The question for this issue of the Leaders Letter focused around professional learning communities people are involved in as well as the benefits that each person has received.  In Professional Learning Communities for Science Teaching the definition of a PLC included several key components around which they are defined – 1). a focus on learning; 2); collaborative culture focused on learning; 3). collective inquiry; 4). action orientation and experimentation; 5). continuous improvement; and 6). results orientation.  The authors are quick and clear to also point out that a group of people simply working together on a task may not meet the definition of a PLC.
I actually find myself in groups somewhere between “not PLCs” (or as I often call them some departmental/university committees) and “PLCs” (one such was the NSELA Summer Leadership Institute in June of this year where we used this exact book).  In thinking about all of the particular reasons as to why I think I end up in quasi PLCs, I come up with ONE major reason and that  is related to commitment of time on my part as well as the part of others.  An example of this definite interest but lack of time comes from the last academic year.  Our university sets up teaching teams of faculty members where we are grouped in fours or fives based on some common characteristic that we have identified – the one last year I was on was related to faculty who had an interest in science (yes that vague).  The colleagues I was assigned to as a teaching team member were engaging and we started the year with a meeting that set dates for the entire semester but as you can imagine as the semester went on and meeting dates approached the initial enthusiasm waned – people including me couldn’t make it for a variety of reasons – they had papers that had to be graded; another meeting came up; needed to work on an upcoming presentation etc.  All aspects of our daily jobs and necessary to be completed, however, all reasons why our own PLC fell short of being successful and thus the reason I say I find myself in quasi-PLCs. 
I guess my question for my fellow educators out there is not only what benefits you obtain by being involved in PLCs but also, how do you sustain the momentum of a PLC when other responsibilities seem to be looming.  I guess my other question would be how do you coordinate a PLC that might have people in various geographic locations – since my science education colleagues across the country are often the ones that have similar interests and provide me with great learning opportunities. Just some questions for thought as I get ready to head into the office this morning for a day filled with “non PLCs.” 🙂