ExplorNet News

Phil Vice of Raleigh's Wakefield High School has participated in QTL's Computer Engineering and Networking programs since 2002. Here he writes that what he's learned has helped him meet the challenges of a district-wide initiative.

Phil Vice of Raleigh's Wakefield High School at a training event with other Computer Engineering teachers.

As a high school teacher in the Wake County Public School System, I have been directly involved with the efforts surrounding Professional Learning Communities as a PLC leader at my school. Clearly this initiative is a powerful voice when studying the research on how schools can improve.

To quote one of the leaders in this movement, Richard DuFour, on the current status of many educational institutions: “School often functions as a collection of independent contractors united by a common parking lot.”

Any teacher who has spent more than a couple of years in education can easily relate to this quote. But that has to change if we are to improve our education system and to reach more students. We must move into a team approach and pool resources.

The concept is not new, you can see it in many other areas. “An Army of One”; “Two heads are better than one.” Throughout the corporate world, government, sports, you name it, the team is the one concept that is recognized as an effective component in being better or more competitive.

Education should be no different. In that effort, Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning (QTL) had provided a vehicle for technology teachers within North Carolina and other states to share resources and bring together teachers to share ideas and efforts to increase their effectiveness.

Given that the majority of these teachers do not have a like subject teacher in their building or even in a surrounding school, this is a huge advantage. I feel closer to many of these teachers than I do most of the teachers in my building.

I also use this knowledge as a building block for my own local PLC group. Constantly I see other departments and teachers who would greatly benefit from the opportunities provided by QTL. They continue to provide a framework that enhances the PLC direction.

It is exciting to see the work that is being accomplished by this group of teachers serviced by QTL. In classes such as these, it is often difficult to find and keep teachers. Although it's an exciting field, educators teaching this curriculum find it a daunting task to keep abreast of current trends and how best to educate students that often are more advanced than the teacher. With the QTL approach, teachers have access and support of the group. It is not uncommon to have a new teacher working with a number of other teachers in the state(s) assisting in everything from materials, curriculum questions, or just an ear to listen.

To close I would like to again quote DuFour: “The focus of traditional schools is teaching; the focus of the professional learning community is student learning. The difference is much more than semantics. It represents a fundamental shift in the teacher-student relationship. This new relationship would not allow for the familiar teacher lament, 'I taught it - they just did not learn it.'"

QTL allows me to move closer to this goal by entering into a learning environment with my peers. QTL also provides me the opportunity to use this knowledge for the education of my students. I cannot imagine teaching in this field without the QTL element.

Phil Vice
Computer Engineering Teacher
Wakefield High School
Raleigh, NC

For more information, contact Robin Fred via e-mail at rfred@qtlcenters.org or call him at 888.507.3800.