Building Learning Communities

Background

With the emergence of globalization as a major force in society, business leaders, parents, and civic institutions have moved away from seeing the school as the sole care-taker of our children to the cradle for future leaders, entrepreneurs, and community members. At the same time, schools, in an effort to turn themselves around, have begun to reach out to the community for support and for the betterment of students in general. The result of these two forces has in many places moved the school from caretaker of the children to the center of community life. Moreover, research indicates and success stories show that a high level of school-community integration not only benefits students, but the community as a whole. Thus, schools everywhere have shifted toward a “community of learners” model or framework from which to mold their identity and place within communities.

Benefits

A “community of learners” is one wherein every member of the community feels an attachment to the school either as a place to learn, a place for recreation, or a place for enrichment. In turn, students benefit from community involvement through increased opportunities for education, experience, and support. The elderly, for example, may attend night courses at the school while offering to talk to students about their life-experiences. Businesses might fund educational programs or projects to increase their name recognition and standing within the community while at the same time helping to create future professionals for their industries. Parents, too, who may have stayed out of the school might attend after-school cultural events with their children, thereby increasing their attachment to the school and their feelings of connectedness with it.

The health of a community that respects and participates in education cannot help but improve. Ongoing community involvement in the schools will create learning and social environments that are prohibitive to crime and drugs. Perhaps most importantly, students will know that the building they go to everyday is not like any other and that what goes on there is respected and appreciated.

Examples

Zavala Elementary school was, by the end of the 1980s, a failing school. Scores were low, the school climate was bad, and the students were suffering. New Principal Alejandro Mindiz-Milton decided that a change was needed. He talked to the Austin Interfaith, an organization devoted to helping poor and disadvantaged families. Together, they decided to go door to door with students to visit parents and community members to foster a greater sense of involvement in the school—it worked. As the school improved, Mindiz-Milton successfully managed to land a number of grants and involve his teacher in professional development programs. Student performance as a result is up and Zavala Elementary, once one of the worst schools in East Austin is now one of the best.

Related Links

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What Is It?

AIM: Design 3

This web site defines what a community of learners looks like and shows how it fits into the AIM model of school reform. (From Education Development Center)

Community Schools: A Vision of Learning That Goes Beyond Testing

This excellent article provides a definition of what exactly a “community of learners” should be. The benefits and opportunities of having a community of learners are covered as well. (From Harkavy, Ira and Blank, Martin. Education Week, vol. 21., No. 31.)

Models of Community Learning Networks in Canada

This report covers defines what a community learning network is, describes different types of learning community models/programs, and deal with the who, what, where and why of learning communities in general. This report is an excellent tool for really understanding what a learning community is and what it can do. (From New Economy Development Group. Prepared for the Office of Learning Technologies, 1999-2000)

School Community Collaboration

This online guide for increasing community involvement in schools is excellent. NCREL has covered every main theme of community involvement as well as everything from community involvement "checklists" to interviews with experts to emerging success stories. Incredibly good starting point for any principal. (From North Central Regional Educational Laboratories. New Leaders for Tomorrow's Schools, January 1996)

Using School-Community Partnerships to Bolster Student Learning

This policy brief put together by WestEd can serve almost as a blueprint for any principal attempting to create a community of learners. Ways and benefits of improving community involvement at the local, district, state, and regional level are covered as are pitfalls. Very summative. (From Lee-Bayha, June and Harrison, Tenly with contributions from Goldstein, Suzanne D. WestEd Policy Brief, December 2002)
Tools & Resources

America’s Promise: The Alliance For youth

This organization is seeking to improve student learning by involving communities in school life based on five “promises.” Communities that make these promises to their youth become connected to a nation-wide network of schools and communities dedicated to improving the education of the young. This organization and strategy could be a useful option for any principal.

Building Home, School, and Community Partnerships

This online handbook is an invaluable resource for any principal looking to involve the community to better his or her students. The handbook covers a planning phase, the use of neutral facilitators, and finally how to chart progress regarding community involvement. (From Molloy, Patty; Fleming Grace; Rodriguez, Cindy Rojas; Saavedra, Norma; Tucker, Beverly; Williams, David L. Jr. SEDL, 1995)

Communities at Work: A Guidebook of Strategic Interventions for Community Change

This guidebook is very valuable—it states that the focus of the community is the public school and that community involvement in schools is important for everyone. The role of Local Education Funds (LEFs) is the focus of the guidebook—nine case studies are examined. This is another incredibly valuable resource for any principal looking to generate funds and involvement from the community. (From A report prepared by Collaborative Communications Group for the Public Education Network. Public Education Network, 2002)

Community Update

The web states that “Community Update is the U.S. Department of Education’s monthly newsletter for parents, educators and community partners involved in efforts to improve education. Featuring model programs from around the nation, Community Update puts its readers in touch with resources, services and publications for increasing student learning. Community Update also features voices from the people on education's front line. Each month contributing writers discuss real life successes and challenges they face in their schools and communities. Among the contributors have been a school superintendent, teacher, college student, and a research psychologist of early childhood development. In addition, every issue includes an in-depth article on a model school or program that has overcome obstacles to increase student achievement, such as a Virginia school that made a sharp turnaround in test scores with a double commitment from teachers and the principal.” (From U.S. Department of Education)

