How Can PLCs Improve Instruction and Transform School Practices? |
By IU PIIC Mentors Lori Ceremuga and Missy Petrilak Everyone can agree that good professional development can be defined as a process, not a one-time event. So it’s not surprising that one of the most powerful forms of professional development in education over the last twenty years has been professional learning communities (PLCs). This practice of having individuals sharing goals and working together to assess them has been gaining extensive attention in education because of the positive results in improving teaching quality and student achievement. In PIIC, creating a collaborative environment is an important factor in successful school improvement. Linda Darling-Hammond reported in an article from Educational Leadership in 2009 that countries that had high student achievement had reported that professional development consisted of teachers having time to learn and collaborate together. Effective professional learning communities function under the premise that collaboration time is built into the school day for teams to focus on key questions and pursue specific and measurable performance goals in one of four areas-study groups, action research teams, communities of practice, and conversation circles. It takes careful thought and planning to form a successful PLC. Geoffrey and Renate N. Caine reported in their book, Strengthening and Enriching Your Professional Learning Community, several key principles to use in the process.
Madeline Hunter once said that teaching is the second most private act. Professional learning communities are helping schools to break down the walls of isolation and promote a climate of trust, collaboration, and research that empower teachers to focus on practices that lead to higher student achievement. Click here to return to Mentor Blogs. |
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