REFLECTIVE PAPER – ROLE OF A TEACHER IN THE LEARNING COMMUNITY

REFLECTIVE PAPER – ROLE OF A TEACHER IN THE LEARNING COMMUNITY
INTRODUCTION
This reflective paper aims to explore the existence of Learning Community in a private school of Karachi in general and Role of a Teacher in particular. This reflective paper aims to identify the characteristics of a LC[1] and the role of a teacher through literature and understanding of this phenomenon and would explore and compare critically the actual happening.
The school chosen to observe was having an approximate strength of 500 students and 42 teachers. School was initiated by the Principal, who is basically a medical doctor, in 1999 with strength of 40 students, which increased gradually. School runs two systems of education i.e. Matric and O level, affiliated with AKU-EB[2] and Cambridge University correspondingly.
In a group of three members[3] we visited school twice to observe and collect data. Before visiting the school we had created a concept map to make ourselves focus to explore some specific dimensions of a teacher’s role. We selected a female teacher, who was the most senior in terms of longevity in service with the school.

WHAT IS LEARNING COMMUNITY – literature review?
Initiating with the quote of Michael Fullan about LC that, “The leaders' new work for the future is building learning organizations where people continually expand their capacities”. Strengthening this concept, Peter Senge further elaborates as; “most successful organization of the future will be a learning organization where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire”. Definitely this concept of Fullan and Senge is becoming the reality now, as adaptation of LC is a new emerging trend and demand of all organizations in general and educational institutions in particular.
Literature further clarifies that LC means facilitating a culture of collaboration (Lovely, & Buffum, 2007). To elaborate this concept Retallick, Cocklin, and Coombe (1999) have very concisely articulated and notified the basic requirements for LC as respect, caring; inclusiveness, trust; empowerment and commitment. Moreover, a most advanced definition in its nature described by Rogoff, Bartlett, & Turkanis, (2001);
Our ideas stem from participation in an innovative public school that prioritizes instruction that builds on children’s interests in a collaborative way, where learning activities are planned by children as well as adults, and where parents and teachers not only foster children’s learning but also learn from their involvement with the children (p. 3).
Learning communities are consisting of three pivotal capacities, which have very creatively and self explanatorily defined to understand basic elements of a LC by Mitchell & Sackney (2000). These elements have an impact on the capacity to improve teaching and learning include anything that shapes how people do their work in a school.
Figure 1: Key elements in building the capacity for a learning community (p.124)

