Sunday, July 26, 2015

Taking My PLN Seriously

I first learned about PLN's about five years ago. I came home discouraged after a professional learning session and started searching for alternatives online and that's when I heard about developing a PLN: a Professional Learning Network.

Now five years later, my network is strong, supportive, and sensitive. Whenever I need a link, resource, answer, or advice, I have a large network of professional educators and education enthusiasts to turn to.

This ready corp of enthusiastic educators has served to help me develop my education craft and practice substantially. I am forever grateful for their generous share with regard to their expertise, creativity, innovation, and care.

Currently my PLN includes the following:
  • WPS colleagues, leaders, students, families, and community members 
  • Twitter followers and those that I follow
  • Multiple bloggers
  • Pinterest users
  • Google+
  • ECET2 Colleagues
  • TLI Colleagues
  • MTA/NEA local, state, and national colleagues
  • FSU Professors and Students
I've yet to sign on to Voxer, but I imagine I'll do that one of these days since so many like it. The same is true for Instagram. I probably will resign on to Facebook professionally at some point too, but the reality is that I can only manage so many social media sites. Twitter remains my favorite, and Google+ is a close second. 

I welcome members of my PLN to reach out to me with questions and needs.

How has your PLN developed over the past few years? When do you find that you reach out most to this group of wonderful educators? How has having a PLN affected your teaching and learning?

It's time to take my PLN seriously with regard to the depth that they've fostered in my work and learning, and I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge that today.