| When classroom teachers work collaboratively, they are often required to serve in leadership positions over their peers. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) provide teachers with the training and practice necessary to succeed in those leadership positions. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to identify the level of PLC collaboration at a Georgia middle school, referred to as DCMS, to determine the leadership characteristics of participating teachers. The theoretical foundation of the study was Bandura's constructivist theory in which learning occurs through experiences that build knowledge and define actions. A convenience sample of 40 participants at the DCMS site was chosen for this study. The data came from 4 Likert-scaled survey instruments. Data were analyzed by tallying scores to find the average of each participant's responses, comparing those findings through descriptive statistics, and drawing conclusions about leadership and collaboration. The study results suggested that, although the staff were will to collaborate on some aspects of the school's programs, such as calendar issues and reward programs, they were opposed to addressing others, such as those relating to curriculum. Results also revealed that the democratic style of leadership was more dominant than the authoritarian and laissez-faire leadership style. The results from this study will help teachers develop effective PLCs through collaboration. As teachers understand their current collaborative level, they move forward using the data to structure curriculum, culture, and goals; through this process, they may develop better ways to work together effectively. |
