AITSL PL Charter

The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership developed The Australian Charter for the Professional Learning of Teachers and School Leaders. Through this resource they identified when you would know that a professional learning culture is successful:

professional learning conversations are enabled by the common language and framework of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
professional learning is matched to the experiences, strengths, current knowledge, career stage and goals of each adult learner
professional learning links closely to school, sector and system goals and initiatives
leaders engage in inquiry and knowledge building cycles and model progress in their own professional learning goals as identified in the Australian Professional Standard for Principals
teachers and leaders engage in ongoing reflection about the impact of their professional learning and use this information to inform their professional learning choices in the future
teachers are supported by their peers and leaders to be innovative in the classroom, try new strategies and evaluate their impact effectively
professional learning is not a series of one-off events, but rather coordinated and planned learning opportunities that maximise impact.

AITSL has identified some fantastic ideas on how a holistic learning culture is evident. They suggest that 'sustained improvements in teacher and student learning are more likely to result if professionals actively learn with and from each other, in a constructive and rigorous way, framed by a shared educational philosophy and strategic plan for the school' (http://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/professional-growth-resources/professional-learning-resources/essential_guide_leading_culture.pdf). They also suggest based on the Australian Professional Standard for Principals that leaders in schools role is to " work with and through others to build a professional learning community that is focused on the continuous improvement of teaching and learning. Through managing performance, effective continuing professional learning and regular feedback, they support all staff to achieve high standards and develop their leadership capacity.”

They suggest that there are optimum ways that teachers like to learn as visible in the diagram below

They also suggest that there are certain features of an effective professional learning culture. I feel that they are all really important and something that should be considered in 2017 as we move to introduce professional learning teams and work on our college as a professional learning community. There are some elements on this diagram that have been considered as part of our already proposed professional learning teams but there are some that have not which need to be.