LEADING A PLC - FUSE - Department of Education & Training

- VICTORIAN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES -

CORE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM

The Victorian Approach to Professional Learning Communities

Building a professional learning community (PLC) is a proven way for schools to increase student learning. PLC schools put student learning first. Data and evidence drive everything they do. At their heart are teacher teams, working through rigorous cycles of inquiry to identify student learning needs, and plan the professional learning and classroom practices needed to meet them.

Welcome to the core professional learning program of the Victorian Professional Learning Communities (PLC) initiative.

The program is built on reliable knowledge of how to create a schoolwide culture of collective responsibility and efficacy, continuous improvement and high expectations for all students.

Delivered in regions, the PLC core professional learning program offers two concurrent streams for:

School leaders (principal and assistant principals), comprising four modules of offsite training over four days
PLC instructional leaders (teacher team leaders), comprising five modules of offsite training over five days, and three modules of school-based activities over three days.

On this page you can find the participant workbook, as well as links to the presentation, readings, videos and activities for each offsite module.

If you are a Victorian government school not already participating and would like to get involved, see: Learn about the Victorian PLC initiative.

- CORE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM -

General resources

- Leading for change -

Module 1

Overview

Module 1 is for School Leaders and PLC Instructional Leaders. The module explores the vision, values and culture of an effective PLC.

Participants consider the following overarching inquiry questions of the PLC approach:

What are high impact PLCs?
Why implement inquiry-based PLCs as a core element of the Excellence in teaching and learning priority area of the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes?
What is collaborative inquiry?

Schools have an opportunity to start thinking about their Inquiry Challenge (IC), including the focus (learning area and level) and how it aligns with school improvement priorities.

2

Presentations for Module 1 of the PLC core professional learning program. Primary and Secondary streams included.

Resources

- Leading for Impact -

Module 2

2

Presentations for Module 2 of the PLC core professional learning program. Primary and Secondary streams included. Module 2 is for School Leaders and PLC Instructional Leaders. The module explores effective leadership and evidence-informed decision-making.

Overview

Module 2 is for School Leaders and PLC Instructional Leaders. The module explores effective leadership and evidence-informed decision-making. Participants consider the following overarching inquiry question of the PLC approach:

How can School Leaders and PLC Instructional Leaders develop high impact PLCs to understand impact on student learning and build teacher expertise?

Resources

- Leading Others -

Module 4

Module 4 is for PLC Instructional Leaders only. The module explores building a culture of collective efficacy and responsibility for student learning. Participants consider the following overarching inquiry question of the PLC approach: How can PLC Instructional Leaders build a culture of collective efficacy and collaboration to ensure recurring cycles of inquiry promote specific actions for improving student learning?

- Leading Learning -

Module 5

Overview

Module 5 is for School Leaders and PLC Instructional Leaders. The module explores building practice excellence and collective action.

Participants consider the following overarching inquiry question of the PLC approach:

How can School Leaders and PLC Instructional Leaders build teacher expertise and improve student learning?

2

Presentations for Module 5 of the Victorian Professional Learning Communities (PLC) core professional learning program. Primary and Secondary streams included. Module 5 is for School Leaders and PLC Instructional Leaders. The module explores building practice excellence and collective action.

Resources

- Leading for sustainability -

Module 8

Module 8 is for School Leaders and PLC Instructional Leaders. The module is an opportunity for schools to share and receive feedback on their Inquiry Challenges, and to develop a Theory of Action to support PLC implementation. Participants consider the following overarching inquiry question of the PLC approach: How can school leaders sustain high impact PLCs with a relentless focus on student growth?

Officer Secondary College PLC meeting

The English team at Office Secondary College meet as a PLC and discuss student results. They work through the FISO Improvement Cycle and utilise norms and protocols to support their discussion.

PLC Pecha Kucha Presentations - Secondary

Three secondary schools discuss their PLC journey and share their experiences during these Pecha Kucha presentations during Module 8 in 2019.