Twice a term, our teachers meet together at the end of a busy teaching day for a very specific purpose. At first glance, if you were to look through the window, you might think you were witnessing a regular administrative or staff meeting. However, if you could listen in on the conversation, you’d hear teachers discussing programming, assessment and data analysis; see them reading research articles; and observe them undertaking activities to replicate strategies that could be used in the classroom.

Currently, all teaching staff are implementing their professional learning plans for 2021, which includes participation in a formal school-based Professional Learning Community (PLC). Professional learning communities (PLCs) are an approach to school improvement where groups of teachers work collaboratively at the school level to improve student outcomes.​ PLCs help to create a culture that is committed to professionalism and fuelled by collaborative expertise. PLCs ensure a focus on continuous improvement by linking the learning needs of students with the professional learning  and practice of teachers.

Last year, PLCS were formed by classroom teachers to investigate and improve our literacy practice and phonics instruction. Collaborative expertise and rigorous academic and classroom-based research in both groups resulted in two key outcomes: the school implemented a new structure for our literacy block, as well as a scope and sequence for systematic phonics instruction from Kindergarten to Year 2.

This year, we have teaching teams collaborating to improve their teaching practice in the areas of Religious Education and Mathematics. A key activity of future PLCs will be teachers conducting observations of a colleague’s classes and providing informed feedback about an area of practice. Teacher collaboration and feedback is essential, and embraced with enthusiasm at St Matthew’s for the benefit of all of our students.

Yes - through the window, you thought you were witnessing a regular staff meeting, but it really was so much more than that.