I’ve been thinking about the make up of my professional learning community. Who are the people I talk to, collaborate with and discuss new ideas? My professional learning community is the world wide network of educators who like me, are trying to integrate technology into their classroom. My PLC is outside the walls of my school and possibly the limits of my city. My closest collaborator lives within the same province but we’ve never met. I receive feedback from a teacher in Seattle and I reguarly share ideas with a teacher in Beiruit, Lebanon. I’ve received wonderful emails from teachers in Korea, Australia and throughout the United States. I’ve just been chatting to a teacher/librarian in Rhode Island who shares the same sense of humour as I do. Today when I was looking at novels in the library I started wondering who might want to collaborate on a novel study after Easter. These wonderful people in my PLC encourage me to think beyond my classroom and push the boundaries of my four walls.
Professional Learning Communities
January 29, 2008 · 5 Comments
Categories: classroom · technology · thinwalled classroom
Tagged: classroom, professional learning community, technology
5 responses so far ↓
sample888 // January 29, 2008 at 2:50 am
I feel this as well, and it really makes me wonder why we put so much emphasis on building community in our close communities (the teachers we work with) when sometimes natural communities form against geographic barriers. Hmmmm.
Dave Bircher // January 29, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Yes, this is good for PLC’s. We created a blog in our division, but it is just getting going. We felt that with small school’s, this was a good way for educators to connect. Many teachers are the only “subject teacher” in their school, so they need others to collaborate with. I think we need to promotew and demonstrate the value of the PLC blog to really get it going.
http://pvsd-plcs.blogspot.com/
lichtenwald // February 2, 2008 at 9:57 pm
As a soon-to-be teacher, I recognize the benefit that I have from participating in online professional learning communities. Every day my eyes are opened to new projects and activities, from teachers around the world. From reading blogs and participating in online discussion I get an enhanced perception of the struggles that like minded teachers face. Because of my PLC I feel far more prepared to hit the ground running as a professional educator because I have had the luxury of worldwide mentors.
Ed 831 // February 3, 2008 at 9:52 pm
These out of building plc’s could be very useful for itinerants, teachers in areas like practical and applied arts, French and in any other area where there are very few if any others in the building that teach in the area, not to mention administrators.
Angie Balkwill // February 4, 2008 at 6:01 am
I agree with so much you wrote Kim. We are often expected to form PLC’s in our building instead of reaching out to the world. You are a great example for me, as I am very new to building and becoming part of these worldly PLC’s. Thank you!
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