Professional Learning Communities

"As an organizational arrangement, the professional learning community (PLC) is seen as a powerful staff-development approach and a potent strategy for school change and improvement" (Hord, 1997). EdPro Development staff has been facilitating collaborative communities and fostering collegiality amongst team members for over 15 years. The practices facilitated and guided by the staff of EdPro Development, as emphasized in the literature on professional learning communities, highlight 5 essential components for successful collaboration:

1. supportive and shared leadership,
2. collective creativity,
3. shared values and vision,
4. supportive conditions, and
5. shared personal practice.

In addition, PLCs must have the requisite meeting foundations to function effectively and efficiently, structured time to work together in planning, and opportunities for observation of other's practices and sharing of feedback.

EdPro Development has the expertise and experience to take a “group” of people and assist them in moving through the stages of developing as a team, generating a vision, learning to share responsibility for growth as professionals, and achieving agreed upon outcomes.

If you, your school or district partner with EdPro Development to form or enhance your professional learning communities, EdPro Development will teach all participants to facilitate effective and efficient meetings, to generate concise agendas, to share responsibilities for running efficient meetings, and to be accountable for implementing actions that achieve change!

Contact Jennifer R. Butterworth, Ph.D. at 865.207.0817 or jrb@edprodevelopment.com