Reading Reflection #2

Learning communities are an interesting part of teaching that many of us will face in our future careers. The main focus of learning communities is working together and collaboration.
One of the main benefits of learning communities from the teacher's perspective is being able to collaborate with other teachers and brainstorm together. Teachers in a learning community are able to work closely with each other and bounce ideas off of one another. This makes it easier for planning lessons and other activities that go on in the classroom. Another benefit is being able to be around other teachers instead of just students. Single teachers in the classroom do not get a lot of time to interact with other teachers. However, I would prefer to work alone in the classroom for the most part, just because that's the type of teaching style I prefer.
Learning communities can be great for both the teachers and the students because it strays from the traditional way of teaching. It mixes things up a bit for the students and can make learning a fun experience for them and their peers. As for the teachers, it gives them a break from teaching the same way over and over and it allows them to try new teaching styles. Learning communities not only allow for teachers to collaborate, but also students. All in all, learning communities create a rich learning experience for both the students and the teachers.
There are many components that go into creating a professional learning community. First of all, there has to be a clear sense of mission among all teachers in the community. If not everyone has the same mission, then the community wont function well. Not only do they have to share a mission, but teachers should also share the same vision for the classroom, shared values and beliefs, and be able to work together. Of course, in a learning community, teachers should always focus on what's best for the students and their learning. This should be a common goal among the teachers. These teachers should also be open to change and be willing to improve and improvise their work as time goes on.
The concepts in this chapter relate to our project, because our team will be working as a learning community to provide these kids a great lesson. The three of us will brainstorm and collaborate to decide what activities will be best for our fictional classroom. To be successful, we will need to incorporate concepts we have learned into our project.