The futility of PLC Lite
Although many schools around the world have claimed to embrace the Professional Learning Community process, it would be more accurate to describe the current state of affairs in many schools as PLC Lite. Educators rename their traditional faculty or department meetings as PLC meetings, engage in book studies that result in no action, or devote collaborative time to topics that have no effect on student achievement all in the name of the PLC process. These activities fail to embrace the central tenants of the PLC process and will not lead to higher levels of learning for students or adults. The genuine PLC process calls for working together in collaborative teams; establishing a guaranteed and viable curriculum; using formative assessments stemming from the curriculum; and using the result of the assessments to inform interventions and teaching.