RSA 1: Implementation of the Learning Community Model
EDT 6030
by Wendy Bedell
Online Link: http://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=9190
Our text book Communities That Learn, Lead, and Last (Martin-Kniep, 2008) explained in detail the implementation process of a Professional Learning Community. There are many things to take into consideration when beginning this process. For example, the start-up process includes “defining the roles and responsibilities of facilitators and participants, recruiting and inducting community participants, and logistical concerns related to scheduling and location of meetings, and using processes that develop the dispositions of practice” (p. 86) The book continues to discuss these components and finishes up with some interesting ideas on reflection and feedback.
In the article “Building a Professional Learning Community” from The School Administrator (2003), DuFour discussed the successful implementation of a Professional Learning Community. A superintendent of a suburban school district had two requirements about the proposed Professional Learning Communities within her district. First, every staff member would be required to participate. Second, the main focus would be student learning. She began the process by presenting a book to every member of the team. They also attended a two-day workshop to develop a common vocabulary. Once they returned to school they had a follow-up meeting. “Although this superintendent was a proponent of collaborative decision making, she recognized the importance of building shared knowledge as a prerequisite for the decision-making process.” (DuFour, 2003)
One of the many similarities between these two sources has to do with feedback. In the DuFour article the superintendent paid very close attention to the continuing success of the PLCs. There was a lot of discussion and feedback over the following areas: planning, monitoring, modeling, driving questions, allocating time, celebrating, and confronting (DuFour, 2003). This reflection piece is very similar to Communities That Learn, Lead, and Last, (Martin-Kniep, 2008) information about feedback. “Feedback plays a critical role in developing the expertise of participants and shaping the culture of a professional learning community”. (p.104) Both of these suggest that feedback should be shared informally between participants as well as formally.
DuFour, Richard. (2003). Building a Professional Learning Community. The School Administrator, May 2003. Retrieved from http://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=9190
Martin-Kniep, Giselle O. (2008). Communities That Learn, Lead, and Last: Building and
Sustaining Educational Expertise. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
