PLN Actually Works

Now I'm actually using and participating in my PLN thanks to Powerful Learning Practice (PLP). In the past I patted myself on the back for keeping up with 2 or 3 professional journals, and I never finished all of them until the summer.

Then I became part of PLP and spent most of the fall learning and exploring Twitter, blogs, and web 2.0 tools. Now, great websites and curricular ideas come to me instead of me searching and sorting through pages and pages of links. It's worth my time to see what my "new friends" are talking about. Not only have these things come to me, but I'm sharing them with my colleagues and perfect strangers. One of my favorite blogs is Langwitches Blog about tech integration and globally connected learning. I'm tweeting and commenting on what others blog. Never thought I would be this involved. I get it now!

I joined edWeb.net, an educational social network. Within edWeb there are various communites you can join. I selected PD in Action lead by Kathy Schrock. The free webinars are great, and I often watch the archived webinars leisurely when I have time. I am learning so much, but that overwhelmed feeling hit before the holidays. The break is just what I needed, and my PLN is there ready for me to get going again. There is so much great information out there and so many people willing to share. There is no way a teacher can keep up and change their teaching and learning without a PLN. Go for it; it is worth the time.

More than a Lurker

Author Cathy Davidson defines learning as "a constant disruption of an old pattern, a breakthrough that substitutes something new for something old in a cyclical process."

Well, that is what happened to me this week. For over a year, I have been reading and listening to people talk about the importance of building your own personal learning network. So I signed up for Twitter, got a Google Reader account and started trying to find some people to follow and read a few blogs. It was hard to find time for this, and when I did, I didn't get that much out of it. So why should I keep trying? Then I started the PLP professional development program, and in one week I have become more than just a lurker. The light bulb finally went off! I learned how to find people to follow using the #tag which led me to #web20classroom and some great Twitter tips . I'm learning about some great links that I'm sharing with my faculty as well as retweeting. I now want to have a PLN that I can contribute to and learn from. The contributing part is new for me. I always felt I didn't really have anything to contribute, and feared saying something stupid. (I do that all the time anyway.)


But now, if I can help just one person or get one new idea, that is GREAT! My old thoughts about Twitter and RSS feeds were disrupted and replaced with a new broader way of learning and sharing with others.


A colleague said to me, there is nothing wrong with lurking. In fact, I needed to do just that to see how people used Twitter, blogs, and social networks. But it's exciting to learn even more and start to build my own PLN.

PLP pre-game

I have been trying to get into blogging and twitter for about a year without much success, and I'm hoping PLP (Powerful Learning Practice) will help me see the value of blogging and tweeting. I have a twitter account, but anyone I want to follow on Twitter, I've already subscribed to their blog. I find it hard to find new people to follow on Twitter because people have different twitter names, so it seems useless. I only follow a few people, and the most I get in 140 characters is a website to visit which I already knew about from the person's blog. I work with pre-K to 5th grade students and I don't see using Twitter in a Lower School. Help me see the benefits of Twitter!

As I was reading some new blogs suggested by PLP, I found a Guide to Twitter K-8. Since my students don't have e-mail, they suggested setting up a classroom account. Well, that sounded good at first, but then I wondered who would the class follow and how would they find out who to follow. I really want to be part of Twitter, but I don't see how it will help the students in a Lower School or me. Help!

Off and Running

I haven't written for awhile, but it's September, and I'm enthused and energized about the new school year! I guess I feel that way most years, but this year even more so. Friends School of Baltimore is in the midst of a great deal of change, and it's exciting to be part of it.


Everyone has been asked to try one innovation in their class this year. I talked to a small group who wanted to learn more about Twitter and build a learning network, another teacher wants to work on a 2nd grade wiki for a social studies unit, someone else is spearheading a collaborative story based on our school theme of "Reflection, Resilience, and Renewal" using Storybird. This will involve students in pre-primary through 5th grade. The ideas just kept coming. It was amazing to see so many teachers willing to move out of their comfort zone and take risks.


Then someone asked me what I was planning, and I had to admit that I hadn't even thought about me. I was thinking of ideas for other people and thinking about how the tech team can support the Lower School faculty. Then I remembered that I'm participating in Powerful Learning Practice (PLP) which provides virtual professional development throughout the school year. I'm not sure how much time this will take, but I'm enthused, anxious, and a bit nervous. I need to stay sane and balanced! (Fat chance)


So I'm off and running for another year! I'm committed to write about where the PLP takes me, the innovation at Friends, and any other new things I learn this year.