The development of a solid connection with lasting commitment to content is difficult with the time constraints of educators today. There is just so much going on within our world of education today! We have greater time constraints than a decade ago and with all the financial reductions and class enrollment declines from population declines in most areas, class sizes have increased stretching the demand on the individual teacher. Most recently within most schools, the increase workload of curriculum mandates due to new CCSS guidelines and the implementation of new technologies and cyber inclusion, the teacher has less time to further education and communicate on professional levels. These issues leave the teacher with little or no time for professional development and even less time for a personal life. Something gives up demand through these time constraints, usually the professional development is the first to be slighted. According to an article in edutopia June 3rd, 2011, “Resources for Growing Your Professional Learning Network” shows that Teachers Network at http://teachersnetwork.org/ found that 80% of teachers said network participation encouraged them to remain in the classroom and 90% said that networking improved their teaching practice. So yes Virginia, the more you are involved the more you use participation concepts. So with the recent isolation that the teacher is feeling within their classroom the stagnation can be alleviated by exposure to communication with others in the same situation. We will grow proportionally with the growth of our Learning Network. Within a few moments of reading writings such as Neil Stevenson’s Blog at “Thinking in Mind” at http://www.thinkinginmind.com/ a teacher will get several ideas on how/where to broaden their PLN.
If it wasn’t for the last few minutes, nothing would get done on my PLN.
Till next post. Later.
lifeofrenelace 