The Professional Growth Cycle (PGC) for leaders demonstrates trust in the profession to meet the high expectations they set for themselves. Unproductive compliance activities often increase the leader’s workload while a model enabling a focus on professional growth, whilst upholding professional obligations, creates a rewarding high trust relationship.
A crucial element of the PGC is a Professional Learning Group (PLG). In essence, a PLG is a long-term professional learning strategy which provides leaders with the opportunity to learn from each other in a sustained way. It is collaborative, based on trust, involves critique based on evidence of practice, and supports others to grow professionally. Through challenge and critical reflection, the collective IQ of leaders creates new knowledge and insights developing a dynamic professional learning group. A PLG, therefore, is a confidential process through which leaders work together to reflect on current practices; expand, refine, and build new skills; share ideas; teach one another; and solve problems in the school setting.