My Personal Learning NetworkThroughout this semester at University of Mary Washington, I have acquired a Personal Learning Network that includes Twitter, Feedly, and Educator's PLN. My Personal Learning Network will continue to help me develop and grow as a teacher by providing innovative information and ideas. These resources also allow me to network with fellow educators.
Twitter Chat |
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As part of my Personal Learning Network, I took part in a live Twitter Education Chat under the hashtag #edchat. This discussion included various classroom tips for teacher and links to teaching insight. The posts include a wide selection of topics related to teaching and some interested me more than others. One great link that I found in this chat was about how to handle students who lie and deny (http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2014/11/22/how-to-handle-students-who-lie-and-deny/). I found this link very helpful and relevant because it is an issue that I have witnessed in my practicum class and made me question what I would have done as a teacher to handle the situation. Another helpful link (http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/11/excellent-chart-featuring-6-reading.html?m=1) discussed reading comprehension strategies which I found relevant to my 2nd grade practicum class that were focusing on this topic at the time. I find this type of conversation on twitter very effective for teachers looking for new and insightful teaching methods. I do not, however, think that the conversation was focused enough. It felt more like everyone was sharing individual posts rather than engaging in a conversation centered on a particular topic. The posts ranged from classroom management to pros and cons of business schools. Most of the posts were links, so the 140 character limit did not seem to be an issue. I personally liked this chat because it gave me some very useful tools, but I would like to try a more focused conversation next time.
FInal Twitter Reflection
By following various education related people and organization on twitter over the semester, I have gained insight and acquired new tools to add to my teaching knowledge. Not only do people post informative links, but they also share great collaborative opportunities. One that I found was shared by the organization We Are Teachers and included a link to a contest for classrooms nationwide (http://www.weareteachers.com/grants-contests/contests/give-a-bear-a-home-classroom-contest/?utm_source=TW&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Bearitos-Giveaway). The contest was for whoever could create the best bear habitat and the class could win a grant for up to 2.5K for their school. If I taught an elementary class learning about animal habitats I would definitely take advantage of this opportunity to get my students excited to collaborate and be creative. This is something I probably would not have known about without networking through Twitter. Another link that I found interesting was shared by Education Nation and gave tips for how to help anxious or stressed children (http://www.parenttoolkit.com/index.cfm?objectid=50A8EC10-32D8-11E4-B03B0050569A5318&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=SEL%20Launch). I thought this was an interesting topic because it is not one that I see tips on very often. Sometimes teachers can focus so much on the educational aspect of teaching, they can lose insight into the emotional needs of the students. It is an important topic for teachers to learn more about and the link provided breaks it down by grade level and is easy to use. Some of the people and organizations that I follow start educational twitter chats that are interesting to follow. Recently, the organization Wired Educator started a hashtag #greatideagiveaway and fellow educators have posted their ideas. This chat reminded me of Pinterest with the pictures and steps for great classroom ideas and techniques. All of these ideas are innovative and creative ways to keep the classroom interesting and engaging. Using Twitter as a PLN will benefit me as a teacher in many different aspects. Teachers will always have to grow with the times and current trends, and the ideas found on this site can help them keep up to date and constantly improve as educators.
RSS (Feedly)
Out of all of the resources I used this semester to create my Personal Learning Network, I found Feedly to be the most useful. I love the idea of having all of your resources in one convenient place. The articles found in my particular network include mostly “how to’s” and “the importance of” explanations. One interesting article source that I chose to follow is the Educator’s Calendar from TeacherVision.com. This source posts an article each day with significant historical events that happened on that particular date. This was interesting and helpful to me because I could incorporate these events into my classroom and even build lesson plans around them to spark the interest of my students. Even educational events are highlighted, such as Geography Awareness Week (https://www.teachervision.com/calendar/holidays-and-seasonal-events/58376.html?cc=us&month=11&year=2014&detoured=1). Another resource that I follow is called Educational Technology and Mobile Learning. These posts include videos and articles that give advice and tutorials for incorporating various forms of technology into the classroom. This particular article (http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/11/a-wonderful-note-taking-app-from-google.html) introduces a note-taking app from google that students can use in the classroom. Without Feedly, I don’t think I would have come across some of these great technology integration ideas. There are many interesting teaching ideas shared in various articles. I liked the resource called Cool Cat Teacher because it posts articles that spark my interest and get me excited for becoming a teacher. One article example (http://www.coolcatteacher.com/excited-classroom/) discusses different activities that teachers have been using in their classroom that they feel excited to share. As a teacher, I will constantly be growing and improving and looking for new and innovative teaching methods. Sites such as these will help me to further evolve and keep my classroom engaging for my students.
Teacher Communities (Educators PLN)
The Educator PLN is probably the most interactive and organized networking tool that I used this semester. It is similar to the Feedly site by having all of your resources in one convenient location, but also has various methods of networking available in one place. I like how it is organized by having the members, top content, videos, blogs, and groups in all of their own sections. They also have tabs at the top of the page for quick redirection. There are so many different ways that I can observe and interact. One of my favorite options on this site is the videos/podcasts. I can educate myself on a certain topic by searching the archives. One interesting video I found (http://edupln.ning.com/video/chapter-2-myths-of-education) discussed popular myths of education and explained why they are not true. I found this informative as a teacher in training because I am learning from experienced advice rather than a book or what is assumed. The video explains that although people may believe we need to get back to basics, we should really be asking what to do with the basics while still incorporating new information. It also explains that standardized tests do not always measure the quality of an education system and learning cannot always be standardized. These are tips straight from the experience of teachers. Another option that I like is that you can message other members directly and receive alerts to information that you find important. This allows networking and career connections more personalized. It sort of reminds me of LinkedIn for a community of teachers. I also enjoyed the way that the top content is front and center. There articles catch my eye and are valued of high importance. One article I found through this section was about a New Teacher Mentoring Program (http://edupln.ning.com/group/thenewteachermentoringproject?) in which teachers can sign up as either a mentor or a new teacher seeking a mentor. I will definitely take advantage of this service when I begin my first couple years as a teacher. Starting a new career can be scary and intimidating and this resource eases my fears a lot. I love that teachers have so many resources on hand and I will be taking full advantage of them to be the best teacher I can be.