PLC'S: Teachers, Schools, & Cultures Teaching Methods

PLC'S: TEACHERS, SCHOOLS, & CULTURES Teaching Methods PLC's Teachers, Schools, & Cultures PLC's: Teachers, Schools, & Cultures The PLC story that I choose for this paper is "Winning Streaks" by the principal of Washington Elementary School in Vancouver, WA. I chose this story because I appreciated the gradual change and progress that this school saw. Some of the most valuable excerpts of this story had to do with the struggles and the dedication of the teachers and staff at the school.

For them, changing over to a PLC system was easy in theory and arduous in practice, yet they persisted through the change and came out, as the principal says, winning. It is also valuable that the teachers and staff saw value in the assessments, but did more than just obey and implement them blindly. They truly deconstructed the assessments from the perspective of the students as well as from the perspective of educators.

They used the data from the assessments and it was not the only data in which they placed value. They additionally recorded anecdotal data from the teachers about their emotions and other affects from the change to a PLC system or philosophy regarding education and their students at Washington Elementary. Furthermore, though the school saw improvements in many areas including tests scores, this was not the only method by which they gauged their success.

This is truly important because in a country such as the United States where state and federal funding for education has seen horrific and drastic cuts, as well as increased contingencies of funding based on test scores, many educators focus only on numbers. For many professionals in education, the tests scores are the most important pieces of information and that take top priority in their minds, especially while they are teaching. Washington Elementary sees success in increased test scores.

Washington Elementary sees success in the improvement in communication and understanding among teachers, staff, and students. The principal cites examples of teachers who experienced profound epiphanies and insights into education, themselves, and the needs of their students. PLC truly altered their perspective on education and relationships in the field. There is always consistent pressure upon teachers for measurable achievement. Teaching is not an easy profession for numerous reasons and it is one that is exceptionally necessary in all cultures; yet in many cultures, including American, teachers are undervalued and mistreated.

Thus it is a difficult position to teach or want to teach. Teachers are obligated to their other teachers, principals, students, families, and the education system at large. PLC in some ways alleviates this pressure by focusing on teacher development and enhancement. PLC acknowledges the inherent value in teaching and in the teachers building upon their talents, strengths and abilities so as to make for a better education experience. This is one way PLC affects teachers. PLC also affects teachers by maintaining a more interdependent philosophy.

DuFour often speaks of American myths of education that need to be dismantled; one such myth is that teachers want their resources, students, and then to be left alone. In a PLC environment, teachers are collaborative; they are truly teammates and do not work nor achieve alone.

When there is a strong sense of community and solidarity, teachers again, feel less pressure, they feel greater support, and these feelings contribute to a better learning environment and learning experience so as to bring upon many of the positive changes schools such as Washington Elementary has seen and continues to see. Personally, I have not had a teaching experience that incorporates PLC. Hopefully it will.