According to our readings, one characteristic of a professional learning community (PLC) is a results orientation. To achieve this PLC’s must follow district and school goals, implement SMART goals, and focus on results not activities. The goal should not focus on what teachers do, but rather on what students learn.
According to Nelson, Deuel, Slavit, & Kennedy (2010), leading deep conversation in collaborate inquiry groups leads to better student achievement. The authors state, “In whatever form, the potential for impacting student learning through this collaborative work is expanded or limited by the nature of teachers’ conversations (Nelson et al, 175). It is important that teachers do not focus on sharing stories of their teaching, but rather probe more deeply into teaching and learning. It was reported that if teachers contribute to deep conversations that include questioning, reflecting on evidence, and taking action PLC groups will see better results.
Both the textbook and journal article indicate that PLC’s should follow set guidelines, have a mission and values and most importantly be focus on results not activities. Being part of a PLC for several years, it becomes difficult at times to have deep conversations as with several professionals it is often easy to go off on a tangent, talk about something that went wrong, or a specific student, but by maintaining professional leadership and keeping the SMART goals in mind, with deep conversation, the teams will see better student achievement.
References
DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. (2010). Learning bydoing: A handbook for
professional learning communities at work (2nd ed.).Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree
Press
Nelson, T., Deuel, A., Slavit, D., & Kennedy, A. (2010). Leading Deep Conversations in Collaborative Inquiry Groups. Clearing House, 83(5), 175-179. doi:10.1080/00098650903505498
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