Summary of "3 Ways to Keep the Learning Communities Focused on the Learning" (from Learning Forward)

As I am sitting on the couch with my not quite one-week-old daughter, I thought I would take a moment to do something adult-like and read a professional article. Hopefully my brain hasn't completely turned to mush, and I accurately summarize this article from Learning Forward on how to keep PLCs focused on learning.

It is important to remember the purpose of our PLCs as we begin this new school year. The reason our teams or departments gather together is to improve student learning. We may meet as a group (at least one time per week) to discuss student concerns, plan Tiger Time activities, co-plan, etc.; but if we are not building our skills and knowledge, then we are unable to improve the learning of the students.

In order to keep the focus of PLCs on professional growth and improved student learning, our teams and departments should follow these three essential elements: continuous improvement, collective responsibility, and accountability.

1) Continuous Improvement- Team members should strive to continuously improve so that students and professionals are effectively learning. To do this, we should follow this cycle:

1. Analyze educator, student, and school data to identify student learning needs.
2. Define educator professional learning goals based on student learning needs.
3. Select and implement evidence-based designs for professional learning to achieve professional learning goals.
4. Provide job-embedded coaching and other forms of assistance to support transfer of learning.
5. Inform ongoing improvement in teaching, leadership, and learning.
6. Assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the professional learning.
7. Tap external assistance when necessary.

2) Collective Responsibility- We should build a culture of collective responsibility by sharing leadership roles and supporting each other in the learning process. To do this, we (as in teachers and administrators) must

• Build a shared commitment to the success of all students.
• Encourage all learning community members to share successes and challenges openly so they may benefit from the wisdom of the group.
• Make sure that all teachers experiencing a challenge know they are not facing that challenge alone.
• Establish opportunities for teachers and staff to regularly work and learn together toward a shared goal of ensuring a higher quality of instruction for students.
• Give teachers and staff time to learn and work together.
• Develop the ability of individuals to develop trust, take risks, and expose themselves to the vulnerability of open and honest feedback and growth.

3) Alignment and Accountability- Our PLCs need to be aligned with shared goals, and we should hold each other accountable to promote student and professional growth.

By following these three elements, our teams and departments will achieve the purpose of PLCs- improved student and adult learning.