Learning communities
The starting point for professional learning is in schools and classrooms
By Learning Forward
Categories: Standards for Professional LearningAugust 2011
Vol. 32 No. 4
Read the remaining content with membership access. Join or log in below to continue.
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.
References
Cochran-Smith, M. & Lytle, S.L. (1993). Inside/outside: Teacher research and knowledge. New York: Teachers College Press.
Grossman, P., Wineburg, S., & Woolworth, S. (2001, December). Toward a theory of teacher community. Teachers College Record, 103(6), 942-1012.
Horn, I.S. (2005). Learning on the job: A situated account of teacher learning in high school mathematics departments. Cognition & Instruction, 23(2), 207-236.
Lieberman, A. & Miller, L. (2008). Teachers in professional communities: Improving teaching and learning. New York: Teachers College Press.
Little, J.W. & Horn, I.S. (2007). “Normalizing” problems of practice: Converting routine conversation into a resource for learning in professional communities. In Stoll L., & Louis, K.S. (Eds.), Professional learning communities: Divergence, depth, and dilemmas (pp. 29-42). Maidenhead, England: Open University Press.
McLaughlin, M.W. & Talbert, J.E. (2001). Professional communities and the work of high school teaching. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
McLaughlin, M.W. & Talbert, J.E. (2006). Building school-based teacher learning communities: Professional strategies to improve student achievement. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Talbert, J. (2010). Professional learning communities at the crossroads: How systems hinder or engender change. In Hargreaves, A., Lieberman, A., Fullan, M., & Hopkins, D. (Eds.), Second international handbook of educational change (pp. 555-571). New York: Springer.
Lieberman, A. & Wood, D.R. (2002). Inside the National Writing Project: Connecting network learning and classroom teaching. New York: Teachers College Press.
Learning Forward is the only professional association devoted exclusively to those who work in educator professional development. We help our members plan, implement, and measure high-quality professional learning so they can achieve success with their systems, schools, and students.
Categories: Standards for Professional Learning
Recent Issues
APPLYING THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING
April 2026
Cognitive science illuminates how people learn. This issue shows how...
LEARNING WITH AI
February 2026
Generative AI can be a powerful tool for professional learning design and...
WHAT STUDENTS NEED NOW
December 2025
For all students to thrive, we need to understand who they are and what...
LEARNING COMMUNITIES FOR LEADERS
October 2025
Leaders need opportunities to connect, learn, and grow with peers just as...






