About PLC: PLC AT WORK

Throughout North America, schools and districts that implement the PLC at Work model have enjoyed great success. For a list of a few of these schools reference the evidence of effectiveness page.

Implementing the PLC at Work model in your school or district is a continuous improvement process. There are, however, several ways to move the process along, especially at the beginning of the journey, including:

• Helping educators develop a common vocabulary and consistent understanding of key PLC concepts.
• Presenting a compelling argument that the implementation of PLC concepts will benefit students and educators.
• Helping educators assess the current reality in their own schools and districts.
• Convincing educators to take purposeful steps to develop their capacity to function as PLCs.

To create a successful PLC, educators must:

• Ensure all students learn. In a PLC, strategies such as the Pyramid of Interventions will provide additional time and support to struggling students without holding back students who learn the material more quickly.
• Create a collaborative culture. In a PLC, teacher teams are formed to share best practices in order to improve individual and overall school performance, join forces to solve problems, ensure instructional alignment, and engage in professional development opportunities.
• Focus on results. In a PLC, educators must assess the current level of student achievement, establish goals, work in collaboration to meet those goals, and have a method of accurately determining if those goals are being met.

For more information reference the article section.

Professional Learning Communities
An Overview

Definition

“…A Professional Learning Community is a collaboration of teachers, administrators, parents, and students who work together to seek out best practices, test them in the classroom, continuously improve processes, and focus on results. “ Rick DuFour, 2002

Fundamental Assumptions

1. We can make a difference: Our schools can be more effective.
2. Improving our people is the key to improving our schools.
3. Significant school improvement will impact teaching and learning.

Characteristics of a Professional Learning Community

1. Shared mission, vision, values, and goals
2. Collaborative teams
3. Collective inquiry
4. Action orientation/experimentation
5. Commitment to continuous improvement
6. Results orientation

Mission, vision, values, and goal is the district/ school’s core ideology.

“The core ideology clarifies what doesn’t change for an organization in an environment of rapid and unpredictable change.” Built to Last, 1997, p.48 Collaborative teams are the engine of a Professional Learning Community. Professionals in a learning community work on interdependent teams that share a common purpose. They learn from each other and create the momentum that drives school improvement.

Collective inquiry, action orientation and experimentation, commitment to continuous improvement, and results orientation are the four habits of highly effective teams.

The ‘ONE’ Thing in a Professional Learning Community

“Learning” rather than “teaching” is the fundamental purpose of your school.

Four Critical Questions

1. What should students know and be able to do as a result of this course, class, or grade level?
2. How will we know that the students are or are not learning?
3. How do we respond when students do not learn?
4. How do we respond when students learn more?

Three Big Ideas

• Focus on Learning
• Collaboration
• Focus on Results

Adapted from Professional Communities at Work by DuFour and Eaker
Copyright ©1998 (NES)Solution Tree