Jennifer PeirceLM 6190

August 5, 2013

Final PaperSchool Librarians’ Role in School-Based Professional Learning Communities

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have proven to be an effective means for

improving teacher practice and an opportunity for meaningful collaboration between teachers

and library media specialists. In PLCs, teachers and other staff members work together to

improve instruction and student learning by reflecting on current practices, looking for areas in

which to focus and develop, putting those changes into practice, and assessing the outcomes of

those changes. Librarians can contribute to PLCs in many important and unique ways leading to

the improvement of the quality of PLCs, increased opportunities for collaboration with teachers,

and promotion of the school library program. In order for a school librarian to take and active

and successful role in school-based PLCs, especially when he or she has never worked with

PLCs before, it is important to understand what PLCs are, what the characteristics of effective

PLCs are, and the different roles they may play in PLCs in order to most effectively meet

teachers’ needs.

PLCs are a form of collaborative professional development in which teachers and other

staff in a school meet in groups based on grade level, subject area, or another common interest or

need. The members of a group meet regularly to plan collaboratively and make changes to

improve their teaching and learning for their students. PLC groups often select an area of focus

related to improving the quality of instruction and learning and reflect on their understandings,

beliefs, and practices in this area. They discuss their ideas with other members of the PLC and

work together to solve problems, plan, and learn. This learning is generally self-directed with the

experiences and collective knowledge of the group serving as a source of information. (Linder,

Post, & Calabrese, 2012) PLC groups may also utilize professional literature or professional

development focused on their needs to improve their practice. Group members may observe one

another and provide feedback.

PLCs are “characterized by a number of core beliefs: (1) that staff professional

development is critical to improved student learning; (2) that this professional development is

most effective when it is collaborative and collegial; and (3) that this collaborative work should

involve inquiry and problem solving in authentic contexts of daily teaching practices” (Servage,

2008, p. 63). These core beliefs are reflected in a number of attributes that are generally

associated with PLCs. Administrators provide support to PLC groups, but they share leadership

with the other staff members by allowing them to make decisions regarding the direction of the

PLC (Brasfield, 2011). PLCs also utilize the collective creativity of the group members through

the sharing of ideas and working together to solve problems; plan lessons, units, or courses of

action; and learn from each other (Brasfield, 2011). PLC groups work together with a shared

purpose (Servage, 2008) as well as shared values and vision with clear goals and standard norms

for participation in these groups (Brasfield, 2011). It is important that there are supportive

conditions within a group in order to create a level of trust in which members of the group feel

comfortable sharing and working together (Brasfield, 2011).

According to Linder, Post, and Calabrese (2012), PLCs are most effective when group

members have common interests and a mutual purpose and when there is a sense of autonomy

within the group by them being able to decide what they would like to focus on, how they want

to study, and what activities they want to implement in their classrooms. They also found that

regularly scheduled meetings and a final presentation on the groups’ findings will also help PLCs

to be most effective. This presentation increases ownership and accountability, as does posting

group meeting agendas and minutes for the entire school community to see. This practice has the

added benefit of allowing school community members outside of the immediate PLC group, such

as a school librarian or an administrator, to contribute their expertise or other resources when

they see a need.

Dees, Mayer, Morin, and Willis (2010) also identify several elements that contribute to

the success of learning communities. Groups must have effective communication, a clear set of

goals, and administrative support. The focus must be on improving teaching and learning.

Planning for instructional needs should be data driven. Group members share their collective

knowledge and individual expertise. By allowing teachers to select the topic and work together,

professional development becomes meaningful and engaging. Brasfield (2011) notes that

successful professional learning communities have full participation and system-wide support

and the changes in teaching practices should be driven by research and results observed within

the school.

Servage (2008) asserts that in order for PLCs to create transformative learning

experiences that lead to systemic and sustained changes in teaching practices, teachers need to

understand the philosophies behind the changes, be guided by shared norms and values, and “be

willing and able to critically explore, articulate, negotiate, and revise their beliefs about

themselves, their students, their colleagues, and their schools” (p. 70). PLCs need to create

opportunities for teachers to hold open-ended conversations regarding their educational beliefs

and values, what it means to teach and to learn, and the characteristics of their school

communities (Servage, 2008).

