“Anything that can be expressed in 140 or fewer characters is not a complete thought.” This comment was made by a colleague this weekend in response to my kvelling over #edchat, an ongoing Twitter conversation devoted to education.
Normally, I might agree. After all, you don’t have to know me long before you realize that I don’t use one word where I can use twenty. Twitter might seem an uncomfortable fit. However, I have found myself swept up in this streaming conversation with a swell of ideas and inspiration setting my mind reeling.
Tanya Roscoria has written a succinct explanation of why educators should create or join PLN’s (Personal Learning Network), so I won’t try and reinvent the wheel. Instead, I’ll comment upon my own experience and what having a PLN, specifically connecting to the Educators’ PLN on Ning and #edchat on Twitter, have done for me in just the few short weeks since I’ve begun following them.
First of all, I should mention that my initial reason for checking out #edchat and the Educators’ PLN had little to do with personal or professional development but rather to be forewarned and perhaps forearmed regarding the “next big thing” to be visited upon our school district. Our superintendent and high school principal, the driving forces behind most change in our district, are both active participants in their PLN and #edchat and, as union president and a classroom teacher, I figured I’d better find out what this was all about.
What I found was more than just a treasure trove of ideas and resources – in itself a pearl for an info-junkie and someone who would happily discuss educational philosophy and practice long into the night with any poor soul unlucky enough to be caught making eye contact with her – but inspiration, rejuvenation, and a sense of comradeship. Post a question, a thought, a comment, and receive replies from other educators across the country and across the globe. Links to blogs, applications, reviews and more are likely to be attached from people I’ve never met and from whom I would never have had the opportunity to learn had it not been for the networking possibilities of Twitter and other social/professional networks. Sure, these sites are out there on the web, but what are the chances that I would have found them through traditional search methods?
It takes me hours to jot down, electronically or with the old #2 pencil I still love so much, the ideas starting to germinate in my mind. Some ideas can be put into play immediately, some others may take more time, resources, or collaboration with my team to come to fruition. Some will never be more than impassioned discussion during a grade-level meeting, but they all help to keep the spark within burning brightly.
Far more important than the accumulation of practical ideas has been the sense of common interest, shared passion, that one feels as the comments and ideas go scrolling past your eyes too quickly to absorb. It is telling that by the time I can click on a tweet in order to reply, 5, 10, 15 more have come scrolling through, causing me to completely miss the target with my mouse. There’s no waiting for polite one-at-a-time commenting. I won’t call it a debate – the opinions tend to be too homogenous for that – but there is a diversity of ideas as to how to achieve common goals such as involving teachers in their own evaluations, using technology to enhance classroom community, or encouraging passion in our students. Everyone weighing in with their thoughts and resources, but mostly their passion for improving education for all of our students. Some express frustration, others share stories of success, others play devil’s advocate, and still others simply offer their support. I can’t help but come away after an hour of #edchat re-energized and believing in the future of education with so many impassioned educators dedicated to the cause.
I remember when I first left business to become a teacher. As I started graduate school, I imagined discussions of educational philosophy and practice over lunch in the teachers’ room. Lunch? What’s that? The day-to-day reality is that we live and work in environments where the little prep time we have is a mad rush to prepare for the next lesson, correct and return papers, and deal with the innumerable bumps in the road that make up a teacher’s day. A PLN, whether it is online, in the teachers’ room, or at the local watering hole, gives us that opportunity to reflect, encourage, support, and reinvigorate our selves and those around us, even when “around us” may include educators half-way around the globe. Join a PLN or start your own. The investment of a little time can reap great rewards.
Oh, and you can find me at www.twitter.com/pgroom209