Contributing to Your PLC When You’re a New Teacher

Many of us become teachers because, whether we’re willing to admit it or not, we love the idea of having our own little kingdoms to rule: we decorate our own spaces, we set our own rules, and we plan our own lessons. Most school districts, however, expect teachers, new teachers and experienced teachers, to work collaboratively in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). We’re all for collaboration here at Three Heads, but collaboration is hard, and it can take time to make the most of it.

In the “How to Be an Effective Contributor in Your PLC” episode of our podcast, Answers May Vary, we share suggestions for effective collaboration based on our own teacher PLC experiences. We tried to consider different configurations—everyone’s new, you’re the new one in a longstanding PLC, you’re the longstanding member welcoming someone new—but we wanted to use this blog post to offer extra encouragement to new teachers.

Participating in a PLC as a new teacher can feel overwhelming at times for everyone, but it can feel especially intimidating when you’re brand new and asked to work with teachers who may have decades more experience than you or have been working together for several years.

Most of what we said in our podcast applies to teachers with any level of experience, so we hope you’ll check it out. But there are three big things you, as a new teacher in particular, should keep in mind.

New Teacher Etiquette

It’s important, first, to remember that you are new, and you have a lot to learn. No matter how well you did in your student teaching assignment, the first year of teaching is hard, overwhelming, and full of mistakes.

The other teachers in your PLC have the wisdom of experience, and you want their help (even when you think you don’t). You’ll be surprised how quickly you bond over shared difficulties and the knowledge that you’re not alone.

Listen, ask questions, and remember that everyone there has reasons (even if you disagree with them) for the way they do things. You will have plenty of time to take the lead on projects and committees, challenge traditional ways of doing things, and push for trying out new technology and teaching strategies. Use this year to figure out the dynamics of your school site and build positive relationships with your colleagues, whom you’ll be working in close proximity with for decades.

New Teacher, New Ideas

That being said, however, you are a teacher (hard to believe, right?) with unique strengths and capabilities. Have a voice in meetings. If you don’t understand something or have an idea about how something could be improved, speak up.

Share things that went well in your classroom AND things that really flopped. Look for ways you can contribute to the team effort, especially when you have something to offer that the team needs. Maybe you’re a great notetaker. Maybe you’re really good at organizing the team Google Drive. Maybe you have experience with technology that would make a project run smoother. Maybe you learned something in your credential program that will solve a problem or fill a need. Maybe you’re skilled at creating graphics. Maybe you’re an excellent proofreader. Whatever it is, you have something to offer, so don’t be afraid to step up and be part of the team. Your colleagues will thank you for it.

Feeling nervous? Try this.

It can feel intimidating to offer to create your first test or project, knowing other teachers will also be using it. Consider teaming up with someone else. We did this all the time (mostly because we liked working together and knew our combined efforts were better than our individual efforts), but it’s a great way to learn, contribute, and build positive relationships with the other teachers in your PLC.

Maybe there are two of you who are new, and working together feels less daunting. Or maybe you can offer to help a more experienced teacher, learning from them in the process. Either way, that extra support can remove one of the barriers to jumping in.

Collaboration only truly works when we all have a part to play. You have your own unique voice, experience, and skills to bring to the table, so don’t be afraid to speak up and dive in, but be ready to learn as well. Your team is lucky to have you!

Interested in learning more about effective collaboration? Be sure to check out the “How to Be an Effective Contributor in Your PLC” podcast and our YouTube video, “The Value of Norming Your Teacher PLC.” (It’s fine with us if you present it as your own idea.)