals linked by common interest. During the eighties, rosenholtz 1989 brought teachers workplace factors into the discussion of teaching quality, maintaining that teachers who felt. The professional learning community plc has been used in higher education to provide a platform for faculty members to discuss challenges and build professional skills. Nzpf conference 3 july 2008 dr cheryl doig powerful professional learning communities 3. Once groups have settled on an organization method, ask them to converse about the categories and come up with a name for each one. Many of our communities offer free edwebinars with ce certificates. The term is also applied to schools or teaching faculties that use smallgroup collaboration as a form of professional development.
Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students occurs within learning communities committed to continuous improvement, collective responsibility, and goal alignment. The phrase professional learning community began to be used in the 1990s after peter senges book the fifth discipline 1990 had popularized the idea of learning organizations. A professional learning community plc is more than a group of individuals meeting together to read a common book or discuss a relevant issue. It has been interesting to observe the growing popularity of the term professional learning community. Building principals and other district administrators are good sources of names.
This practical resource explicitly outlines how cte educators can integrate plc best practices and collaborative team processes into their daily. Join a community to connect with other educators on a wide range of innovative topics from preksecondary education. Professional learning within communities requires continuous improvement, promotes collective responsibility, and supports alignment of individual, team, school, and school system goals. Typically, a professional learning community consists of a team. Instead, a plc represents the institutionalization of a focus on continuous improvement in staff performance as well as student learning. The purpose of the plc is to talk about what went on in our classrooms for the week, what workeddidnt work, give ideas on new lessons, get help from fellow team members for teaching a certain skill if your students had a difficult time. The plc book is an essential resource for all principals and teachers who wish. About plcs all things plc powered by solution tree. A handbook for professional learning communities at worktm an actionable guide. Professional learning that improves the learning of all students desired outcomes. Books about professional learning communities reclaiming our teaching profession 2011 by shirley m.
Before we launch into the logistics, the howtos, andto be honestthe work involved in professional learning communities, its important to focus on this promise of adventure. Mount vernon school district 20142015 all in developed in conjunction with the stle 2 grant between the mount vernon school district and manhattan college graphic and slogan developed by claudia carmona and casandre laurent plc representatives from pennington dr. Once you begin the journey, you will never go back. According to huffman and hipp 2003, plcs are a way of. Professional learning communities impact student success. Furthermore, a number of misconceptions circulate around teacher learning communities. Jul 7, 2012 whether you are a teacher or school leader involved in professional learning communities, there are some books that you just have to read. What is professional learning community plc collaborative. The idea of improving schools by developing professional learning communities is currently in vogue.
A professional learning community, or plc, is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. Dufour and eaker define a professional learning community as educators creating an environment that. Guide to professional learning community teams professional. A professional learning community plc is about the synergy of collaborative action. The term is also applied to schools or teaching faculties that use smallgroup collaboration as a form of professional development shirley hord, an expert on school leadership, came up with.
At collaborative classroom, we believe that professional learning embedded in highquality curriculum is essential to the success of teachers and studentsand that belief is at the core of all our work. Professional learning communities and communities of practice. Its a focus on learning rather than teaching, where teachers and staff work collaboratively and hold themselves accountable for. Professional learning communities linkedin slideshare. This howto article accompanies the feature teachers and community members practice tlc with plcs. Jul, 2015 6 elements of the professional learning community process 1. An ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and. Professor john hattie a professional learning community plc in schools involves collaboration, sharing and. Here are a few tips to consider when planning a professional learning community. Plcs look different depending on the group, school, or district that is working together. Acknowledgements the authors would like to thank individuals for their contributions. A professional learning community plc involves much more than a staff meeting or group of teachers getting together to discuss a book theyve read.
Professional learning communities impact student success this school uses a professional learning community to target students needs. Plcs are a form of professional development in which small groups of educators with shared interests work together with the goals of expanding their knowledge and. Schools use the professional learning community continuum rubric to drive their work and reflect on their progress. And ten teachers reading the same book will not be nearly as fruitful as ten. Hord and ed tobia drawing from a wealth of research and experience, this book shows educators. Professional learning center for the collaborative classroom. Professional learning community action plan complete at the first plc meeting preplanning schoolteam. A professional learning community, or plc, is an organizational structure by design that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance. May 26, 2017 a professional learning community plc is a group that is formed in schools in order to improve the school.
The professional learning community is a team, in which teachers have universal views on collaborating, sharing, reflecting, and. What is professional learning community plc a professional learning community plc, is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills. The book that launched a school improvement movement offers. Many of our communities offer free edwebinars with ce certificates for attending live or viewing on demand. A professional learning community, or plc, is an organizational structure by design that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. See more ideas about professional learning communities, learning and instructional. Professional learning communities school change, reform. This simple shiftfrom a focus on teaching to a focus on learninghas profound implications for schools. Richard dufour, edd, in a distinguished career spanning four decades, was a publicschool educator, serving as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. Teacher learning communities a policy research brief. Professional learning community definition the glossary. Professional learning community, mali, karachi, sindh. Divergence, depth and dilemmas stoll, louise, seashore louis, karen mcgrawhill education uk, mar 1, 2007 education 207 pages. Common sense education provides educators and students with the resources they need to harness the power of technology for learning and life.
Here youll find the practical resources and trusted experts to help you walk the talk as the leader of a thriving community of adult and student learners. I encourage you, read this book and answer the call to action. Professional learning community is just a fancy name for the planning that you do as a teamgrade level. This book is a must read for those interested in approaching the creation or further development of a professional learning community using a systematic, researchbased approach. The success of plcs hinges on collaboration, but dont assume itll come naturally. The purpose of the plc is to talk about what went on in our classrooms for the week, what.