Caffeinated and Motivated

With coffee and motivation coursing through me this morning, I am fully on track to implement learning I gained in one session at a recent conference. It has been a long time since anything at a conference has so inspired me to go (nearly) sleepless as I sought to build the systems the presenter discussed. While I did learn a few new online resources, the adrenaline rush came from learning how to connect them into a manageable network connected to other professionals – with whom I can share my learning and from whom I can learn.

As a result, as soon as I had a chance to sit before my computer for an extended period of time, I started setting up online tools for professional connections. I have always been something of a geek when it comes to technology, but I had not intentionally connected various tools into a system I could use to further my professional learning. I created a professional Gmail account with a Google+ account,  professional Facebook page, a professional twitter account with which to follow news trends and leaders in education, a webpage (no content yet, but hopefully I found one that I can actually use), this blog (my third – each distinct in content), and a Delicious page for sharing worthy articles I find. This is just the beginning, but it is a manageable start.

In education we constantly struggle to meet the professional development needs of a diverse staff. We demand differentiation for the students, but struggle to provide it for educators. One-size-fits-all does not work for adult learners any more than it does for children. Building a personal (I prefer professional) learning network allows us to connect with and through one another to find and share relevant information for personal/professional growth.

I believe that educators want to do the best for their students. The job is too hard for a person to continue in it without an intrinsic motivation to do a good job. I also believe that most educators want to continue to grow and improve in their craft. By providing educators with simple tools (once they overcome the fear of the keyboard, monitor, and cpu) that bring materials of value and interest, a personal learning network, helps us achieve our goals.

Connecting educators, from administrators to teaching assistants, provides a way to accomplish needs we have institutionally to meet identified particular needs of our students by focusing, as a group, on the skills that best meet those needs. With a variety of information available in the network, each person can find learning appropriate for their current level of practice. The same connection allows me to grow professionally as I connect to information that meets areas I have set for personal growth. Giving everyone the responsibility to identify and share information not only supports the desire to grow, but also supports the professionalism of everyone within the network.

I look forward to growing my network of resources. My coffee grinder and percolator are ready to go, but most importantly, by brain is engaged.