PLC Norms

Professional Learning Community Norms

Time

Create and keep a meeting agenda, so team members can show up to meetings on time and prepared. Prioritize work and stipulate deadlines and due dates, so everyone is on the same page, and provide channels for project status updates. (Martins, J., 2021)

Be mindful of time with time management to maximize the opportunity to meet the needs of all topics needing to be review or discussed.

Listening

Clarify what it means to be an active listener as it requires “the ability to focus on [the] speaker, understand their message, comprehend the information, and respond thoughtfully” (Sennet, 2021). Give colleagues your undivided attention and by making eye contact and closing technological devices. Be open-minded to hearing the opinions of your colleagues 

Confidentiality

Clarify and communicate the importance of confidentiality, the rights of students and parents, and under what circumstances records will be shared (Stader, 2012, p.106).

Decision Making

Clarify and communicate how mediation will occur and conflict resolution strategies. Make a good faith effort to understand your colleague’s point of view, engage in active discourse, accept and appreciate the perspective of others, most importantly when in disagreement, and engage in rational and coherent argumentation (Stader, 2012, p.65).

When decision-making, the focus should be the outcome for students and the school; which connects to school’s vision and goals. (DuFour, 2004)

Participation

As the PLC starts to set goals, participation among PLC members is more evenly distributed, and openness in meetings is starting to be practiced. The PLC members participate in meetings, and goals are set and achieved. PLC participation is not only evident, but the team also functions as a unit to achieve the predetermined objectives. (Boudett & Lockwood, 2019).

General Expectations

Establishing norms for a Professional Learning Community (PLC) is essential for creating a positive and collaborative environment. The following set of norms encompasses a few imperative general expectations for effective PLC functioning:

• Active Listening: Actively listen to each other without interrupting, demonstrating respect for different perspectives and ideas.

• Constructive Feedback: Provide and receive feedback in a constructive and non-judgmental manner, focusing on improvement and growth.

• Open-mindedness: Maintain an open-minded attitude towards new ideas, diverse perspectives, and alternative approaches to teaching and learning. (Martins, J., 2021)

References:

DuFour, R. (2004, May 1). What is a “professional learning community”? ASCD. https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/what-is-a-professional-learning-community 

Martins, J. (2021). Tips to Create Group Norms for High-performance. Asana. https://asana.com/resources/group-norms-examples?utm_campaign=NB--NAMER--EN--Catch-All--All-Device--DSA&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pd_cpc_nb&gclid=CjwKCAjwjMiiBhA4EiwAZe6jQ43LhzwfA_tDFcdQ61n8qns4NETIVdleqlygiIZ9eU3ob6jnxKYqYRoC2MwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Stader, D. (2012). Law and ethics in educational leadership, 2/e (2nd ed.). Pearson Education.

Boudett, K. P., & Lockwood, M. (2019, July 1). The Power of Team Norms. acsd. https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/the-power-of-team-norms

Sennet, P. (2021, November 30). How-to become an active listener. University of Rochester. 

https://www.rochester.edu/emerging-leaders/how-to-become-an-active-listener/