Professional Learning Community (PLC): Lesson Study as Learning for Teachers

Abstract

Professional Learning Community (PLC) has become one of the agenda in the continuous professional development for teachers. PLC has its own benefits and impact in teaching and learning processes. As learning occurs in both teaching and learning, PLC plays its role to manoeuvre and boost the processes. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how Lesson Study (LS) as one of the collaborative tool in PLC can help teachers to learn about students’ learning via teaching collaboratively and LS as a learning tool for teachers. LS is considered as an approach for teachers’ continuous professional development (CPD) for optimal learning to occur. Before the teaching to come into action, the thinking system of the teacher is important to consider.  Learning can only happen when teachers give more attention to students’ focus, behaviour and feedback. Ability for teachers to identify and rectify students’ learning problem can be done by practicing LS. LS is where a group of teachers work collaboratively with shared objective towards students’ learning. LS enable teachers to discuss and share students’ learning processes including looking into students’ learning difficulties. Teachers will be able to share their ideas, skills and even gives suggestions during the reflection session. Reflection in LS is the most precious session where teachers will bring about all possible ideas and actions to realize students’ learning at the optimum. LS also provide the best platform for teachers to learn from each other as well as from own’s weaknesses.