RSA#2:The Professional Learning Community; A Fulcrum of Change.

Module 3 Blog

http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ908176.pdf

In our module 3 readings we continue on our journey with Professional Learning Communities.  DuFour (2010) reinforces the statement “High levels of learning for all students” throughout our readings (p. 126).  In our book we go into further detail about formal assessment and what its used to identify. DuFour also talks about the different types of teams.  We also read about S.M.A.R.T. goals and their necessity in relation to where we are and where we are going.  Furthermore, the chapters talk about data at schools and using this data to make decisions.  Lastly, we read about change.  How changes are disruptive and affect teachers, students, and school leaders. 

The article The Professional Learning Community A Fulcrum of Change talks about a lot of the things we’ve covered in our text as well as talks about the reality of a PLC.  The beginning of Hellner’s (2008) article says, “A PLC can enable educational institutions to capitalize on change, on research, on technology and on self management, in order to secure the benefits for the school, for the teachers, and most importantly, for the students.  (p 50)  The article talks about the critical attributes of a PLC; a culture of collaboration, shared and supportive leadership, shared values and vision, collective learning and collaboration, teachers sharing personal practice, and supportive conditions.  Additionally the article talks about how to measure, diagnose, and evaluate a PLC.  Finally, the article talks about the implications of a PLC.  This is where the article talks about about the realities of a PLC.  Reading this portion of the article sounded a lot like conversations and discussion board posts we’ve had in class.  It  talks about the debates of what happens when you have too many people, ideas, beliefs, and such.  It also proposes a variety of questions that follow the thought process of what came first the chicken or the egg?

The article took place in New Zealand, which proposes he question of how much can it relate to us.  They have different ways of teaching, evaluating, etc.  If you really think about it though every district and school in the U.S. is a little different too.  So although there are differences I could clearly see the similarities.  I think this article follows right along with our class.  It talks about the realities of the PLC which are talked about in our book.  Furthermore, it asks the same types of questions we have asked one another and of the PLC. 

Dufour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2010). Learning by Doing: A Handbook

for Professional Communities at Work (2nd ed.). Solution Tree.

Hellner, J. (2008). The Professional Learning Community: A Fulcrum of Change.

Kairaranga, 9(1), 50-54.