Professional Learning Community Essentials

For a true Professional Learning Community, this is more than teachers just meeting and talking. A true, effective PLC follows:

Consensus: Works from consensus, which is almost all in the group agreeing on goal and protocol
Protocols: Establishes protocols with the full group for targeted, on-focus discussion that is related to student learning
Goal: Creates as a full group PLC discussion goal and has means to stay focused on that goal
Each voice: Every participant has a voice and is listened to. More verbose speakers are limited in time, to allow each voice to be heard
Communicate out: A true PLC isn’t a group of teachers conferring among themselves. A PLC confers with the school leader to ensure that they’re in sync, and reports out to the staff on goal and protocols, at the start of the school year, mid-point on progress or stumbling blocks, at the end of the year for honest report on success or next steps.
No venting: The easiest is to vent about a problem student. We can’t use precious PLC time for everyone to have to listen to this, even though venting is healthy! A hand signal or brief phrase can be developed to catch this downward spiral and reverse it. Off-topic bird walks are halted by everyone looking at the clock.
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