Professional development opportunities allow for school librarians to share their

knowledge and make connections to the school library for teachers and administration and gives

the school library program a larger role in the school (Harvey, 2013). Participation in PLCs is an

important way for school librarians to build relationships with teachers and to be seen as

valuable members of the school community by allowing them to share their knowledge and

creating opportunities for collaboration with teachers. Working with PLCs also allows school

librarians to promote technology integration as well as reading and literacy (Dees, Mayer, Morin,

& Willis, 2010). Because school librarians have a unique position within a school by having

access to so many resources and a whole-school perspective, they are in a key position to be

involved in significant ways in PLCs (Brasfield, 2011). Hughes-Hassel, Brasfield, and Dupree

(2012) offer eight different roles a school librarian can play in a PLC: information specialist,

staff developer, teacher and collaborator, critical friend, leader, researcher, learner, and student

advocate.

An obvious role librarians can play within a PLC is as an information specialist. As an

information specialist, they may be able to suggest and provide relevant professional literature

and research for PLC members to use to inform themselves (Brasfield, 2011). Brasfield also

suggests that school librarians participating in PLCs read professional literature in advance in

order to better anticipate the needs of the group and help “jump-start” conversation within the

group. They may suggest resources and technology tools to be used in instruction, share

alternative pedagogical and assessment strategies, and demonstrate their use to teachers. Coming

to PLC meetings with strategies and ideas already in hand can help teachers to see the school

librarian and the school library program as a valuable resource (Hughes-Hassel, Brasfield, &

Dupree, 2012). As information specialists, it is very important that school librarians stay

informed about new resources and continually share them with teachers.

In a PLC setting, staff development should be “focused, sustained, collaborative, and

results-oriented. This perspective opens up a myriad of opportunities for school librarians to

provide ongoing, personalized, just-in- time staff development” (Hughes-Hassel, Brasfield, &

Dupree, 2012, p. 32). Because school librarians often work with multiple PLCs within a school

and know the curriculum taught throughout the school, they are in a unique position to know

what professional development teachers may want and need (Brasfield, 2011). They may target

training opportunities for the whole school, small groups, or individuals, depending on what

teachers need or desire. A school librarian might meet with a PLC to do training on a resource

and then create a follow up plan to work individually with teachers for further training or

collaboration (Harvey, 2013). Because teachers, working in their PLC groups, have identified

these needs, they would be more likely to participate in these trainings and utilize what they have

learned in their teaching. The opportunity for continued support form the school librarian can

also increase the likelihood of implementation of changes in teaching practice.

As a teacher and collaborator, a school librarian can work within a PLC setting to help

teachers plan units that integrate a variety of curriculum areas, incorporate information literacy

and technology, and foster inquiry-based learning (Harvey, 2013). As Harvey puts it, PLCs are a

collaboration “gold-mine”, presenting many opportunities to work with teachers on projects. By

collaborating with teachers in planning and instruction, librarians are able to integrate

information and technology standards into classroom instruction. They also should align library

instruction with the PLC teams’ goals (Hughes-Hassel, Brasfield, & Dupree, 2012). They may

also train both teachers and students in using new technology tools or resources that would be

useful within a content area by modeling the tool for teachers and students, setting up accounts

when necessary, and facilitating the use of this tool by the teacher and students (Brasfield, 2011).

Successful collaboration will beget more opportunities for collaboration as other teachers will

want to have the same learning experiences for their students (Dees, Mayer, Morin, & Willis,

2010).

Collaborating with teachers on projects also opens up opportunities to be a critical friend

within a PLC setting. After collaborating on a unit or lesson, the teacher and school librarian can

reflect together on what worked and what could be improved upon or changed (Hughes-Hassel,

Brasfield, & Dupree, 2012). This reflection can be very valuable to both the teacher and to the

librarian. Participating in this reflective practice will also build stronger partnerships between the

teacher and school librarian, which also serves to improve the outcome of future collaborations

(Hughes-Hassel, Brasfield, & Dupree, 2012). When working with a PLC group, school librarians

can also lead and model the practice of critical reflection and feedback in order to help

standardize the practice within and amongst school PLC groups, increase its effectiveness, and

reduce the likelihood of it causing distrust or discomfort when teachers use this practice in their

PLCs (Brasfield, 2011).

