Professional Learning Communities

Tai Twyman

As I have previously shared, I am passionate about all things related to curriculum and instruction. One particular area that excites me most is professional learning. I doubt there are many educators who are unfamiliar with the term professional learning community (PLC). But, I wonder how many of us truly understand the meaning of the term. Unfortunately, PLC has been used to describe everything from an informal gathering of teachers and meetings to a book study. Yet, it is way more than that. Before we discuss what a PLC is, let’s first take a look at what a PLC is not. A PLC is not a team or staff meeting designed for members to flush out their frustrations, point fingers, or work in individual silos in the same room. It is not a meeting where we sit around and share lesson plans that were created in isolation without any thought of soliciting input from others. Additionally, a PLC is not a group of educators who are solely joined by common grade levels, subjects, or interests.  

The late, renowned education consultant Richard DuFour (2004) suggests when creating a professional learning community, we must shift our focus from teaching to learning, work collaboratively, and practice self-accountability. He noted that a professional learning community is an ongoing process that requires education teams to set instructional goals, monitor student progress, examine student work, and establish action plans to determine how they will respond when students do and do not demonstrate mastery. PLCs compel us to become reflective practitioners who are open to working collaboratively to improve teaching strategies and promote learning plans that make the understanding of content accessible to all students. In a PLC, student achievement is at the forefront of all efforts. As a result, teams must confront and embrace the truths that data often reveals, and use this information to create and monitor an action plan aimed at improving learning outcomes. Instead of pointing fingers, shifing blame, and complaining, members are committed to discovering and implementing the best practices that will sustain improvement. So, the next time we decide to say “meet with your PLC” or “we will be having a PLC meeting after school”, let’s make certain we are taking steps to implement these practices that are actually needed when focusing on school improvement and student achievement.

DuFour, R. (2004). What is a" professional learning community"?. Educational leadership, 61(8), 6-11.