TARSS Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are designed to support trainers working in early education in Minnesota. This is a developing program, and our team will be learning alongside participants as we generate ideas and topics to enrich the experience. PLCs are offered at no cost to participants.
TARSS PLCs will:
- Use real world opportunities to improve practice
- Support innovation through exposure to new research and emerging technologies
- Provide space for reflection
Professional learning communities can be one of the most powerful ways to deliver professional learning because they provide “an ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve” (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, Many, & Mattos, 2016). Learning within the professional learning system occurs in a variety of ways through both group and one-on-one opportunities such as training, coaching, mentoring, modeling, and observing.
Minnesota Department of Education
PLCs are hosted online. The content will include short readings, discussion boards, and facilitated live Zoom sessions. Trainers who participate in PLCs will receive approved training hours in Develop. These hours can count towards your trainer membership renewal.
TARSS PLCs will begin in July 2023 with two separate groups. One PLC is for New Trainers and the other is for Course Writers.
2023 PLCs
Course Writer PLC facilitated by Molly Hughes and Hannah Riddle
Participants who engage in this PLC are either already approved Course Writers or are in the process of becoming a Course Writer. The purpose of this learning community is to work on specific components of course writing, such as learning objectives, descriptions and outlines. They will also learn more about the required elements for course approval in Develop. Each month participants will complete 1.5 hours of independent work, including a discussion board post and readings, and have a 1 hour long Zoom meeting. Participants must complete both activities to receive credit for the month.
This PLC will meet via Zoom on the following days and times:
- July 10th from 7-8 pm
- August 14th from 7-8 pm
- September 11th 7-8 pm
- October 9th 7-8 pm
- November 13th 7-8 pm
- December 11th 7-8 pm
Applications for this PLC are closed.
New Trainer PLC facilitated by Melissa Donovan
Engage in this PLC for 2 hours each month, starting June 2023 and ending December 2023. This includes 1 hour synchronous learning through a virtual group discussion and 1 hour asynchronous in Canvas. After successfully completing each month’s work, participants receive credit in Develop.
This PLC will be held via Zoom on the following days:
- July 11th- 1-2 pm
- August 15th- 1-2 pm
- September 12th- 1-2 pm
- October 10th- 1-2 pm
- November 14th- 1-2 pm
- December 12th 1-2 pm
This PLC is designed for trainers who are new, or have recently started in their role as a trainer. To participate in this PLC, trainers need to be approved in Develop. We are currently looking for trainers who have been training for 3 years or less.
Applications for this PLC are closed.
Expectations for PLC participants
Participating in a PLC requires a 6-month time commitment. Each PLC has a different schedule, please review the information for each PLC above.
Participants may participate in one PLC at a time, which means that you can only apply to one PLC.