So, you're ready to dive into the PLC process...but you feel like you're about to sink, not swim? You are not alone. The majority of teachers (and leaders) relate to this feeling of "What in the world are we doing?!?!" and in my experience it all relates back to what we refer to as macro-level systemic issues in the process.
At the macro level, for Professional Learning Communities to be impactful, districts must have the four bases established for all teachers and leaders. What are those four bases? The four main questions of a PLC process--applied at a macro-level.
Curriculum (What do we want students to know?)
Assessment (How will we know they've learned it?)
Differentiation (How will we support/enrich?)
Celebration (What next steps can we take?)
When districts jump into the PLC process without first establishing expectations for each step at the macro level, teachers and PLCs experience wasted time, frustration, and initiative fatigue.