School librarians have an important role in a school and, therefore, should act as a teacher

leader within the school and as a leader in PLCs. Taking on the role of leader in a PLC will help

the school librarian to build relationships with teachers and influence change (Hughes-Hassel,

Brasfield, & Dupree, 2012). As a leader, school librarians can also facilitate discussions in a PLC

that can help teachers to see beyond their own curriculum standards and consider alternative

methods and strategies for instruction. As a leader, it is important that school librarians not solve

the problems of the group for them or take over. Instead, to be most effective in their leadership

role, they should “use their skills to identify and promote the leadership in others. In every

collaboration, a leader’s primary goal should be identifying and promoting the qualities of

the other, so the capacity of that individual grows” (Mackley, 2013, p. 25). This leadership

opportunity can also allow librarians to share the vision of the library and demonstrate the

connection between the school library program and student learning (Hughes-Hassel, Brasfield,

& Dupree, 2012).

Because action research plays a critical role in a PLC, school librarians’ experience and

knowledge of research strategies can be very beneficial to a PLC group. Not only can they share

their knowledge in this area, but they can also use and improve their own research skills by

conducting action research with teachers. In doing so, librarians can help to establish themselves

as instructional leaders and demonstrate the school library’s value in relation to learning and

achievement (Hughes-Hassel, Brasfield, & Dupree, 2012).

By participating in a school’s content area PLCs and in school librarian PLCs, school

librarians can also act in the role of learner (Hughes-Hassel, Brasfield, & Dupree, 2012). When

working with content area PLCs, school librarians can learn more about effective teaching

practices and the curriculum within a subject area. This can help to strengthen their knowledge of

the school’s curriculum, which can enable the school library program to better meet the

instructional needs of the classroom. Participating in school librarian PLCs can help librarians to

improve their skills as librarians and to improve the library program to better meet the needs of

student learning (Hughes-Hassel, Brasfield, & Dupree, 2012).

A final role school librarians might play in a PLC is that of a student advocate. They can

act to help teachers foresee the needs of the students and to become aware of students’ differing

learning styles (Brasfield, 2011). They can then help teachers and students to find resources that

will most appropriately meet those needs. The wider view of a school that school librarians tend

to have can make them a true and important advocate for students (Hughes-Hassel, Brasfield, &

Dupree, 2012).

No matter what role a school librarian takes within a PLC, there are a few more strategies

that can help school librarians to be successful when interacting with PLCs. Even if unable to

attend a PLC meeting, school librarians should stay informed about what is occurring in the

PLCs by attending school leadership team meetings, reading the minutes and agendas of the PLC

group meetings, and by meeting with PLC team leaders (Brasfield, 2011). They can then go to

individual teachers with resources and ideas (Dupree, 2012). Dupree also notes the importance of

forging personal relationships with teachers, to have a good understanding of where the teachers

are coming from – of their struggles and concerns – and to work with them to help brainstorm

ways of improving instruction. “The ultimate goal is for your teachers to see you as an

instructional partner and a valuable resource in increasing student achievement” (Dees,

Mayer, Morin, & Willis, 2010, p. 10)

Bibliography

Brasfield, A. L. (2011). School Librarian Participation in Professional Learning Communities. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Information and Library Science, Chapel Hill, NC.

Cox, E. (2011). Vital Conversations: Professional Learning Communities and School Librarians. School Library Monthly , 27 (7), 35-36.

Dees, D., Mayer, A., Morin, H., & Willis, E. (2010, October). Librarians as Leaders in Professional Learning Communities through Technology, Literacy, and Collaboration. Library Media Connection , 10-13.

Dupree, D. (2012). A Case Story: A New School and PLCs. School Library Monthly , 28 (7), 11-17.Harvey, C. A. (2013). Putting on the Professional Development Hat. School Library Monthly , 29 (5), 32-34.

Hughes-Hassel, S., Brasfield, A., & Dupree, D. (2012). Making the Most of Professional Learning Communities. Knowledge Quest , 41 (2), 30-37.

Linder, R. A., Post, G., & Calabrese, K. (2012). Professional Learning CommunitiesL Practices for Successful Implementation. The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin , 13-22.

Mackley, A. (2013). Murmuration: Building a Participatory Culture. Teacher Librarian , 40 (4), 23-27.

Servage, L. (2008). Critical and Transformative Practices in Professional Learning Communities. Teacher Education Quarterly , 63-77.