Principal's Spotlight on Learning: PLCs and Community of Learners

by: Donny Gunter, principal

This month, I want to focus on PLC's (Professional Learning Communities). PLC's are a powerful approach to fostering collaborative learning among educators. Let’s dive into what they’re all about:

1. Definition and Purpose:

   • A PLC is a group of educators who come together regularly to share expertise, collaborate, and improve their teaching skills. The ultimate goal? Enhancing student academic performance
   • These communities can exist within schools, across grade levels, or even across different schools in a district. They provide a structured space for teachers to learn from one another, reflect on their practice, and collectively address challenges.

2. Key Features of PLCs:

   • Collaboration: PLC's emphasize working together. Teachers share strategies, discuss student needs, and explore instructional approaches.
   • Data-Driven: They use data (such as student assessments) to inform decision-making. Analyzing data helps identify areas for improvement.
   • Continuous Improvement: PLCs engage in ongoing cycles of learning. They don’t stop at one workshop or training; instead, they iterate and refine their practices over time.
   • Shared Norms: Establishing norms for communication, trust, and respectful dialogue is crucial. These norms create a safe space for open discussion.
   • Focus on Learning Outcomes: The primary purpose is to enhance student learning. Everything revolves around that central goal.

Here at Leclaire, our kindergarten teachers have been focusing on discussing interventions, looking at student data, and their individual and group plans. Our first-grade teachers created a SMART goal for narrative writing. By the end of the second quarter, they would like for 75% of first grade students to score a 73% or higher as measured by the narrative writing rubric. Our second grade team created a SMART goal for chapter 3 in math--adding two digit numbers with regrouping. Our special education team discussed IEP goals, forms and alternative forms of teaching to meet specific student needs.