Page 367 - DEDU503_EDUCATIONAL_MANAGEMENT_ENGLISH

Unit 28: Professional Learning Community (PLC) in Education

Notes

While these groups may share some similarities of purpose with PLCs, the philosophy
and characteristics of a PLC differentiate and define it. Let’s take a look at both of those
features.

Self Assessment

1. Fill in the blanks :
(i) The PLC concept often is misused or implied to describe a committee or any weekly...........in
which the participants undertake data-based making.
(ii) The...................concept is relatively new, having grown out of the work in the mid...................to
recapture school.
(iii) Professional learning communities shift the focus of school reform from...............to recapturing.
(iv) A school culture that recognizes and capitalizes on the collective strengths and............of the
staff.
(v) A PLC is more than simply a collection of................working together.

28.4 Philosophy of a PLC

The PLC concept is relatively new, having grown out of the work in the mid-1990s to reculture
schools by examining the effects of school organization on teachers’ work and their commitment to
school improvement. Teacher workplace studies focused on how teacher working conditions-
particularly how teachers learn from one another in school settings-influenced their job satisfaction
and responsibility for student learning. Professional community emerged as a concept that not only
improved teacher well-being, but also could make a difference in terms of student achievement.
Concurrently, educators were embracing the notion of schools as learning organizations for adults
and students; the focus was on learning rather than teaching. School leaders began to accept learning
rather than teaching as the fundamental purpose of schools. Because professional communities
offered teachers opportunities to develop and share their expertise, their focus was readily expanded
to include an emphasis on professional learning.
Today, PLCs have at their core a belief in teacher leadership and involvement in school improvement
efforts. This corresponds well with the generally accepted belief that improving classroom instruction
is a significant factor in raising student achievement (Annenberg Institute for School Reform, n.d.).
Many PLCs operate with the understanding that one important key to improved learning for students
is continuous job-embedded learning for educators. In fact, in its standards the National Staff
Development Council recognizes PLCs as a strategy for school improvement-specifically, as a means
of supporting high-quality and ongoing professional development. Similarly, the Annenberg Institute
for School Reform (n.d.) identifies PLCs as a central element for effective professional development
in any comprehensive reform initiative. As such, PLCs are grounded in two assumptions related to
school improvement :
• Knowledge is situated in the day-to-day experiences of teachers and is best understood through
critical reflection with others who share the same experiences.
• Actively engaging teachers in PLCs will increase their professional knowledge and enhance
student learning.

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