National Network of Partnership Schools

This organization seeks to assist schools and districts around the country to improve their school/parent/community relations. Becoming a member of the network could prove invaluable to many schools. An interested principal or administrator can look over what the NNPS can do for their school/s and read testimonials from around the nation. (From Johns Hopkins University)

Reading Room Publications

The NCAE provides in their reading room a number of free articles that deal with community involvement, full service schools, success stories, and policy recommendations. Though not many articles are added on a regular basis, this link has a wealth of valuable articles for any administrator or educator looking to understand community schools/communities of learning. (From National Community Education Association)

The Role of Shared Values and Vision in Creating Professional Learning Communities

Defining a vision based on shared values is a crucial step that administrators must consider as they lead their schools through reform efforts. This article reports findings from a national study of creating professional learning communities in schools and how an organizational framework helped to explain vision development in 18 schools. Recommendations for principals to provide support to faculty members are offered. (From NASSP Bulletin. December 2003. Vol. 87 No. 637, pp. 21-34.)
Model Programs

Leadership for High Performance Learning

The Summer 2003 issue of The Link introduces AEL's research-based conceptual framework for school leadership actions that create a high-performance learning culture. Within such a culture, colleagues and peers support one another's efforts, and resources and structure are aligned with expected behaviors. The framework embodies five components derived from a review of the research on creating high-performing learning communities: (1) vision, (2) mission, (3) core beliefs, (4) strategic structures, and (5) distributed accountability. According to the framework's developers, the framework is "a dynamic, action-oriented blueprint for leaders and can serve as 'scaffolding' to guide and support strategic interventions intended to strengthen school culture." (From The Link. Vol. 22, No. 2. AEL, 2003.)

Parkland High School: Schoolwide Improvement Thanks to Community-wide Support

Parkland High School, under the leadership of principal Harold Smith, saw a complete turnaround thanks to Smith’s focus on the school learning climate and self-image with the help of parents and local businesses. (From Cavill, Lori. National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform: School Stories, September 2002)

Preparing and Supporting School Principals: Early Insights from theSchool Leadership Learning Community

In January 2003, the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) established the School Leadership Learning Community (SLLC), a communication and consultation network among 24 DOE grantees. The SLLC, supported by the Laboratory for Student Success at Temple University, seeks to connect the SLLC members and support shared learning; capture lessons learned and promising practices; and multiply the impact of the members’ policy and practice work. (From Temple University Laboratory for Student Success, Field Notes: Capturing Conversations of Prodedural Knowledge, Spring 2005. Note: IEL's Betty Hale and Barbara McCloud wrote a significant portion of this issue of Field Notes.)

Promising Practices, 2000

The NNPS provides here countless examples and testimonials of successful community, parent, and business involvement from schools around the country. Topics covered are parenting, community collaboration, communicating, volunteering, and decision making. (From National Network of Partnership Schools)

Successful Community Organizing for School Reform

Though this is ultimately a research report for educators and policy makers interested in community involvement in school reform, the list of success stories and strategies it provides is impressive. Any educator wondering how exactly the community can be effectively involved in school life need only examine some of the strategies mentioned here. Extremely useful appendices outline possible strategies for increasing community involvement. One interesting idea mentioned in the report is increasing accountability measures to include the parents and community in general. (From Gold, Eva and Simon Elaine with Brown Chris. Research for Action and Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform, March 2002)

Zavala Elementary School

This is a story of how one principal, Alejandro Mindiz-Melton, managed, through involving local community organization, to turn a failing school around. As Zavala elementary school began to improve, principal Mindiz-Milton began to attract more and more attention from parents, businesses, and educational programs. Scores went up, student attendance improved, and further funds were accumulated as the school began to build on success after success.
Selected Research & Articles

After School Programs: Keeping Children Safe and Smart

Though certainly not the only way to increase student learning and living, this article shows how after school programs can help students do better in school while involving the community at the same time. Successful after-school programs are mentioned as are strategies for their creation, implementation, and involving the community. (From Chung, Me-An. Partnership for Family Involvement in Education)

Becoming a Learning Community

This article describes how various members of the community can be drawn into public schools, even when they are not attending students, so that everyone in the community feels a relationship with the school system. Programs for the elderly, for example, improve the schools relationship with taxpaying citizens while at the same time improving the community as a whole. (From Beth Buchler and Margaret Johnson )

Browse Topics

This collection of articles is invaluable to anyone trying to understand comprehensive school reform. Parent and Community involvement have their own section with countless articles relating to a wide array of topics. (From National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform)

Principals and Teachers: Continuous Learners

This on-line publication describes how teachers and principals can form themselves into learning communities capable of continuous reform, change, and adaptation. Provided by SEDL, the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, the publication lists examples, models, and success stories. (From Issues...about Change. SEDL. Volume 7, Number 2.)