Learning Communities

What are Learning Communities?

Learning communities share common visions, values, and objectives.

An appropriate environment for young children supports active learning. Providing an atmosphere that supports student’s motivation may be more important than teacher’s content knowledge. A positive approach is the key to the motivation to learn. Positive approaches include setting expectations and establishing routines, letting students establish their own goals, providing choices, showing respect by listening to students and having a positive attitude. Children need a rich environment that challenges them.

Teachers who do not accept learning theories as the foundation of understanding and planning for young children believe that sociocultural factors should provide the basics for the education of young children.

Planning for children’s education should involve cultural, and community, beliefs and interests. Conventional views don’t recognise the issues faced by children in the current society. Children from different cultures may display enthusiasm and engagement differently. Therefore it is critical to find out what the children’s previous experiences are and what the family expectations include.

Are there theorists for Learning Communities?

Critical theorists look at the power relationships in the classroom. They encourage teachers to make sense of the ways their practices can combine to unequal opportunities for students. They believe that knowledge is socially constructed and there are no worldwide truths, principles, or laws that can be applied to everyone.

Bronfenbrenners system theory is made up of layers that range from the child’s immediate environment (such as home, school and peer group), which links with societal institutions (such as economic system, government and media) which in turn link with the beliefs and values of society. The layers interact with each other and with the child.

Marilou Hyson (as cited in Charlesworth,2008) describes a plan for classrooms that promotes student enthusiasm and engagement. Her plan is based on the concept of approaches to learning. The components to the approaches to learning include instrinsic motivation to learn, interest and joy in learning, engagement, persistence, planning, ability to focus and control attention, flexible problem solving, intentiveness, and tolerance for frustration.

Peers can positively affect each other if encouraged to work together toward common goals (Tudge, 1990; Cannella, 1993, as cited in Charlesworth, 2008). Children in classrooms filled with warm positive interaction exhibit less stress than children in classrooms where teachers use harsh, critical and detached interaction techniques. (Kontos and Wicox-Herzog, 1997, as cited in Charlesworth, 2008).

Interactions with adults are a critical part of learning and development. Children with secure relationships with their mothers also had the most secure relationship with their teachers (Pianta, Nimetz and Bennett, 1997 as cited in Charlesworth, 2008).

Inclusive classrooms promote children to communicate. They enable each individual's perspective to be heard and include each class member. The classroom is organised in a community way, with group tables. Learning is the responsiblity of the students as much as the teachers. It provides students with engagement and opportunity, and involves risk-taking.