Reimagining Learning Communities #1

A series exploring what learning communities are and can be.

Welcome!

I’m excited you’re here. I’m exploring what it means to build, participate, or manage a learning community. This is the first post of a series.

I’m actively seeking people, places, and products that are building learning communities. If there are learning communities that you love, or if you are building one, let’s chat! 

I first heard the term learning community in my college courses.

It was referring to professional learning communities in schools, to support effective student learning. The process of collaboration between educators: inquiry and action research to improve outcomes. 

Essentially, learning a skill, knowledge or an attitude and practicing it with other people. 

I experienced learning communities from both sides of the traditional education system, as a student and as a teacher.

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My major in college was a small program. Education and Public Policy, studying the infrastructure of public education in the United States. I knew most of my classmates by my Junior year. 

Classes were discussion-based. I loved diving into a topic with a group of people, listening to perspectives, and contributing with my own ideas and connections. 

We didn’t discuss to try and solve problems of public education, we discussed to learn from each other. To understand the problems a little better. We shared personal insights and our own challenges in the system.

This unified purpose formed friendships and trust. The passion everyone shared created a culture of active participation. The conversations allowed for vulnerability.

We had skin in the game, this was our college degree. It was empowering to carry that ownership, to co-create a space.

A learning community. One that held shared purpose towards a learning goal, active participation, deep investment, and belonging.

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When I went on to lead my own middle school classroom, I sought that same kind of community. Where the same foundations of belonging, active involvement, and shared experiences can exist. 

I focused my attention on one need: creative writing. I structured small groups where they were responsible for the writing process.

They were invested because they were accountable to their peers, they could choose when and how to actively participate and were in control of decision-making.

They co-created the process around a shared goal and the attitude towards writing completely changed.

I saw students unlock ideas and experiences. I saw every student produce something incredible, so uniquely them. The culture of the classes changed right along with it.

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Learning in community is so much more fun. To build, grasp, think, share, write, create, listen, untangle, challenge, question, experience with other people. 

To feel supported when trying new things.

Collaborative inquiry and action research to improve outcomes for everyone. 

I’m exploring what it means to build a learning community. We’ve seen how learning has shifted, how people are craving deeper connections with others, and how virtual opportunities have changed we way we see our traditional systems of education.

What it means to come together to learn. What it looks like to intentionally dedicate space for intellectual connection. What we can do when we see learning communities in unexpected places.

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If there are learning communities that you love, or if you are building a learning community, let’s chat!