Have you ever searched online for ideas for your lesson plans? Have you ever wondered how someone else teaches the same concepts you teach? Have you ever wanted to run your ideas by someone else to get their thoughts or opinions? Do you appreciate the time you are given to collaborate with your peers? These are all great reasons to develop your own Professional/Personal Learning Network (PLN). A PLN is a group of people who are connected who share a similar interest. This group collaborates with each other with the hopes of achieving professional goals.
As a staff, the teachers at Red Lion Area Senior High School comprise their own Professional Learning Network. If a teacher wants to develop a larger PLN, here are a few steps they can take:
2. Read some blogs (both of the above web sites have links to educational blogs)
3. Join Twitter
I started developing my own PLN this summer. Some of the positive experiences that I have had with my PLN include:
-Sharing and receiving great resources to use at school
-Helping teachers get resources/lesson ideas
-Connecting with administrators and teachers all over the world
-A constant source of Professional Development
I honestly believe that creating your own PLN would benefit you as an educator. What about your students—think of the power of helping your students create their own PLN’s! They could connect with other students and collaborate on school projects, assignments and even study for tests together. They can connect with other students outside of the normal high school setting to share thoughts about what was covered in your class—this could challenge their thinking as well as reinforce what you are teaching. The possibilities are truly endless.
Hopefully, if you start your own PLN or you help your students create PLN’s, you will have some of the same positive experiences that I have had since this summer. As always, if you need some help or encouragement developing your PLN, please let me know.
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