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Building a Professional Learning Community:  Getting It Started and Keeping It Going

The professional context in which teachers work has a profound impact on their ability to respond to the needs of an increasingly diverse student population.  Researchers McLaughlin and Talbert found that differences in successful and unsuccessful schools (in terms of achievement, attendance and dropout rates) were directly attributable to the presence of a professional learning community.  Colleagues who have access to such a workplace address problems, find solutions, and expand the resources they have available to serve students.  Cunningham and Gresso, in Cultural Leadership state, "Collegiality is the most important element in the success of and commitment to school improvement."  Ann Lewis substantiates this when she suggests that "schools which function as professional learning communities are more likely to be improving academically."

Participants will have the opportunity to:

• create a rationale for developing professional learning communities
• examine characteristics that enable faculties to function as learning communities
• identify key attributes of school culture directly linked to successful professional learning communities
• review the role of trust in professional learning communities and how to build trust in schools
• practice quality tools to analyze data and problem solve difficult issues related to student learning and achievement
• learn how to create and sustain teamwork, focused on fostering student learning
  
• discuss strategies to develop a professional learning community and sustain one over time
• network and share with colleagues
• reflect upon personal next steps