Why This Matters
Connecting with others and learning with them builds the collective knowledge base which in turns helps those it matters most to- our students. Picture this, each educator clutching on to their ideas, tips and activities. Students in some classes or schools might have interesting and engaging experiences and others would not. Connecting across the country or around the world helps to share the successes that we have and spark new ideas that will help our students become successful and productive members of society.Connected 2.0+
It is important to remember that connecting isn't just taking ideas from others or just browsing articles on the internet. Instead it means engaging in discourse which is messy and can be uncomfortable. Pushback is a necessary component of the connected experience. If we choose to simply agree all the time with each other we risk travelling down what I call the "good news highway". This trip feels and looks good, but by the time you reach your destination (or are far from civilization) you realize you made a wrong turn way back in your trip and no one in the car spoke up! Remember, give more to your network than you take and disagree when you feel it is needed. Just like your face to face community that you live in, the richness of the experience comes from giving back and discussion.Why Highly Effective EDU's Are Connected
This concept was explored recently on the #satchatvoxer discussion group. In reflecting on this idea, I explored how being connected allows us to help others grow in the profession. I think that this is one of the hallmarks of a highly effective educator. It's one thing to be successful with teaching students in your own individual space, but truly exceptional teachers and administrators are constantly teaching other professionals to be better- whether this is on a Twitter chat, collaborating on a blog post or leading presentations or workshops. It is especially important to incorporate and involve pre-service teachers in these learning opportunities, this is where being connected really helps. Today a Google Hangout or Skype into a college class or PD session half a continent away is possible.What are your thoughts on being connected? There are many different takes on this- your thoughts matter, because you might have different insights that might help me develop my thoughts on this important topic!