an inquiry based leader will...
create professional learning communities (PLCs)
An accurate definition of professional learning communities can be ascertained from DuFour, “to create a professional learning community, focus on learning rather than teaching, work collaboratively, and hold yourself accountable for results.”(p. 6). Professional learning communities have gained popularity in many schools thought the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania due to their ability to provide ongoing professional development aimed toward improving instruction. Professional learning communities provide leadership an opportunity to empower staff members to collaborate and share meaningful instructional strategies on an ongoing basis. The success of professional learning communities is rooted in their ability to manage and disseminate knowledge in a manner that is beneficial to all members of the professional learning community.
SEDL, a non-profit educational research organization, provides numerous resources for professional learning communities:
http://www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues61.html
Additional PLC Resources:
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may04/vol61/num08/What-Is-a-Professional-Learning-Community%C2%A2.aspx
http://pubs.cde.ca.gov/tcsii/ch10/proflrngcommunity.aspx
http://www.edweek.org/ew/marketplace/products/spotlight-professional-learning-communities.html
http://home.edweb.net/professional-learning-communities-with-free-webinars/
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/profdev/resources/proflearn/
http://www.centerforcsri.org/plc/websites.html
SEDL, a non-profit educational research organization, provides numerous resources for professional learning communities:
http://www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues61.html
Additional PLC Resources:
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may04/vol61/num08/What-Is-a-Professional-Learning-Community%C2%A2.aspx
http://pubs.cde.ca.gov/tcsii/ch10/proflrngcommunity.aspx
http://www.edweek.org/ew/marketplace/products/spotlight-professional-learning-communities.html
http://home.edweb.net/professional-learning-communities-with-free-webinars/
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/profdev/resources/proflearn/
http://www.centerforcsri.org/plc/websites.html