Building sustainable futures: emerging understandings of the significant contribution of the professional learning community

Abstract

This article draws on the experiences of a range of Australian schools engaging with a teacher-centred process of whole-school renewal known as IDEAS (Innovative Designs for Enhancing Achievement in Schools). IDEAS enhances the professional capacity of teachers to improve school outcomes such as student learning, relationships with the community, and the coherence of school operation. The article explores how through their engagement with IDEAS, teacher leaders emerge from the professional learning community of the school. After outlining the essential elements of IDEAS, the article explores: how teacher leaders can work collaboratively with administrators to create a contextualized pedagogical framework that transforms their practice; the key concepts of parallel leadership; alignment; and professional conversation. Working with IDEAS, schools create their own futures, supported by their particular pedagogical framework and ways of working. Examples are drawn from particular schools to illustrate the diversity of their experiences and of their learning.