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.

What a tough week to balance! It was more a week of prioritizing.
I made sure I had some time for the last week of 23 Things. This online course was short and jam packed with lots of great tools for school and for me personally. I hope to keep the blog going now that the course is over and the RSS feed has helped me keep up with my professional reading. I loved how Paula presented the information using Screencast, YouTube, GoAnimate, Livebinders, and more. I know that I will continue to use Flicker for images in my Notebook lessons, and I already have a plan to create a Livebinder for our keyboarding classes. It will be better for the students to go to Moodle and open the binder for all of the sites instead of clicking on each one separately. Livebinder also had an interesting section on Food and Recipes. I know I'll be checking that out.

More Good Stuff
The photo editing tools were fun. I can see using Piclit and Five Card in school, and dumpr & Be Funky at home. I should have been working on a 1st year scrapbook for my grandson, but maybe I was meant to wait so that I can try some of these tools with his pictures.

All 3 feedback tools were great to learn about. I really liked Wallwisher and the link for ways to use it will be great to share with the faculty. Answer Garden was short and sweet and would be easy for a teacher to use in the classroom with one computer. I was wondering if the results are anonymous.

I need to spend more time learning about tagging in twitter, find time to play with more of the photo editing tools, and play with the video tools.
Thanks Paula!

So Much to Do - So Little Time

First - Great Job Paula! Loved the animation in 23 Things and the avatar is YOU.

The June/July issue of Learning and Leading with Technology had several articles that got me thinking. Since I'm still a lurker on Twitter the article "Join the Flock!" helped me see that I may, the operative word is may, actually start using Twitter to build a PLN.

There was also an article about on-line professional development using Teachscape, Elluminate, and Wimba. These are probably great for large school systems, but what Paula is doing this week with us is perfect. I think you need a combination of on-line and the personal contact. We could build our own new teacher Welcome to Friends- Getting in the Groove Course for those who always want to get started before orientation. I'm not suggesting we do it this year, but maybe next.

Another article I found interesting was "Navigate the Digital Rapids." It focused on global collaboration for teachers and students using the Flat Classroom Project. Like many things, it sounded great for middle and upper school, but when I checked it out there wasn't much to see. Summer may not be the best time to evaluate this. Has anyone tried it?

By the way, I'm finding lots of time for play. I'm on my 3rd book (just for pleasure), started knitting, playing sudoku, sight seeing, and lots of eating and drinking. Lots of gardens in Williamsburg, so today I may find some pictures for the Alphabet Garden.

Time for Play

Life was quite hectic last week getting ready for my cousin's wedding Saturday, but it was all worth it seeing her so happy. I've also been busy looking for algebra games online. Boy, there is a lot of junk out there, but I have found some very good simulations and games for the algebra project. I've even found some fraction activities for younger kids.

Now it's time to get to some things I want to do. I tend to work too much, so I want to make sure there is time for fun and play. Lots of things that are for school are play for me. I want to make time to play with ArtRage and look at paint.net to see how lower school children will use these with the new tablets. Playing with the Flip and iMovie will be fun, and that will be part of 23 Things next week.

I haven't really gotten into Twitter, but it was neat to learn about retweeting this week. It was easy to setup the Google Reader, and quick & easy to scroll through the posts. Using the aggregator may actually help me keep up with new tech ideas. I like reading short articles this way, but I don't like looking at an entire journal online. Still want to page through and mark pages I like.

I still need to find some time for pleasure reading, knitting, and time to work on my grandson's picture album. With vacation next week, the focus will be on playing. It's TIME TO PLAY!

Anything is Possible

Wow, I have a blog. If there is one thing I thought I would never do, it's have a blog. It's one more thing. Between work, family, friends, projects around the house and at school, and my new venture, where is the time to write a blog? How can I balance one more thing in my life

If you know me you know I like to talk to myself, so this is me trying to talk myself into this:

• Maybe this would be a way for me to organize my ideas, and share thoughts about technology, recipes, crafts, and other things I like to do.


• I find so many websites that I don't know what to do with. Maybe I could post some of them on Balancing Act with ideas and suggestions for teachers.


• Is this a way I could get ideas and help from others? Well, first someone would have to read this, other that those of you that have to.

It's just making the time to keep it up. Maybe once a week, I could make some time. Twitter doesn't take long, but what would I tweet about other than to recommend a website.

This is the beginning of my Balancing Act.