Policy actions to build collaborative professional capacity through PLCs¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The report recommends policy changes so that schools support teacher teamwork rather than only individual teacher effort: staffing policies that provide "structured, stable time and space for teacher teamwork", embedded professional development using PLC outcomes to guide further development, incentives recognizing PLC members' contributions, and new roles for teachers as trained PLC facilitators. It further recommends engaging principals as learning team members, supporting online professional networking tools to blend face-to-face and virtual teams, and deeper research including on naturally occurring PLCs.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• School day design and staff deployment must change if teacher collaboration is to become the norm

Constraints¶

• The report warns that appraisal, compensation, and incentive systems focused on individual teachers at the expense of collaborative capacity building could undermine preparation of students

Target Learners¶

• K-12 STEM teachers, school leaders, and policymakers

Target Learning Goals¶

• Building collective professional capacity to improve STEM teaching and student learning

Related Strategies¶

• Professional Learning Communities

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Kathleen Fulton & Ted Britton. (2011). STEM Teachers in Professional Learning Communities: From Good Teachers to Great Teaching. National Commission on Teaching and America's Future. http://www.nctaf.org/documents/STEMTeachersinProfessionalLearningCommunities.AKnowledgeSynthesis.pdf