Eighty percent of school administrators report that they engage in collaborative activities at least once a month. This finding is based on the 2015 PISA report and ongoing research by Dr. Denise Vaillant, academic secretary at the Institute of Education at Universidad ORT Uruguay.
“While this data should be taken with a grain of salt—since it is based on self-reported information—it would appear that, at least in their public statements, school leadership teams have internalized the need to build a school culture of continuous improvement,” explained Vaillant during the online conference titled“What Does the Evidence Tell Us About School Leaders and Teacher Learning Communities?: What School Leaders Need to Know.”
At the event—which took place on Thursday, April 12, and was organized by the Center for Educational Leadership Development (CEDLE)—he emphasized that academic achievement is higher in schools where teachers collaborate on an ongoing basis in their work.
In her view, leadership from administrators plays a crucial role in encouraging teachers to participate in professional development activities and learning communities.
“Students’ achievements and learning do not depend on a single teacher, but on a community,” he said.
However, despite the benefits of teacher learning communities, there are also challenges to overcome. Conflict management and resolution, for example.
Vaillant noted that they require “time, resources, guidance, evaluation, and incentives.” At the same time, he pointed out that they do not arise “spontaneously.”
When asked by a member of the audience how to implement these communities, she noted that there is no “one-size-fits-all solution,” although “the ingredients for a good recipe” can be identified. A fundamental principle is gradualism: “That is the key to a successful rollout: moving forward with modest but steady steps.”
“To build a professional learning community, everyone has to pull in the same direction,” he concluded.