Connections, connections, connections!
How to connect
with students and staff to build a learning community centered around literacy and
the love of reading; reaching out and connecting to local support groups and
other TLs to gain skills and insight to develop in and around the LLC; connecting
with staff to build-up their abilities and to collaborate; looking out into the
world and seeing how places and spaces around the globe are working hard by
forming alliances to help advance the ability of kids to read and grow.
I also saw the
importance of connection in our learning group. Seeing how my classmates navigated
through the modules we were exploring helped me evaluate my own thoughts. From Bill,
I saw the generosity of spirit in putting out resources to share with other
educators near and far. From Jennifer,
I read about the importance of strong support networks and having a common
vision to advance learning goals across a district. From Laura,
I was inspired to create more opportunities in my school for teachers to have
meaningful ventures in their professional learning whether it was to bring
sources into the school or to create a platform for sharing what we know and
what we want to learn more about. From Linda,
I saw the honesty of acknowledging that sometimes putting ourselves out there can
be a daunting task – we are seeking others out who may not yet want us or value
our skills because they don’t know what we have to offer. From Katy, I
was reminded how small things set in motion can carry to so much more - an accidental buying of several copies of a book leading to class book clubs and
then school-wide initiative that carried even through remote teaching; providing connections when we were apart.
I feel now more
than ever, I need to push to work with my colleagues. My school is divided due
to timetable constraints, the usual avenues for teachers to talk together, work
together and plan together are few or non-existent; the connections we use to have
are not presently there. I recognize that this is not for the long-term but
even in the short-term, the strain is being felt. While I don’t have the luxury
of seeing the whole school at one time as in previous years, I am seeing half
the school and therefore, half the teachers concretely over quarters. I hope to
be able to bridge some of that lost connectivity while seeing this half
population. I want to be able to highlight the amazing teaching I see from one
classroom to the next. Laura spoke of creating a platform to share resources, a
blog or a social media account for teachers to follow. Hers was specific to professional
development opportunities but it could equally be a place to showcase the
going-ons in the classes, successes and accomplishments so we can all celebrate
together. As a part of my school-wide events to promote a strong reading culture, I ensure having students see what each other is doing. There is always
a portion where they see beyond their classroom – lining the halls with other classes
to read, an assembly together to see an author presentation, or showing their artistry
by adding their work to a bookmark contest display. They want to see the happenings
of others in the school, they want to know that they are connected and sharing
things together. Now more than ever, the staff and students at my school need
to be reminded that we can lean on each other and we are not on our own. I hope
to help by working on a sharing forum and filling it with these highlights and
pops of positivity.
References
Bosch, L. (2020). LIBE 477: Inquiry Blog 3: Supporting
Teachers' Professional Development [Blog]. Retrieved from https://laurarbosch.blogspot.com/2020/10/libe-477-inquiry-blog-3-supporting.html
Dekens, K. (2020). Peruse Joyfully [Blog]. Retrieved from https://kthlyndk.wordpress.com/2020/10/12/peruse-joyfully/
Kroeker, J. (2020). Searching for Network Connections [Blog].
Retrieved from https://learningtolib.blogspot.com/2020/10/searchingfor-network-connections-libe.html
Mei, L. (2020). LIBE 477B: Supporting Teacher Professional
Development of ICT Curriculum and Pedagogy [Blog]. Retrieved from https://transdisciplinaryinquiry.wordpress.com/2020/10/19/libe-477b-supporting-teacher-professional-development-of-ict-curriculum-and-pedagogy/
Eleana, as I was reading your comments on creating a platform to share the happenings of different classes in your school, I began thinking about how we could promote this type of platform within the school community, and encourage our colleagues to engage with it. I know that many of my colleagues have created Twitter accounts and blogs in the past, and I must admit that until I began this course, I had personally never taken the initiative to really engage with any of it. I now realize how much I have been missing out on over the years! Many of the schools I have worked at do video announcements each morning, perhaps once a week we could have a highlight reel which focuses on some of the class tweets about learning that has taken place within the school that week.
ReplyDeleteWhat a strong, reflective post that highlights your major takeaways from phase 2. I appreciate the way you demonstrate the power of a PLN by referencing your learning from your classmates’ blogs. You pave the way into your Final Vision Project here. I look forward to seeing what you create.
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