PLC:

Professional
Learning Communities

Presented by Irving Barraza, Cathy Carr,

Ashleigh Mann, and Efrain Silva
What are PLCs?
 Professional Learning Communities
(PLCs) are teams of educators who
collaborate, share ideas, and work
within the school with a common goal of
improving their teaching practice and
enhancing student outcomes through
ongoing support and professional
development, often using research-
based, data-driven, evidence as a
guide.
 *Effective PLCs  Teachers benefit from being provided a
should be: space where they can collaborate, learn
• Collaborative from, and share their ideas, lessons,
and concerns.
• Goal-orientated
 Not only builds trust, but also a sense of
• Data-driven community within the school when
• Build trust amongst teachers support each other.
staff  Data-driven focus also ensure that
• Student focused teachers can implement best practices
and further perfect their own
professional knowledge.

Value of PLC for Teachers

 *Effective PLCs should be:
• Collaborative
• Goal-orientated
• Data-driven
• Build trust amongst staff
• Student focused
VALUE OF PLC FOR
STUDENTS
Being student-focsued, effective PLCs use data
to improve student academic achievements,
and well as reach other school-based goals.
Students benefit from teachers who are goal-
orientated and aim to target and improve
specific area of their learning.
Statement

To facilitate a teaching
environment that allows
for shared ideas,
collaboration, and
research-based data
driven decisions while
fostering the growth of
induvial students'
academic successes.
GOALS
 increasing academic gains
 creating an equitable learning
environment
 closing achievement gaps
 increasing student engagement
and participation
 decreasing absenteeism and
dropout rates
Student Outcomes
 Improved Achievement: Data-informed
instruction boosts academic
performance.
 Increased Engagement: Innovative
strategies lead to active learning.
 Personalized Learning: Tailored
instruction for diverse student needs.
 Positive Culture: Collaboration fosters a
welcoming environment.
 Higher Graduation Rates: Early
interventions support success.
Teachers can get
feedback from other
teachers when the kids
are not understanding a
topic. The collaboration
will increase student
understanding of topics
as evidenced by higher
test grades.

(Park & So, 2014)

Measurable Outcomes
MEASURABLE
OUTCOMES
 Teachers are more
able to do self-
reflection on their own
teaching and adjust
their teaching based
on what is seen in
other classrooms.

(Park & So, 2014)

Measurable
Outcomes
Using collaborative
learning communities
leads to developing
higher-level thinking and
better leadership skills.
 Departmental-Based Team Structure  Cross-Departmental Meetings

 Formation of Departmental-Based Teams (e.g., Math,  Regular Meetings with Leaders from Each

Science, Extracurriculars) Department

 Regular Weekly or Bi-weekly Meetings  Share Best Practices and Innovations Across
Departments
 Structured Collaboration on Curriculum, Instruction,
and Assessment  Foster a Holistic Approach to Student Learning

 Departmental PLC Leaders  Resource Sharing

 Appoint Lead Teachers or Coordinators for Each  Collaborative Resource Library for Each

Department Department

 Leaders Facilitate Meetings, Set Agendas, and  Access to Curriculum Materials, Lesson Plans, and

Ensure Follow-through Assessment Tools

 Promote Cross-Departmental Communication and  Encourage a Culture of Resource Sharing and

Idea Sharing Support

OVERALL PLC STRUCTURE

  Phase 1 (Months 1-2):
 Formation of Departmental-Based Teams
 Identify Teams for Different Departments (e.g.,
Math, Science, Extracurriculars)
 Select Departmental PLC Leaders (Lead Teachers
or Coordinators)
 Initial Training and Orientation

Timeline
 Provide Orientation to Team Members
 Introduce PLC Concepts and Objectives
 Phase 2 (Months 3-4):
 Team Norms and Communication Protocols
 Establish Team Norms and Expectations
 Define Communication Protocols for Effective
Collaboration
 Collaborative Curriculum Development
 Begin Collaborative Curriculum Development Within
Departments
  Phase 3 (Months 5-8):
 Data Collection and Analysis
 Initiate Data Collection and Analysis with
Curriculum Specialists
 Utilize Data to Identify Areas of Improvement
 Ongoing Professional Development
 Tailor Professional Development to Departmental Needs
 Encourage Skill Building and Best Practice Sharing

Timeline
 Phase 4 (Months 9-12):
 Implementation of New Strategies
 Implement Strategies Developed Collaboratively
 Encourage Innovation and Experimentation
 Regular Progress Monitoring and Data Sharing
 Establish Routine Progress Monitoring
 Share Data and Insights Across Departments
 Refinement of Practices
 Continuously Refine Practices Based on Data Insights
 Promote a Culture of Continuous Improvement
Administrators: Provide departmental
leadership and guidance.

Teachers: Share subject-specific experiences

and expertise.
MEMBER ROLES
Lead Teachers: Facilitate discussions within AND
their departments. EXPECTATIONS

Curriculum Specialists: Offer specialized

insights and resources.

Paraprofessionals: Contribute department-

specific perspectives and support.
 Timeline Adherence:
 Member Roles and
Assess the Timeliness
Expectations:
of Team Formation
and Training  Examine the Effectiveness of
Departmental Leadership
Evaluate the
 Evaluate Teacher Engagement
Establishment of Team
Norms and Protocols and Collaboration
 Assess Lead Teachers'
Implementation
Data- Driven Effectiveness:
Facilitation of Discussions
PLC Measure the Impact of
 Structural Integration:

Evaluations Collaborative  Monitor Cross-Departmental

Curriculum Communication and

Development Collaboration
 Assess Resource Sharing and
Evaluate Data
Utilization
Collection and
Analysis Practices  Review the Holistic Approach to
Student Learning
Assess the Integration
of New Strategies
References
 King, W. B. (2015). The Journey to a High-Performing
Professional Learning Community. Techniques: Connecting
Education & Careers, 90(8), 20–24.
 Park, M., & So, K. (2014). Opportunities and challenges for
teacher professional development: A case of collaborative
learning community in South Korea. International Education
Studies, 7(7). https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v7n7p96
 Reynolds, K. (2016). Creating Effective Professional
Learning Communities (PLCs). BU Journal of Graduate
Studies in Education, 8(2), 9-12