Perhaps one of the most exciting parts of being in education is the opportunity for change. Education is such a progressive field of work that people continuously grow. You just can't stay the "same" in our field. New students, new circumstances, and new curriculum standards lead educators to change constantly.
In this ever changing field, creating a learning network is essential. What are the options for educators wanting to learn while working within our schools and districts? Here are some ideas for those wanting to reach out and learn.
1. Blogs: Other than mine (ha ha ha), there are tons of educational blogs to follow and learn from out on the web. Here is a list of a few that I truly LOVE:
Joy Kirr - Author of "Shift This" has wonderful information to share! She even has a list of new bloggers to follow!
Connected Principals - Even if you aren't wanting to go into administration, as I am, you can learn the "why" behind many changes and ideas in education. Check it out! Some wonderful bloggers on there, too!
TeachThought - Here you can find many options to read that all encompass educational ideas.
Jimmy Casas - Have you begun reading "Culturize" yet? If not...you should! Oh, and follow this guy! He's the author and totally leads with passion!
George Couros - He's written a great book called "The Innovator's Mindset", and is so fun to listen to! I was able to hear him speak this past August, and it was great! He has great insight into the evolution of education and keeps it real for you!
2. Twitter it Up: Even if you do not want to Tweet (but I bet you can't resist), you should have an account. You can follow some wonderful educators, districts, and companies on Twitter. People tweet their blog posts, ideas, and share great resources on Twitter. I even follow someone who is dedicated to incorporating Google into the classroom! There are chats that you can join in almost each night dedicated to educational topics. Online learning was never so easy! Still need reasons, check out this post on "Why Twitter Matters" for educators.
3. Facebook - Facebook has tons of pages you can like and follow. I love to see ideas and questions come up in my feed. I can offer suggestions or learn from other through these pages. Sometimes you can find groups that are near you or in your state that are specific to the learning standards you're teaching.
There is one resource that I have yet to find...an online (virtual) book club for teachers. However, I feel that you could easily facilitate this via Twitter. I just feel it would be great to share those "ah ha" moments with others reading the same literature. But, that's just me!
Do you have other ideas? Share them with a comment....I'd love to learn from you!
