“An ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. Professional Learning Communities (PLC) operate under the assumption that the key to improved learning for students is continuous, job-embedded learning for educators.”
DuFour, Eaker, & Many, 2010
Regardless of the specific framework or approach a team uses or whether or not it is formerly called a “PLC”, many schools encourage ongoing team dialogue, where educators discuss academic goals and student learning progressions. Rooted in collaboration, reflection, and shared responsibility, PLCs offer educators a structured framework to enhance teaching practices, drive positive learning outcomes, and cultivate a culture of excellence. While multiple frameworks exist for structuring PLCs, they all share a fundamental objective: to cultivate a culture of collaboration driving towards the goal of improving students’ learning experiences.
Whether a team chooses to use DuFour’s classic four PLC questions or the five PLC questions that more directly promote equity (Fisher et al., 2020), the ethos is the same: every PLC needs guiding questions that lead educators through an inquiry-based discussion.
These discussions should identify where students need to go, how success will be defined, how learning will move forward for all students, and what takeaways and reflections can be applied to future instruction. These topics of discussion are not only key to the PLC cycle, they are also questions that should drive any ongoing curriculum review process. For this reason, when intentionally implemented, PLCs can be an ideal means to foster a culture of ongoing curriculum review and refinement.
PLC Guiding Questions
Question 1: What do we want all students to know and be able to do? Where are they going?
The question “where are they going?” is a broad one. In terms of improving student outcomes, this question focuses on having clarity and consistency around the learning goals for students. By collectively identifying and prioritizing learning goals, educators within PLCs can ensure alignment and coherence in curriculum design and instructional delivery. Although standards or other frameworks can provide overarching goals for learning, it is often necessary for teams to collaboratively unpack these standards into clearer learning goals in order to establish a shared vision for student success.
| Topic | Guiding Questions |
|---|---|
| Standards |
What standards are we addressing in this unit or lesson?
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| Learning Progression |
What is the progression of learning necessary to reach the standard(s) of focus?
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| Unpacked Learning Goals |
Based on the standard(s) and learning progression:
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| Consider all learners |
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Question 2: Where are we now? How will we know if they learn it?
Once teams have clarity around where they are going, the next step is to analyze where learners are at currently. By critically examining assessment data and student performance, PLCs can identify areas of strength and areas in need of improvement. A key consideration as teams wrestle with this question is to allow the purpose to determine the criteria for success and ultimately drive the type of evidence collected. This section may include gathering and analyzing evidence that already exists or collaboratively planning student assessments that may be given between PLC meetings, so that teams can analyze the most current student work.
| Topic | Guiding Questions |
|---|---|
| Current Data |
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| Assessment Creation |
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| Assessment Analysis & Future Data |
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Questions 3 & 4: How do we move learning forward? How do we respond when some students do not learn? How will we extend the learning for students who are already proficient?
Once the learning goals and assessment evidence are reviewed, the next step is to consider how learning will take place and what types of support and extensions will help meet the needs of all learners. By analyzing student data and identifying areas of academic challenge and success, educators within PLCs can collaborate to develop interventions, implement differentiated instruction, and provide timely remediation and enrichment opportunities. Through collective problem-solving and shared responsibility, PLCs ensure that all students move towards a deeper level of understanding and application of the learning goals.
| Topic | Guiding Questions |
|---|---|
| High Expectations |
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| Universal Design for Learning approaches |
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| Effective Teaching Strategies |
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| Differentiation |
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Final Reflections: What did we learn? How will this impact our curriculum and instruction moving forward?
Although reflections are easy to skip during meetings, they are arguably the most valuable part of the PLC process. As teams dig into the curriculum and assessment components of the students’ learning journey, they must use what they learned throughout the inquiry cycle to update and strengthen the curriculum and instruction for the future. If they noticed common misconceptions, areas for improvement, or saw positive improvement as they pivoted instruction, they should take the time to pause and note this in the curriculum. The process of ongoing review and reflection is a key component to any strong curricular cycle. Without meaningful reflection the lasting application of the group’s learning is likely to be lost.
“We do not learn from experiences, we learn from reflecting on experiences”
John Dewey
| Topic | Guiding Questions |
|---|---|
| Overarching curricular updates |
As changes are made, it’s important to keep in mind the articulation of the curriculum beyond the current grade level or subject area:
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| Unit or lesson impacts |
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| Considerations for equitable learning |
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Although the exact approach may vary, when implemented intentionally, Professional Learning Communities foster collaboration, data-informed decision-making, and targeted interventions to enhance teaching and learning outcomes and should be considered as a key component of any ongoing curriculum review.
If you would like more support for your professional learning community, reach out to [email protected] to discuss ways our professional development team can support you and your school’s professional learning communities. .
References
DuFour, Richard, et al. Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work. Solution Tree Press, 2016.
Fisher, Douglas, et al. The PLC+ Playbook: A Hands-on Guide to Collectively Improving Student Learning Grades K-12. Corwin, a Sage Company, 2020.
About The Author
Marie Mugabe
Senior Professional Development
Marie Mugabe is a Senior Professional Development Manager at Faria Education Group. She currently consults with schools internationally and domestically, supporting teachers and administrators in curriculum development and educational practice. Marie has had many roles in her educational career, including: classroom teacher, ELD specialist, program director, curriculum developer and university professor. Her passion is finding new ways to leverage students’ assets in the classroom and ensuring that all students have access to authentic and rigorous curriculum. Marie earned her Educational Master’s degree from George Fox University in Portland.
