Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s) is not a new idea. In fact, the concept has been around since the 1960s when educators realized they needed to address the issues of teachers beginning to work in isolation.
While it was relatively dormant for quite some time, it made its way to the surface again in the early 80’s. By the end of the 80’s, as noted by Susan Rosenholtz, a study of 78 schools indicated "learning-enriched schools" were characterized by "collective commitments to student learning in collaborative settings," ... "where it is assumed improvement of teaching is a collective rather than individual enterprise, and that analysis, evaluation, and experimentation in concert with colleagues are conditions under which teachers improve."
Teacher collaboration linked to shared goals focused on student achievement led to improved teacher learning, greater certainty about what was effective, higher levels of teacher commitment and ultimately, greater gains in student achievement.
In 1993 Judith Warren Little and Milbrey McLaughlin reported their research that concluded the most effective schools and the most effective departments within schools operated as strong professional communities characterized by:
-Shared norms and beliefs
-Collegial relations
-Collaborative cultures
-Reflective practice
-Ongoing technical inquiry regarding effective practice
-Professional growth
-Mutual support and mutual obligation
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