Communities of learners for effective teaching

Early Childhood Education and Care
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Communities of learners for effective teaching is a corollary to an integrated approach and has
been found to be effective. The Making Learning Visible Project (2008) conducted by the
Harvard Graduate School of Education had envisioned various ways in which community of
learners in early childhood classroom where adults and children think each other as learning
resource for improving their work (Ritchhart, 2008). There are four prominent ways which is
essential to a students learning. The best possible to time to start learning is at the beginning of
the school year, when culture within the classroom can be established.
1. Building a team of teachers that can support community of learners: Students needs to
be collaborated and teachers needs to form such potential sources for the same.
Observation in children of various discussions for problem solving and situations can
enhance overall quality of learners (Samuelsson, 2008). Such participative,
collaborative and constructive feedback, this endeavor sends message to all participants
in classroom as they can form a member of the learning community.
2. Providing greater opportunities for small group discussions: Children needs to be
encouraged to debate, discuss in areas of common interests. Developing small group of
children with common interests along with complementary skills can help them
improvise and work together. Children can also be encouraged to discuss several topics
of interests with their neighbors and then come back to class to discuss with the whole
group.
3. Making use of documents for promoting collaborations: Students cannot be
collaborated easily at school to come to learn with their peers, while some children come
to school ready to compete with peers and obtain source of knowledge from teachers.
Documents as notes, photographs, student work, videos and transcripts for conversations
can provide powerful tool for engagement in group discussions (Buldu, 2010).
Documents also provides powerful tools for celebrating success moments or for further
learning. This forms an integral part of learning community with others.
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