The Community Module
Professional Learning what....?
In education there are so many acronyms. PLC, PD, PLN, and hundreds more. When I saw the acronym PLN, I certainly thought "oh a PLN! This has to be like a PLC, Professional Learning Community." In some aspects Professional Learning Communities and Professional Learning Networks are similar, however they are also definitely different. A PLC or Professional Learning Community is a group of teachers that meet on a regular basis and work collaboratively. In my grade level PLC, we collaborate on lesson plans, student learning targets, review data, and things that pertain to our specific grade level and its content. We sometimes have different coaches or specialists join our meeting. In my experience, every school uses Professional Learning Communities differently. What do PLCs look like in your school?
Once I started digging into Professional Learning Networks, I began to understand the difference. A PLC is kind of like the start of your PLN. You can absolutely utilize these individuals within your PLN to share resources and ideas with. However, you want to expand beyond those within your inner circle. Doctor Torrey Trust at the University of Massachusetts discusses how Professional Learning Networks support teachers and the benefits it has. It can support teachers in four areas: social growth, affective growth, cognitive growth, and identity growth.
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| Image Source: Unsplash |
Which PLN area do I identify with?
One way it supports teachers is through cognitive growth. Doctor Trust shares that with cognitive growth it is a lot about being able to reflect on your teaching to help improve your practices (LMT, UMass, 2017). This is the area that I identify with the most. I am the type of person who loves to get ideas from others. I am that teacher that loves to come in and observe you to see how you do things in your classroom. I believe the best way to learn something is by seeing someone model it for you. This is also why I love using Twitter/X Instagram, and Tik-Tok to see what other teachers share. When I got my first teaching job fresh out of college, the first thing I did was make a teacher Twitter/X account. Since then I have been able to use that account to stay connected to educators I met at conferences and presenters I enjoyed listening to.
What does it look like in my classroom?
Image Source: Personal Image
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| Image Source: Personal Image |
Should You Join a PLN?
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| Infographic property of blog author |
Hi Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI teach at a middle school in Bolingbrook and you described exactly what our PLC does. We have a subject grade level meeting each week that goes over plans and compares data. We also have a larger whole grade level meeting where all of the 8th grade teachers get together. The larger group meetings are usually used to disperse important dates and focus a little more on the social emotional data throughout the grade level. I love using PLNs to get new ideas for classroom activities. I definitely like that Bingo board as well!
Hi Ed!
DeleteWe also have a whole district grade level meeting twice a year! It is nice to see everyone who teaches the same thing as you in the same room. It doesn't happen very often. We use it to touch base and also discuss dates for things.
This is a fantastic infographic, Ashley. You are correct in that your PLC is a part of your PLN. For me, one of the main differences is that in a PLC you are focused on a common goal but with a PLN you are focused on a personal goal. I'm glad you have both to help!
ReplyDeleteI like the way you describe the difference between PLC and PLN! You can utilize your PLC to help with your PLN personal goal as needed.
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