KEYS to Teaching Success: Creating a Community of Learners

     Although a teacher’s leadership role makes their involvement in the classroom much different from the students’ roles, the community of learners includes the teacher as a community member. Usually, the teacher takes the role of the guide or facilitator. Kim Lee’s (2023) physics class is an excellent example. To introduce a team-based approach to learning, she designed an activity in which small groups of students built towers out of spaghetti, marshmallows, string and masking tape. After all groups completed their towers, Lee extended their higher-order thinking by having them reflect on the critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed to complete the task. Lee’s role was to explain the purpose and procedures of the task, to ask questions to steer the discussion, and to help students realize the purpose of the activity. By designing and supporting student learning, Lee collaborated with them, even though the students were doing most of the work.
     However, in other ways, the teacher might learn along with the students. For instance, when Yvonne Scott designed a project for developing a butterfly garden, she assisted her students as they “did all the planning, then brought their final plans back to the class.” However, once the project was underway, her students wrote new questions based on their work, and “we set out finding answers to [our] questions” (Detroit Public Television & Mort Crim Productions, 2003). In this scenario, the teacher engaged in a discovery process with her students, taking the collaborative process to a new level.
     Teacher-student collaborations can take place through co-designing curriculum or classroom norms. When involved in the curriculum design process, such as options for presenting understanding (e.g., poster, play, blog, letter to the principal), students have a voice and choice in their learning process, allowing them to take ownership of their learning. The same is true for developing classroom rules [See "Rules and Routines"]. Students will be more inclined to abide by the rules if they know they have a say in establishing them, such as with student-student accountability initiatives. Open conversations like discussion circles and feedback loops can also help students and teachers share ideas and learn from each other’s perspectives.  

Please open the next tab: Focus on Language Development

     The Standard 10 segment of this text [See "Standard 10"]. examines how teachers can help students develop their academic language. Such strategies also help reinforce a learning community. Generally, students should learn the vocabulary and discourse of the various academic disciplines. At the same time, oral, written, and non-verbal communication skills are necessary for learning environments grounded in social interaction, which helps everyone feel welcome and included. 
     Language development strategies include acknowledgment and respect for students’ primary languages and their cultures, which in turn fosters inclusive learning (Oliva-Olson et al., 2019). For example, including bilingual books, materials, and resources in the classroom supports language development and broadens cultural awareness. Teachers can also create multilingual displays, such as posters and labels, to reflect the linguistic diversity of students. Bilingual (or multilingual) students can be grouped with other students who are still developing their language skills. Such grouping can foster peer support and friendships to create a welcoming learning environment. A set of communication guidelines in the classroom might include classroom expectations, such as “Respect opinions different from your own,” “Ask questions to encourage others to join the conversation,” or “Show proof that you are listening.” Across grade levels timid students benefit from sentence stems (This text is similar to the other…, This source is reliable because…, Examples of ___ are…) to help them enter or continue discussions (Minero, 2016). Furthermore, teachers can involve families and community members to share their cultural and linguistic heritage, including celebrating cultural events to honor students’ cultural backgrounds and promote a sense of community.
 

Please open the next tab:  Meaningful Tasks

     What matters most to one student will likely differ from another. However, much research reveals students engaging actively in learning activities that connect to real-life experiences. Many teaching resources refer to such activities as authentic learning opportunities. According to McDowell, authentic learning is “a set of experiences in which teachers and students engage in contexts and content that align with real-world experiences, and students have choice in the experiences” (2022, para. 3). 
     Authentic learning activities can take place across disciplines and grade levels. For instance, an elementary teacher might engage her science students in building and nurturing a butterfly garden, while a high school history teacher might foster critical thinking about the law by designing his course around the Socratic method (Detroit Public Television and Mort Crim Communications, 2003). Authentic environments can occur through laboratory experiments, research projects, simulations, and the creation of digital texts (Lombardi, 2007). They can be inspired by current events (e.g., local or statewide elections), national emergencies (e.g., the COVID pandemic), or students’ questions (e.g., why school systems require dress codes). 
     Meaningful tasks are also more collaborative. Typically, such tasks require teamwork toward a common goal. Students can learn from each other’s strengths and perspectives, enhancing their understanding and fostering mutual respect. When students collaborate, their communication and problem-solving skills involve critical thinking and practical knowledge applications. Tasks that allow for personalization, preferences, and a sense of ownership (e.g., choice boards) can increase students’ intrinsic motivation, encouraging them to invest more effort and enthusiasm in their work. In short, if the learning activities matter to students and can be connected to real-world or future use, those activities can bring together a learning community.

Please open the next tab: Intellectual Challenge for Complex Thinking

     The research of Lev Vygotsky reveals that as members of a learning community collaborate and communicate, they also elevate their thinking. By observing children's interactions, Vygotsky theorized that those interactions helped them develop cognitive skills (1978). He coined the term zone of proximal development, which “refers to the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner (Mcleod, 2024, para. 1). Sometimes, that skilled partner can be the teacher, but often, the skilled partner is another student who can sometimes explain concepts in ways that a peer can better understand. By working together, students grapple with complex concepts, fill knowledge gaps, and draw conclusions they might not be able to draw when working alone. Vygotsky (1978) uses the term scaffolding to describe this learning process, and when used consistently, scaffolding can foster a community of learners.
     As scaffolding strategies, teachers might use visual aids and organizers, which can be particularly helpful for students developing language/vocabulary skills, including those who might not speak English as their first language. Some other strategies include think-alouds, sentence starters/frames, learning centers, step-by-step directions, use of technology, and progressive challenges that gradually increase in difficulty. These strategies encourage student reflection on their prior knowledge, thereby making connections to move on to more complex ideas. Scaffolding can give students support and confidence to tackle challenging tasks, either  individually or in small groups.