WHAT IS LEARNING COMMUNITY – MY UNDERSTANDING?
LC is a group of stack holders including teachers, students and parents etc. who share common values and beliefs and actively engage in learning together. In order to create a LC we have to focus on learning rather than teaching, work collaboratively and hold ourselves accountable for results and better outcomes.
As the focus of this reflective paper is about the role of a teacher in a LC, so the staff should be organized in reciprocal, not hierarchical or top-down relationship (Retallick, 2005). This relationship can ensure, lessening of isolation of teachers, increased commitment and will to strengthen the mission and goals, shared responsibility for the development of students, teachers and organization as a whole.
EXPLORED DIMENSIONS AND FINDINGS
It has already been discussed that we had sketched a concept map before visiting school, where we had explicitly identified certain dimensions which revolve around a LC and significantly helped us to identify its existence in this school. Following were our focus areas and findings.
Leadership Style and Teachers
Members of LC work together, share expertise, and exercise leadership to ensure the intended results. These characteristics of leadership are known as DL[4] (Gronn, 2003), which starts from willingness to share authority, and the ability to participate without dominating. Stewart and Prebble (1993) state that, “If principals wish to change what teachers do, they must first change the way teachers think about what they do” (p.189).
In this school we found that a smooth form of DL was in practice in shape of top down order as Principal, Vice Principal, Chief Coordinator, Section Coordinators and then teachers who were also taking care of different portfolios according to their capabilities and their will, apart from the casual teaching. For instance, the teacher we talked was the coordinator of extra-curricular activities, as she told us that she loves to organize functions and parties.
According to the teacher, all staff members were mutually working together as a team. This idea has very accurately articulated by Sergiovanni (1996) that, “communities are collections of individuals who are bonded together…. This bonding and binding is tight enough to transform them from a collection of “I’s” into a collective “we”.
Teacher to Teacher Relationship
Review of a teacher's behavior by colleagues is the norm in the LC (Louis & Kruse, 1995). This practice is not evaluative but is part of helping each other. The process is based on the mutual respect and trustworthiness. In this school the relationship between teachers was very much healthy as they were having a nice chit-chat time in staff room while our visit to school, and the teacher also identified that she is very much satisfied with the atmosphere and work as she was expressive that she is learning many new things daily from her colleagues during ‘informal talks’ and from students. This statement signifies that one way in which teachers can develop a LC amongst themselves is to regard their everyday work as an opportunity for learning. Workplace learning means ‘learning on the job’ (Retallick, et al., 1999).
However, in terms of ‘professional dimension’ of LC, which demands for a professional collaboration and relationship by classroom visits and positive feedback, the teacher told us that, “I don’t need any help, when I need it; I visit library or internet and get the relevant information”. Triangulating about this notion, Principal also confessed that the culture of professional collegiality (Sergiovanni, 1996) is lacking, but he was optimistic to work in this filed to improve the true collaborative culture (Mitchell & Sackney, 2000) of positive feedback among staff.
We found that teachers have the potentiality to mould in reforms as they were actively participating without any hesitation in the discussion with us and they were in favor that reforms in terms of providing appropriate learning environment for students and teachers is needed. The environment that values and supports hard work, the acceptance of challenging tasks, risk taking, and the promotion of growth (Midgley & Wood, 1993).
Professional Development
LC demonstrates implementation of regular internal and external trainings and resources. Continuous professional learning is focused on improving practice and performance as a vehicle for school improvement and program coherence. This is accomplished through collaboration, reflection and frequent review of pedagogy then planning relevant trainings and refresher courses accordingly.
In the focused school, we found that the teacher who has been working with this school for last 6 years got enough in-house trainings and also participated in different workshops. School also encourages staff for professional development and educational enhancement and gives relaxation in terms of timing and required leaves. School also had been sponsoring staff for different trainings, which has been now STOPPED as principal evidently told us that, “When I invest and train a teacher, right after the training, teacher quits the job”. However, internal training sessions remain continued frequently throughout the year, which is facilitated by the Principal and Vice Principal.
MY LEARNING, CHALLENGES AND MY ROLE IN GROUP WORK
It was an excellent experience to work closely with nice fellows having different capabilities, like sharp observation skills, finest communication skills, good time managers, soft heartedness, and computer expertise. Amalgamation of these capabilities, in my opinion was the patronizing and driving factor for understanding the topic and reflecting with much confidence and owning the presented data.
During this visit of school, I learnt many new things and some reinforcements in my learning. I found a sense and applicability of DL among all the staff members which very much attracted me. It will be the reinforcing factor for me in future and I would be eager to know more about the headteacher’s role in this regard as I found him the focal point.
Another thing which I learnt, was the understanding of responsibility as all the staff members of this school were not only assuming their selves only teachers, but also involved in different activities of school, like taking care of discipline, school maintenance, handling school assemblies and co-curricular activities etc. I will be looking forward to understand more this notion of leadership in this school.
To understand the role of a teacher in a learning community two days visit and observation, probably was not much sufficient to collect data, as the teacher whom we had taken as sample was very much busy with her classes and home assignment checking. However, with collaboration of section coordinator, we were able to talk with her and observe.
CONCLUSION
Concluding this reflective paper, I am confident to say that the school is on the track to transform the school to a LC. A slight supportive and collaborative atmosphere is needed for further progress by the Principal. DL extends authority and influence to groups and some further downed distribution of responsibilities can flourish school further. On going professional development is always the assurance of success that needs to be initiated, while taking appropriate measure to retain the trained staff.
REFERENCES
Gronn, P (2003). The New Work of Educational Leaders: Changing Leadership Practice in an Era of School Reform. London. Sage Publications.
Harris, A. (2007). Distributed leadership: conceptual confusion and empirical reticence. International Journal of Leadership in Education. 10(3), 315-325
Lovely, S. & Buffum, A.G. (2007). Generations at School: Building an Age-Friendly Learning Community. California: Crown Press.
Mitchell, C & Sackney, L (Eds.). (2000). Profound Improvement: Building Capacity for a Learning Community. The Netherlands: Swets & Zeitlinger.
Retallick, J. Cocklin, B. & Coombe, K. (Eds.). (1999). Learning Communities in Education: Issues, strategies and contexts. London: Routledge.
Retallick, J. Farah, I. (Eds.). (2005). Transforming Schools in Pakistan: Towards the Learning Community. Pakistan: Oxford University Press.
Rogoff, B., Turkanis, C.G & Bartlett, L. (Eds.). (2001). Learning Togathre: Children and Adults in a School Community. New York: Oxford University Press
Sergiovanni, T.J. (1996). Leadership for the Schoolhouse: How Is It Different? Why Is It Important? San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Stewart, D. & Prebble, T. (1993). The Reflective Principal: School Development Within a Learning Community. New Zealand: ERDC Press Massey University.
Tungsten School of Excellence. (n.d.) [Brochure].Karachi, Pakistan:

[1] Learning Community
[2] Aga Khan University – Examination Board
[3] CPs of M.Ed. 2009
[4] Distributed Leadership