Classnotes Podcast (January 31, 2011) Research shows that providing intensive, content-rich and collegial learning opportunities for teachers can improve both teaching and student learning. IDRA has seen that when teachers come together as a community of practice to share questions, successes, lessons learned and to support each other, the teachers feel valued and renewed. And importantly, their students do better in school. Josie D. Cortez, M.A., an IDRA senior education associate, outlines four key elements that are critical to successful teacher communities of practice. Josie is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center.Show length: Send comments to [email protected].Sign up for Classnotes e-mail alerts.ResourcesValuing Youth- Reflections from a Professional Learning CommunityBy Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., and Josie Danini Cortez, M.A., IDRA Newsletter (2007)http://www.idra.org/resource-center/reflections-from-a-professional-learning-community/Professional Learning Communities: Overcoming the RoadblocksBy Nan Lujan & Barbara Day, The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin (Winter 2010)https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-2071788431/professional-learning-communities-overcoming-theNew Eyes: Meeting Challenges Through Communities of PracticeNational Association of State Directors of Special Education, Inc. (March 2007)http://www.ideapartnership.org/documents/NewEyes-3-HTQ.pdfBuilding School-Based Teacher Learning Communities: Professional Strategies to Improve Student AchievementBy Milbrey McLaughlin and Joan E. Talbert (2006)http://www.amazon.com/Building-School-based-Teacher-Learning-Communities/dp/0807746797Schools that Learn: A Fifth Discipline Fieldbook for Educators, Parents, and Everyone that Cares About EducationBy Peter M. Senge, Nelda H. Cambron McCabe, Timothy Lucas, Art Kleiner, Janis Dutton, Bryan Smith (2000)http://www.amazon.com/Schools-That-Learn-Discipline-Fieldbook/dp/0385493231Your feedbackWe welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Send an e-mail to [email protected].Listen to every episode!To ensure you don’t miss a single episode of IDRA Classnotes, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, (download iTunes free if you don’t have it) or sign up to receive an e-mail alert as soon as a new show is published.The post Teacher Communities of Practice – Podcast Episode 82 appeared first on IDRA.