Having read the materials this week I see the value that CoPs and PLCs hold for someone in an educational field, new and seasoned alike. I learned that Community of Practice is where a group of people with similar interests in a work place will group together and share the ideas and knowledge that they have on that particular topic. I also learned that a Personal Learning Community are used in educational system. A leader will choose a group of people to come together and problem solve, discuss topics, share knowledge and ideas. As Bouchard states, both CoPs and PLCs are a group of people coming together, to learn from one another and share what they know. (Bouchard, 2012)
In a school setting the principal or department head builds a team of five or six teachers that are arranged by grade level or content area, and then a leader is chosen. (Adams, 2009) By participating in this group the sharing of information takes place. According to Cranston, relational trust fosters a sense of comfort that allows teachers to open up and share, which in turn leads them to increased self assessment which in turn promotes professional growth. (Cranston, 2011 pg.65) With information being shared, the teacher can take the dynamics they learned and apply them in their classroom.