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.

Sarah Hughey's Reading Reflection #2

1. Discussion on the focus of Learning Communities.

Learning Communities shift their focus away from the traditional focus on what is being taught to what the students learn.  As quoted from Reinventing Project-Based Learning, the three main goals that Learning Communities emphasize in order to focus on what students are learning are 1) "ensur[ing] that students learn", 2) "creat[ing] a culture of collaboration for school improvement", and 3) "focus[ing] on the results".  Within the PBL Learning Community, a single teacher cannot function as efficiently as they could with only their classroom and resources; a teacher must find others who are willing to collaborate with them in order to reach these goals. 

While I don't doubt that these goals are met through PBL and Learning Communities, it would be hard to convince me that other types of teaching do not also want to ensure students learn and have successful results and to have a culture of collaboration.  One could argue that the goal of collaboration is harder or near impossible to do in a traditional classroom setting, as this book has done, but for every example the book gave of a teacher not being able to collaborate in a classroom, I can come up with another example of a teacher meeting these goals without using PBL or the book's version of Learning Communities.  Again, I'm sure the book's method towards teaching meets the goals stated, but I'm still not convinced that it's the best way for every teacher no matter who the teacher is.  I'd also argue that there's a lot of overlap between what is being taught and what the students learn.  I understand the book's distinction between the two, but I don't think the distinction is as great as what the book makes it out to be.

2. Discussion on the benefits of Learning Communities.

Benefits for learners include students learning to work and learn together, developing group-working skills necessary for the workplace, doing projects similar to the ones done in the workplace and being familiar with what has to be done to achieve success, developing general communication, management, and motivation/persistence skills, and building bonds with their peers and having someone to share the ups and downs with during their projects.

Benefits for teachers include more connections to colleagues and less isolation, more dedication to the mission, more sharing the responsibilities with other teachers rather than carrying everything by oneself, better learning, and a better chance of changing the foundation and systems of the school rather than constantly having to fight a futile battle for a needed change.

3. Discussion on how Learning Communities affect teachers.

Beyond the benefits listed above for the teachers, I noticed that the book also stated that the programs Learning Communities use focus on "adding something new rather than improving what a teacher is already doing".  I actually do not agree with this philosophy at all.  New and changing ideas are great, but I would much rather be able to perfect something I'm doing before moving on to another idea rather than just changing ideas for the sake of adding new ideas.  Yes, I would immediately switch ideas if what I was doing was not working whatsoever or if there really is something out there that has benefits that I can't get with the current idea, but I don't agree that adding something new should be emphasized over improving what is being done.  Teachers should feel free to keep doing something that's working rather than pressured to keep changing for the sake of change.

4. Discussion on how Learning Communities affect students.

Many of the effects Learning Communities have on students were listed above under benefits.  To also link it to the last chapter, students will leave the classroom with strong memories of the work they did when teachers come together in Learning Communities and implement PBL in their classrooms.  With the quality teaching and learning that comes from these, it will be hard for students to forget the projects and items they worked on throughout the year.  Making school fun and memorable like this can motivate students to continue in their education, reduce drop-out rates, and increase the likelihood students will want to continue onto higher education after their K-12 years are over.

5. Discussion on the components for shared vision in Learning Communities.

In order to have a successful Learning Community, the members and overall community have to share certain components and qualities, otherwise it will not work or be as effective.  These include clearly knowing what the mission is and believing in it, agreeing with each other on what must be done to achieve the mission, working with each other in teams to figure out what the best way possible there is to achieve the mission, having these groups headed by teacher-leaders, a focus on student learning rather than what is being taught, being results/goal-oriented, working and collaborating with teach other, and a dedication to improvement and life-long learning.  I think that all of these goals are great not just for Learning Communities using PBL but also for schools everywhere. 

6. Discussion on how concepts in this chapter relate to your topic/project.

    

This chapter relates to our project in every way.  The three of us will have practice working as a "Learning Community" as we work on this project throughout the course, and we will work hard to apply the concepts from this chapter in our project.  I think that we will even receive some of the benefits teachers get from being a part of a Learning Community as we work together and prepare to become teachers; for example, teamwork will make us feel less isolated, will make us share responsibilities rather than feeling the whole weight of the project by ourselves, and will make us feel more dedicated to the work when we know others are depending on our collaboration and hard work.

Arika Practice Map

Link to Practice Map

Assignment IV Link - Google Document and Google Map

Google Document:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-bLm9mUD0TO61e8Rjkp2UDXIORlU7qN27WHUVFp6k_k/edit?usp=sharing

Google Map:

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zPp7bl687O0U.kBvJeIvrMTAE

Map Description:

This map shows the locations of both classes and the distance between them.

Map Link Test

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zPp7bl687O0U.k15lGjRieRqY

Link to our Assignment 4 Document

Link to our Assignment 4 Document \

LINK CLICK

Reading Reflection #1

Throughout the introduction of “Reinventing Project Based Learning”, Boss and Krauss did a great job supporting the idea of establishing a new way of teaching, reinventing Project Based Learning.  All of the stories that were discussed about teachers who incorporated this new project based learning method into their classroom were very excited fulfilled with the results.   

As the students of Western Michigan University’s teaching program are introduced to the reconstruction of Project based learning and the success stories that are available, they more than likely will develop an interest in incorporating this method into their classrooms.  While beginning the journey through Project-Based Learning, it should be kept in mind that the majority of today’s students are up for the challenge.  As students are exposed to new modern forms of technology throughout their everyday lives, they appreciate the opportunity to take advantage of exposure to new technologies through this method of learning.  There will need to be communication and cooperation between the teacher and students.  Project Based Learning is a new direction in teaching that has adjustments that will need to be made.  However, It should be kept in mind that the projects that take place in the classroom are rewarding and worth the effort and will likely restore or create a new passion for teaching.  After the students have completed their project in the past, traditional method of learning,  the papers that contained the regurgitated information are likely to be thrown in the recycle bin and the success of the student’s completed project forgotten.  With the reinvented Project Based Learning, it should be kept in mind that students live and learn in the real world.  Once the student’s projects are successfully completed, they should be encouraged to share their findings and take part in other areas of study of the topic.  With this incorporation of sharing their findings with the public, the students will realize that their work matters. It should also be kept in mind that new, modern technologies such as laptops and access to internet are a context that encourages the Project Based Learning approach to teaching.  The access to this technological equipment and doors of communication it opens should be kept in mind. 

Project based learning is rewarding for the teacher as well as the students.  The relationship between the teacher and the student becomes stronger as they develop new ways of working together and accepting and incorporating new ideas.  Through this new method being used in the classroom, students develop good communication skills as well as inquiry skills, learn to be flexible with their working hours, develop a full understanding of how the world works and come to the realization that they, themselves, can do something to make a change in the world. 

            Although Project Based Learning has received outstanding reviews, there are also areas that need to be considered while undertaking this teaching approach.  Teachers nay discover that they need to conduct more research, or seek expert advice.  Also, unless the entire school’s educational staff is initiating Project Based Learning into their classrooms, it may be an uphill battle to explain the reasoning behind your method of teaching to fellow employees.      New Technology Model has the tendency to attract upward bound teachers and often leads these teachers to advance to administrative positions.  New Technology High received exposure to this method from Curtis, Curtis was eventually promoted to the position of curriculum director.