Reflection #2

1. Discussion on the focus of learning communities:

Learning communities allow teachers to work collaboratively with one another day to day to improve their teaching. Teachers learn from one another and do so by trying new ideas and sharing those ideas and results with the other faculty. Learning communities allow for better education and higher improvement. Three big things that learning communities focus on include: ensure that students learn, create a culture of collaboration for school improvement, and focus on results. Learning communities set up classrooms for success and an engaging learning environment.

2. Discussion on the benefits of learning communities:

The benefits of learning communities include: decreased teacher isolation, increased commitment to the mission, shared responsibility, more powerful learning, and a higher likelihood of fundamental, systematic change.

3. Discussion on how learning communities affect teachers:

Learning communities affect teachers in several ways. Learning communities help develop skills necessary in the "real world,"which include problem solving, communication, project management, motivation, and persistence. It also helps teachers build bonds and learn to learn together.

4. Discussion on how learning communities affect students:

Learning communities also affect students in a similar way as it does for teachers. Students learn to work together, develop problem solving and communication skills, and have more powerful learning. They also are affected by having shared responsibilities with their classmates.

5. Discussion on the components for shared vision in learning communities:

There are many components for shared vision in learning communities. Some involve: having a clear sense of the mission, focus on student learning, collaborate with each other, hold shared values and beliefs, and see themselves as life-long learnings. These are all very important when having a shared vision in learning communities.

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

One of the biggest ways concepts in this chapter relate to our project is the fact that we are all working together. We all need to collaborate and bounce back ideas in order to work as a team and become successful on our topic.