http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ968812.pdf http
://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ968812.pdf
The research detailed in the attached link, A Situated Account of Teacher Agency and Learning: Critical Reflections of Professional Learning Communities raises critical issues regarding successful implementation of PLC’s. The article strikes at the core of some of the issues discussed in our assigned readings and discussions. Many school improvement initiatives focus exclusively on the student learning aspect of PLCs and neglects to consider the role of teacher practice and attitudes. There has to be commitment and willingness (Tarnozi, 2006) on the part of the teachers to change their attitude of their own professional practice from individual ownership to group practice. This aspect of PLC development has been neglected.
By adopting the model of the PLC, there has been a shift in accepted teacher practice from cognitive individualism to situated cognition (209. Cognitive individualism operates on the notion that teaching is the property of the individual, whereas situated cognition aims for an integrated approach where teachers co-create knowledge, and this knowledge is then put into action in their classrooms. In many cases, this shift has taken place without input from those who will be asked to make this change. Transformation of teacher attitudes takes time, support and trust. This reality cannot be trivialized if PLC work is to be authentic and productive.
School reform initiatives have transformed the way schools and teachers are expected to operate, but they neglected to transform teachers. It is no wonder teacher resistance to this change is pervasive. No real transformation can happen without teacher’s accepting and embracing the reform. The current reform model fails to recognize this reality and essentially punishes whoever disagrees with the institutional discourse. (G Riveros, P. Newton, & D. Burgess, 207). In order to address issues of teacher agency, a PLC must evaluate the political climate and teacher perceptions of the climate. This should not be a trivial understanding of teacher practice, but an in- depth look at what conditions are needed for teachers to be true stakeholders in the process. If teachers are not in meaningful and supportive relationships in their PLC, their PLC will be unable to flourish.
