Arts Education Policy Review · 2014 · 89 citations · 24 references
Professional LearningCommunity EducationMusic Teacher EducationEducationTeacher EducationInclusive EducationTeacher DevelopmentPedagogyLearning SciencesTeacher CollaborationSchool DistrictsTeacher EnhancementSupport Student LearningCommunity Practice EducationTeacher EducatorProfessional DevelopmentTeacher EfficacyMusic Teacher ResearchEducation PolicyProfessional Learning Communities
Race to the Top spurred states to seek school improvement grants that required teacher evaluation systems and professional development models, positioning professional learning communities as a means to support teacher growth and discipline‑specific pedagogy. The study advocates that music teachers and arts supervisors adopt online PLCs to combat teacher isolation, reduce attrition, improve student achievement, and drive district‑wide change. All grant recipients adopted PLCs, selecting models that prioritize sustained teacher collaboration across disciplines.
As a result of Race to the Top, states across the country vied for school improvement grants in order to advance educational reforms including effective professional development and teacher collaboration within their school districts. Requirements of the grant included the development of teacher evaluation systems and a professional development model to support teacher growth and efficacy. Grant recipients unanimously chose to incorporate some type of professional learning community (PLC) and selected models that emphasized increasing and sustaining teacher collaboration in all disciplines. PLCs offer an opportunity for music educators to receive pedagogy specifically tailored to their discipline. Music teachers and arts supervisors should consider incorporating online PLCs into their programs not only to address professional development, but also to address teacher isolation and attrition and student achievement and, ultimately, to enact fundamental changes in their districts.
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