Real authors don’t state their purpose for writing but I
feel it is important to let my faithful followers know that I am not chasing my
tail and I do have a purpose and a point to this particular series. (Real
authors sometimes never know how long the series is going to be or how long it
will take to tell the story.) So I guess I’m telling you, my reader, that the
purpose of this series is to increase your Professional Learning Network.
Followed with the thought that I have no idea how long the series will be. Does
that make me not quite a real author?! But at least you now know the purpose
should someone ask you to find and read it. J
Ok, let’s get down to business. The idea of a Professional
or even Personal Learning Network or Community is not a new idea. It has been
around for as long as you have if not longer. For example, your first learning
network was your family. You learned the social graces and acceptable behaviors
from a variety of interactions with your parents. You often learned what not to
do from your siblings, cousins or friends. As you grew older and your “network
or community” changed, you may have sought out the smartest kid in Chemistry to
sit next to in case you needed some peer tutoring – yes, let’s call it peer
tutoring.
Think back to your first teaching assignment. Didn’t you pick out and
latch on to someone who seemed to know the ropes. I know that I did. Her name
was Mrs. Marines. The assignment was 4th grade. I had heard about
Mrs. Marines from teachers, parents and students. People could not wait to have
students in her class. But why? What was it she did that others didn’t? How
could I learn what she already knew? That was in the days before new teachers
were assigned mentors. I went to the Principal’s office and asked about Mrs. Marines’
duty schedule. (I think I was beginning my career as a stalker at this point.)
I then asked to be assigned to the same duty station. This allowed me thirty
minutes a week to visit with her about what she did and how she did it. I asked
questions and listened. Yes, sometimes I took a notepad and wrote down things
she said.
My self-selected mentor assignments didn’t stop with Mrs.
Marines. I talked to everyone. If you had great looking bulletin boards or your
kids walked in a perfect line down the hallway or if you shared a revolutionary
idea in a faculty meeting, you could bet I would darken your doorway looking
for tips that would make me a better teacher: a teacher like you. (So thank you
to everyone who answered my tedious questions about how you do what you do.)
Well, now that we have the Internet and unlimited access to
just about any information source imaginable, you can learn from other great
people anytime of the day or night. That’s right; your PLN is no longer limited
to your school, neighborhood or zip code. Social Media sites and blogs can be a
great source of information. A bit of
foreshadowing (yes, I know real authors don’t announce that either), next time we
will learn about subscribing to blogs. J
To be continued………
- - - IT Girl
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