Document: Editorial on the Implementation of a PLC

In an effort to improve student achievement, North Falls Elementary School implemented a Professional Learning Community (PLC) last summer, before the beginning of this past academic year. For those not in the academic community, a PLC is an education model in which a group of educators meet regularly to discuss educational practices, reflect on their effectiveness, and work collaboratively to enhance student learning. Research has shown that, when implemented correctly, PLCs can increase collaboration and boost both learning and morale for both students and teachers.

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North Falls Elementary, however, appears to be a case where the PLC model has failed. Student achievement has remained stagnant and staff morale has decreased rather than increased. Teachers at the school feel that the regular group meetings and discussions that are part of a PLC are an added burden to their already large workload.

“They wanted us to have these meetings every week to talk about teaching methods and student performance, but there’s never any time for it,” says Jaiden Page, a third grade teacher at the school. “Are we supposed to take time out of teaching or individual lesson planning to meet in these groups? It just doesn’t make sense.”

A related issue that has left many teachers and staff members frustrated is the lack of physical space to conduct these meetings.

“We meet in whatever room is available at the time,” says a first grade teacher who spoke on conditions of anonymity. “Sometimes the rooms are too small or there aren’t enough seats. It’s difficult enough finding time; it’s worse wasting it trying to find a space to do the work.”

Albert Mirza, a fifth grade teacher who supports the PLC model, has been disappointed by the implementation. “There’s no progress because they haven’t done it right. They think that just putting all of us in a room together is enough. It’s basically another weekly staff meeting; the only difference is that now we spend our time talking about how great we each think our way of doing teaching is.”

Principal Paula Sokoloff, who spearheaded the development and implementation of the PLC, however, believes that some progress has been made. “There have been extremely engaging lessons plans that have come out of these meetings which, I think, would not have happened if our teachers weren’t asked to collaborate and discuss their practices. Those who use student achievement scores to suggest that this PLC has failed are ignoring the improvements we’ve made in professional development.”

She concedes that frustrations about time and space for the weekly meetings are valid, but is quick to point out that there are plans in place, for the next academic year, to set aside dedicated space for teachers to collaborate.

That might resolve the issue of meeting space, but the real question is whether it will boost student achievement the way that proponents claim it will. Or is it just another interesting educational model that works better in theory than in practice?

While Principal Sokoloff is certain that it will simply be a matter of time, teachers at North Falls Elementary are skeptical.

Page puts it bluntly, “We’ve given this PLC idea an entire school year, and it has done nothing but take teachers’ attentions away from what’s most important—educating our students. It’s time for the administration to give this up and let us get back to teaching.”