Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
Teachers say that in order to move the academic success of our students to the next level, they need time to work together just as employees do in businesses all across this country. Teachers need time not only to plan for their own classes, but also – and very importantly – to share ideas and best practices with each other. As we all know, some of the very best results come from the times we get to brainstorm and bounce ideas off of each other.
Durham Public Schools has had great success with the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) initiative. This concept embraces the idea that giving teachers time to share and plan will result in better classroom instruction and, ultimately, better results for student achievement. Students are released two hours early for four Wednesdays each semester to allow this important time for teachers.
For more on PLCs:
