PLCs and Educators and why it is Important!

In this podcast, the host, Tara Hall, talks about the importance of professional learning communities (POCs) for educators. POCs help teachers collaborate, plan for learning, and create a culture of shared responsibility. They also support teachers in identifying students' needs and implementing effective strategies. Technology tools like Blackboard and Google Classroom can be used to monitor student progress and share data. Teachers can also have students create podcasts to assess understanding. Tara recommends a podcast called Eleanor Amplified, which can spark curiosity in students. POCs allow teachers to innovate, build relationships, and stay updated on research and technology. It's important to remember that POCs benefit both personal and professional growth. Hello my fellow astronomers! Today you are listening to POCs and Educators on Why It is Important by your host, Tara Hall. I am currently a 5th grade RPI teacher that may be moved to a 2nd grade environment. This will be a big change, but I am ready to learn new ways to incorporate different strategies into my own classroom. Professional learning community, or sometimes referred to as POCs, is a benefit as a whole. POCs help to collaborate and plan for learning, and to create a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility for student learning. POCs are designed to support teachers in working collaboratively to identify students' needs, develop and implement effective instructional strategies, and regularly assist and analyze students' progress toward learning goals. By engaging in ongoing data-driven collaboration, teachers can improve their instruction, increase student learning, and build a more supportive school community. There are various technological tools and resources that can be used to monitor student progress and share data with professional learning communities. A few examples through learning management systems would be Blackboard or Google Classroom. Other platforms like Kahoot! or Assessments created in Google Classroom by the teacher. A new way to assess students is by having them create a podcast for understanding. I have not ever seen a teacher utilize this at the school I am at, so I am excited to try this with students and help make learning fun. By listening to podcasts and creating your own podcast for others to listen to, you are benefiting your POC by researching in-depth on a topic you all may need to teach about in the TEKS. I am excited to learn about the new ways or different resources that I could utilize in my own classroom. I came across a podcast for kids, Eleanor Amplified, which features a radio journalist who investigates the plans of mid-controlling scientists and rich CEOs. Eleanor gets wrapped up in unraveling the schemes of the rich and powerful to take over the White House and brainwash citizens through the Internet. This podcast is fun for kids and something that could be used in the classroom and help spark curiosity for students. There are a bunch of different podcasts on the Internet that will give you advice on becoming the best educator and helping your students' knowledge grow. Three stacked advantages of POCs that are worth looking into and utilizing would be POCs allow teachers to innovate and share ideas. Two, POCs build strong relationships between teachers. And three, POCs help teachers aware of new research and technologies. It is important to remember that when utilizing a professional learning community, you are not only growing professionally but also personally. Your students should be your number one goal and you should be willing to go above and beyond to actively learning and giving information to your students and your POC peers. I hope you enjoyed listening to my podcast. Until next time, have a blessed day!