What is a Professional Learning Community?

TED 406 Teaching Secondary Reading

Spring 2011

Aguilar

Professional Learning Community

A professional learning community (PLC)

is an extended learning opportunity

to foster collaborative learning

among colleagues.

Focus on LearningFocus on Learning

Rather than teachingRather than teaching

Work Work CollaborativelyCollaboratively

Rather than in isolationRather than in isolation

Hold Hold Yourselves Yourselves AccountableAccountable

Rather than waiting for Rather than waiting for others to do soothers to do so

The idea behind a PLC was to integrate two concepts that in the past, have been quite distinct from each other; professional and community.

Professionalism is "based on specialized knowledge and a focus on serving client needs";

Whereas Community is "based on caring, support, and mutual responsibility within a group."

A PLC is an effective staff development approach and a powerful strategy for school change.

The idea of community is crucial to their success.

The process is reflective and both individual and community growth is achieved.

Among the team there is a shared vision of what they want the school to be.

What is it we want all students to learn?

How will we know when each student has mastered the essential learning?

How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning?

How will we deepen learning for students who have already masteredessential knowledge and skills?