One of the critical elements of effective schools developed as a result of recent reform efforts and restructuring processes was the concept of learning communities and learning circles. This short paper discusses learning communities and learning circles. It defines learning communities as "a fellowship of learners in which the teachers in a school and its leaders look for new and more effective means of practice and make changes based on what they have learned within this community." It defines learning circles as "small communities of learners among teachers and others who come together for the purpose of supporting each other in the process of learning." The paper describes learning communities, learning circles, the basic tenets of learning circles, the connections between learning communities and learning circles, the characteristics of learning circles, and the characteristics of learning communities. The paper concludes that learning circles serve as units of learning communities and can change a school's culture through building small communities of learners, using constructivist teaching methodology, supporting learners, documenting reflections on progress toward change, and evaluating collective expectations toward new paradigms of thinking about learning and teaching. (WFA)