PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES

Sharing vision is not just agreeing with a good idea; it is a particular mental image of what is important to an individual and to an organization. Staff must not only be involved in the process of developing a shared vision but must be challenged and expected to use that vision as a guidepost in making decisions about teaching and learning in the school.

In a true learning community, the individual staff member is responsible for his or her actions, but the common good is placed on a par with personal ambition. The relationships between individuals are described as caring. Such caring is supported by open communication, made possible by trust (Fawcett, 1996).⁷