Reading Reflection #2

Creating a professional learning community is something that is not done nearly as much as it should be in schools across America.  After reading this chapter, it really made me realize how little teachers actually do this.  The type of interaction teachers have with each other was depicted almost perfectly by the book; "Teachers may spend hours together each week, but most of their time is spent addressing scheduling and program coordination, troubleshooting individual student issues, planning school events, and tending to other matters that fall under "housekeeping".  Little time is left to talk about what they are trying to teach and how they go about it."  Collaboration should become an ongoing part of how teachers approach teaching.  In addition to learning new patterns of thinking and how to learn together, it also shows students how important it is, something that they will be able to keep and take with them when they enter "the real world".  PBL collaboration among students is a lot like a professional learning community for teachers and they are able to learn skills they will need to be successful such as communication, problem solving, project management, motivation and persistence.  Another way teachers can create professional learning communities is online.  This is a great way for teachers to communicate with people from all around the world and connect them to "a wider network of colleagues who share your professional interests."  I think that it is extremely important for teachers to start creating these professional learning communities not only for their benefit but also as a way to benefit their students in the classroom and as a way to model to their students how to successfully collaborate for PBL.