Please open the next tab: Goal-Oriented Instructional Conversations

     Instructional conversations are most effective when they are well-planned and foster student engagement and welcome differing opinions. Often, the teacher’s role is to use prompts (“What did you think about…” or “Where would you like to start our discussion of…”) as students share opinions, make observations, and ask their thoughtful questions (Lloyd et al., 2016, p. 293). This “managed dialogue” (Detroit Public Television and Mort Crim Communications, 2021) can occur in one large group or in small groups, such as in think/pair/shares, turn-and-talks, knee-to-knee discussions, or agree/disagree discussions (Lloyd et al., 2016).
     Through instructional conversations, students can think critically and explore different perspectives. Teachers’ questioning techniques can encourage students to analyze, synthesize, evaluate, or justify their reasoning–all uses of higher-order thinking. With open communication, students can express their ideas and provide feedback, sharing the role of a teacher in challenging deeper thought. Furthermore, collaborative conversations can build trust and rapport between students and teachers, creating a safe and supportive learning environment.
 

     When students move from one grade to the other, or from one subject to another, they bring with them strengths and talents from those other experiences and prior learning. These strengths might be proficiencies in specific subject areas or skills developed from special interests. Some students might be proficient in multiple languages, which can enhance their communication and cultural exchange in the classroom. Other students might also have skills using various digital and/or mechanical tools, which they might have developed in the classroom or through experiences with video gaming or social media. Digital skills can support classmates’ learning and collaboration in tech-integrated classrooms. In addition, other special skills can enrich classroom discussions, support small-group collaborations, or offer creative approaches to answering questions or solving problems. A student-athlete, for instance, might draw from team-based experiences in helping a lab group complete an assignment, or a student musician might inspire the class to remember basic concepts with an element of sound. A student with digital gaming skills might help others use coding or alternative pathways to solving problems or remembering key concepts. 

Please open the next tab: Cultural Background

     Students come from diverse backgrounds with different knowledge, traditions, languages, and perspectives reflective of their cultural heritage and personal experiences. Those cultural backgrounds shape students’ worldviews and approaches to learning. For instance, if students have lived overseas or extensively traveled, their understanding of different ways of life can help them propose different ways to communicate or solve problems. By the same token, students often draw from family experiences when learning new concepts. Those from large families, especially if they are older siblings, take on more leadership roles in the classroom, which open opportunities to delegate tasks. They might also need to be more open minded and flexible to varying perspectives. Students from smaller families, on the other hand, might be effective at communicating with adults or taking on individual tasks, but might also benefit from more guidance in working with other. Navigating different personalities and opinions can aid with resolving conflicts and negotiating. More shared responsibilities can also influence how one collaborates with others and engages in resourcefulness, particularly with finding creative solutions and making the most out of available materials. These different approaches are all strengths and can enrich the ways students work together.

Please open the next tab: Personal Interests, Hobbies, and Life Experiences

     Students bring to the classroom non-academic passions and interests (sports, video gaming, music, or art) that enrich the learning environment. Those skills and interests often reflect the family lifestyles. For instance, a student who works in a family restaurant might have strong spoken communication skills, especially when dealing with complaining customers. That student might also excel at remembering disparate details or be familiar with budgets. Another student living on a farm might reveal knowledge of animals or plants or might understand the concept of wholesale markets. In addition to reflecting on life experiences, these assets can enrich classroom activities that involve mathematics, spoken and written communications, task management, or research.   
     By recognizing students’ assets, teachers can make students feel valued and included in the classroom, thereby helping students build confidence. That confidence can encourage students to contribute to the learning community and take risks. Students can also serve as resources to each other, fostering a collaborative environment where students can learn from and support one another.

Please open the next tab: Growth Mindset Enriches the Community

     Furthermore, recognizing students’ assets can encourage students to adopt a growth mindset. According to Dweck (2006), students with positive growth mindsets are more likely to embrace challenges, persist through challenges, and seek paths to mastery, which signal a drive for academic success and overall well-being. With positive mindsets, students can develop resilience and adaptability, enabling them to grow and persist in spite of obstacles. Students can find inspiration in each other or use peer critiques to enhance their performance. Students can also learn from their teacher, who can model what implementing a positive mindset looks like in a classroom.
     Teachers can encourage students to develop positive mindsets by praising effort and progress over innate ability (Dweck, 2006). Emphasis on growth mindset helps students set realistic goals, take ownership of their learning and see progress over time, building confidence and motivation (Bandura, 1997). In the spirit of growth mindset, teachers might share their stories of working through challenges to achieve a goal, thus demonstrating we all need resilience in the face of setbacks (Yeager & Dweck, 2012). With constructive feedback targeting specific areas of improvement and the next practice steps, students learn the value of taking risks and making mistakes in forging the path toward their learning goals. Embracing a growth mindset demonstrates how a student's progress is just a snapshot, not a fixed measure of their intellectual capability.
In closing, building a community of learners starts on the first day of school, and it never stops, as students will need time to understand how community-building supports learning. Such work will pay off. In his career of supporting and researching schools as learning communities, James Comer states that “The social interactions in a classroom, if everybody gets to participate and feels belonging, motivates the desire to learn more” (Detroit Public Television & Mort Crim Productions, 2003). As with many social scenarios—families, churches, neighborhoods—working together toward a shared goal shows much more potential for learning than expecting individuals to meet goals on their own.