Building professional learning communities in head start: a mixed methods study on what it takes from teachers’ perspectives

Professional learning communities (PLC) are a form of collaborative professional development consisting of a group of teachers that meet regularly to share ideas and problem solve teaching strategies. PLCs are widely utilised internationally in primary and secondary educational settings, but less is known about their perception and use in the early childhood environment. In this parallel mixed-methods study, we explored North Carolina Head Start preschool teachers’ perceptions and experiences with PLCs, through the collection of quantitative survey data (n = 168) and qualitative telephone interviews (n = 11). We coded and analyzed qualitative data following a phenomenological approach and identified six qualitative themes: (1) Receiving and Providing Support; (2) Mutual Trust and Respect; (3) Structure and Organisation; (4) Supervisor Involvement; (5) Learning to Teach Science and Nutrition; and (6) Barriers to PLCs. Integrating both qualitative and quantitative findings, teachers generally perceived PLCs positively but faced barriers. Teachers may lack knowledge in content areas they were interested in forming a PLC around (e.g. science, nutrition). Additional research is warranted to investigate facilitators to overcome teachers’ barriers to PLCs and further examine the use and feasibility of PLCs in the Head Start environment.