Reading Response 2

• The focus of learning communities is for students to learn about a specific topic by working within a group of students.  In learning communities students also develop the skills and dispositions necessary in the world outside of the classroom.  The students learn communication, problem solving, project management, motivation, and persistence.
• There are more benefits to learning communities than the skills the students learn.  Other benefits include decreased teacher isolation, increased commitment to the mission, shared responsibility, more powerful learning, and a higher likelihood of fundamental, systemic change.  These benefits are very effective as it also teaches the students things they will have to do as adults in the future.  The learning communities teach students commitment and responsibility, which are key once they start going into their careers.  The concept of learning communities was revolutionary when it hit the business community, therefore this type of learning will help students prepare for those types of jobs.
• Learning communities affect teachers by maybe making them change what they do in the classroom.  To have learning communities be effective, the teacher may have to use different strategies that they have not used in the past.  Teachers should restructure their interactions with fellow teachers.  The teachers do this by watching and reflecting on each other's classroom interactions, learning to give each other critical feedback, capitalizing on the wisdom of the group, and engaging in new patterns of thinking.  
• Learning communities will affect students in many positive ways.  the way of learning will give students abilities to work well with others.  As stated earlier, the students will perform tasks that will help them when going into numerous different types of careers.  If students do not work well with others the communities may cause behavior problems with those students. 
• The components for shared vision in learning communities are have a clear sense of mission, share a vision of the conditions they must create to achieve the mission, work together in collaborative teams to determine the best practice to achieve the mission, organize into groups headed by teacher-leaders, focus on student learning, are goal- and results-oriented, collaborate with each other, hold shared values and beliefs, commit themselves to continuous improvement, and see themselves as life-long learners.  These components mean that it is important for everyone within the community is on the same page.  It also discusses the importance of the focus on the student and what they are trying to accomplish.  
• The thing that relates the chapter to our project is the fact that we are working in groups.  As stated earlier, it is important for everyone in our group project is on the same page and have a clear sense of the mission.