Narratives of novice teachers’ personal and professional development through professional learning communities (plcs)

Abstract

This study, "Narratives of Novice Teachers’ Personal and Professional Development through Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)”, explores the ways in which early career teachers' personal and professional development is facilitated by their involvement in PLCs. Three questions guide the research: 1. What are novice teachers’ stories of participation in PLCs? 2. How does novice teachers' participation in PLCs enhance their early personal and professional learning? 3. What personal and professional learning happens for novice teachers’ development through PLCs? The theoretical underpinning for this study is derived from Illeris's (2009) theory of learning. It focuses on three main learning dimensions: content (knowledge gained), incentive (intrinsic motivation to learn), and interaction (social components of learning). This framework aids in understanding how early career teachers develop professionally and personally in PLCs. The study uses memory drawings, object inquiries, and unstructured interviews to examine the experiences of three early career teachers: Mr Ross, Ms Priya, and Mr Carson. Through these data generation methods, participants could share past, present, and future memories and personal stories of their early professional experiences. The written narratives were then subjected to meaning-making and analysis to open up different ideas, concepts, and insights. The study shows that PLCs serve as a critical social space assisting early career teachers by developing collaborative relationships, mentorship opportunities, identity construction and reflective practices. The participants' stories highlight the different approaches and ways that PLCs enable tackling the complexities of learning to teach the early professional years - like cultivating ideas and practices for connecting theory and practice and fostering a feeling of belonging in the teaching community as professionals. Participating in a PLC gave me a deeper insight into early career teachers’ lived experiences and how they were developing new perspectives, different teaching methods, and the emotional confidence and attitudes to become researchers, mentors, and life-long learners. The study found that PLCs are potent sites for ECT’s personal-professional transformation. The study concludes with practical suggestions for improving teacher induction programs and developing supportive PLCs in a variety of educational settings. This study contributes to the growing body of research on early career teachers' early professional years by elevating their voices and highlighting PLCs as a forum for sharing their professional challenges and ideas, as well as the embodied knowledges they draw on and the competencies that these teachers bring with them.