REAL Conversations About Curriculum: Introducing REAL PLC’s in 2025-26

“It’s easier to move a cemetery than change a curriculum.” – Woodrow Wilson

I saw this quote on a slide the other day – and thought: what an inconvenient truth! But it’s not wrong: pedagogical change is hard. My perspective on this is hard-won: at R.E.A.L., we have worked with almost a thousand teachers to change how they run class discussion in the last four years. So: how have we done it so far – and what changes do we need to make to do it better this year? 

at R.E.A.L., we have worked with almost a thousand teachers to change how they run class discussion in the last four years. So: how have we done it so far – and what changes do we need to make to do it better this year? 

First: at R.E.A.L. Discussion, we pride ourselves on being realists. We swear by the mantra “name it to tame it” – though that means we sometimes say things out loud others don’t: One-and-done workshops don’t actually work! Curricular change is as much about managing generational differences in the workplace as it is teaching kids! Facilitating discussions does not mean you are teaching discussion skills! 

In the face of these challenges, we start small: trusting that changes in daily habits add up to intentional skill-building. And we never lose sight of the why behind the work: connecting the dots between what happens in the classroom today and what our world will look like tomorrow. 

As a result, we do not approach teachers who use R.E.A.L.®  as “customers” or “users.” We treat teachers as professionals, adults with agency who teach, learn, and reflect for a living. We believe that R.E.A.L.® teachers are pedagogical pioneers who understand that they are part of something bigger than themselves. They are creative, generous, reflective, and resilient. They stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us in our mission: to teach discussion skills to kids growing up in our tech-centric, polarized world. 

Over the last year, we have been engaged in deep conversations with teachers and academic leaders about how we can design our program to best support teachers as they “pioneer.” Our initial instincts led to two now-familiar offerings: on-demand instructional coaching for individuals (“Office Hours”) and monthly, topic-based webinars (“Study Sesh”). While Office Hours have been widely used – teachers have called it “better than therapy,” “a luxury,” “the thing I didn’t know I was missing in my teaching life” – Study Sesh has been a logistical challenge.

Thanks to feedback from our community, we realized something was missing: we weren’t creating opportunities for practitioners to have real, consistent conversations with each other about their practice. That’s why in 2025-26, we are introducing R.E.A.L.® Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

Thanks to feedback from our community, we realized something was missing: we weren’t creating opportunities for practitioners to have real, consistent conversations with each other about their practice. That’s why in 2025-26, we are introducing R.E.A.L.® Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

R.E.A.L.® PLCs will be virtual cohorts of R.E.A.L. practitioners who gather four times a year. Grouped first by experience level (i.e. New to R.E.A.L.; 1-2 Years with R.E.A.L;, 3+ Years with R.E.A.L.) and then in break-outs by department (i.e. English, History, Other). These PLCs will provide consistent opportunities for relationship-building and real discussions about immediate pedagogical challenges. In this first year, enrollment will be capped in order to maintain the integrity of the experience; we expect the Zoom-Rooms to be full of some of the brightest minds and biggest hearts in the network!

R.E.A.L. ® Teachers, if you are interested in joining a PLC, talk to your Department Chair ASAP. And R.E.A.L. ® Leaders, if you want to represent your school in PLC’s this year, let’s think together about which teachers to nominate.

R.E.A.L. ® Teachers, if you are interested in joining a PLC, talk to your Department Chair ASAP. And R.E.A.L. ® Leaders, if you want to represent your school in PLC’s this year, let’s think together about which teachers to nominate.

Curriculum may be hard to change, but conversation is key to how it happens. At R.E.A.L. ® we are proud and grateful to facilitate. Here’s to the real discussions ahead in PLC in 25-26!