Principal's Spotlight on Learning: Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

by: Alex Fox, Interim Principal

Philadelphia, released in 1993, is a poignant courtroom drama. Joe Miller, played by Denzel Washington, is a gritty attorney known for his one liners and ability to simplify complex ideas. His classic line, “Explain it to me like I’m a four-year-old.” remains a enduring Hollywood moment.Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s) can be as complex or simplistic as the person providing the definition, but as a tribute to Joe, I will attempt to explain them in simple terms.

Imagine you have a group of friends at school, and you all love playing a game together. You know that if you all talk and share ideas about how to play the game better, you can have even more fun and get better at it.

A professional learning community is a bit like that, but instead of playing a game, it’s a group of teachers at school. They work together to help each other become better teachers. They share ideas, help each other solve problems, and learn new things so that they can make their classes the best they can be. Just like your friends help each other with the game, these teachers help each other to make learning great for their students!

Teachers use data, discussions, and other resources to explore what is working in specific classrooms and make it part of all classrooms. By doing so, the hope is to provide the most effective and efficient instruction to all students. The goal is not to be critical about what anyone is doing, but rather be honest about what is working and share it with everyone.