What is a Professional Learning Community?
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It is a group of educators working collaboratively to improve learning for all students.
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Professional - Members remain respectful of others and their ideas, and contribute to the group to meet goals.
Learning - the shared commitment is geared towards learning for all. This means that everyone, not just students.
Communities - a group of people with a shared commitment to a common purpose. They include teachers, administrators, students, and parents.
The 4-6-4
Introduction:
The 4-6-4 are the essentials to consider while participating in a professional learning community. The 4-6-4 is composed of four foundations, six pillars, and four driving questions.

Four Foundations
Mission - Why do we exist?
Vision - What must we become to accomplish our goals?
Values - How must we behave to achieve our vision?
Goals - How will we mark our progress?
Six Pillars
Focus on Learning
Collaborative Culture with a Focus on Learning for All
Commitment to Continuous Improvement
Collective Inquiry into Best Practice and Current Reality
Action Orientation - Learning by Doing
Results Orientation
​Four Driving Questions
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What do we want our students to learn?
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How will we know if they've learned it?
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How do we respond if some students do not learn it?
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What do we do to extend and enrich the learning for those who have learned it?
Recommended Text:
DuFour, Richard, et al. Learning By Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work™. 2nd ed., Solution Tree, 2010.
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