The Power of PLNs

As I gear up for my 2nd InstructureCon and continue working on a Masters in EdTech Leadership, I have really been putting a lot of thought into Personal Learning Networks. My goal has been to create a great inner circle with strong educators who can help me elevate my game and hone my craft. Thanks to Carol Dweck, I am no longer focused on being a natural. I have embraced the iceberg success metaphor of growth mindset and I must say it took me a long time to really internalize and change my semi fixed mindset. Now more than ever it is easier to really connect with other teachers. The power of forming connections around the world cannot be understated! Sometimes we might be the only teacher in our building for a certain subject or grade level and collaboration may not have been possible by just going down the hall. No longer do teachers have to feel like they are on an island! As a Latin teacher, I know very well how lonely it can be to connect with someone on my content, but now with social media I can find other Latin enthusiasts and get some really great ideas. And even if you have other colleagues in the building sometimes it can be easier to seek help from someone outside your building. We as teachers sometimes have a hard time asking for help from colleagues within our building for fear of being “evaluated” or “judged” or perhaps our department or team is involved in a lot of groupthink. We often shut our doors and dive into our own classrooms. The issue can be that our teaching becomes stale and we lack perspective. 

For the first 10 years of my career I was also the 8th grade baseball coach and I coached the team by myself with no oversight. As a result I had total control and did not have to run my plan by anyone, which was great. However, the last 4 years I have been promoted to our JV Head coach and Varsity assistant. This was a hard adjustment. I no longer have final say over the practice plan. And sometimes my roster is changed last minute based on what Varsity needs that day. However, my coaching game has greatly benefitted from sharing space with 2 other coaches. I have learned new ways of phrasing techniques, new ways to give signs and just new perspective on players and how I assess them. Once I got over being defensive about my game play decisions, I was able to really learn and progress instead of being afraid that I was being evaluated and judged with each decision I made.

I have 3 recommendations that really helped me reach a new level within my own career, I would recommend that each teacher/coach first watch a TED talk called ‘Are you human’ by Frank Ze. It helps us laugh at our humanity and not take ourselves too seriously or be too tough on ourselves. In addition to that I would encourage you to read more about Carol Dweck and her psychology of success with growth mindset. And finally think about what PLNs you are involved in and to also think about how much you consume as well as how much you contribute to that PLN. Here are a few PLNs that I have found very useful!

Canvas LMS Community

We use Canvas as our LMS and I love to pose questions as well as blog about my experiences for the benefit for others! And I am very excited to be attending my second InstructureCon next week! The people I have met through here has been vital to my personal success! I can’t wait to thank some of them in person next week! (Last year I was too chicken to go up and say hello to those who had inspired me-Laura Gibbs, Kona and James Jones just to name a few!)

Google+

We are a GAfE school and I have found posting here to be very useful when I have a Google question! There are also events I can sign up for in my local area and just a great place to connect with other Google educators!

FB groups-Spanish Teachers who use Avancemos

This allows me to connect with other Spanish teachers who use the same textbook as me! We can share resources and talk about activities and projects that we have found success with and maybe share some struggles in hopes of gaining some inspiration and insight

ISTE Connect

This allows me to connect with other EDTech fanatics and get access to research based instructional practices! With the premium membership (which I cannot afford) it also allows you access to 4 peer reviewed journals!

Twitter

I have only been on twitter for just under 1 year. I used to think it was a breeding ground for Kardashian wannabes. However by curating a strong Twitter feed I can see a lot of great ideas and articles. I love following Edutopia, Common Sense Media and local educators! It's great for getting a pulse on what others are doing as well as a way to showcase the great work you are accomplishing in your schools! Follow me @EdTechYoder!

The most important thing I have learned is to not rest on my laurels. I need to continue to practice and hone my craft. Just like Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan perfected their swings and shots so must I perfect the way I ask questions, form assessments and give feedback. I hope that I never stop seeing the value in learning and trying new things! I hope the same for you too! 

My Learning Manifesto

As I continue to develop my ePortfolio, I really want to take advantage of my loquacious nature. As my wife will tell you, I am a talker. So I really think I should take advantage of podcasting. I would love to have an educational podcast mixed with a bit of humor. In today's culture we tend to get our entertainment a la carte. So perhaps this could be an effective means to stay in touch with my students, parents, colleagues and just the public at large. (Link to Podcasts)

But beyond myself, this might also be a cool concept for my students. As we dive deeper into the COVA model I realize that providing multiple outlets for students to show me how they learn is the epitome of UDL. If a student does not want to present live in class, but is willing to use Flipgrid or Anchor.FM and do some vlogging or podcasts that might be a great alternative choice while still maintaining authenticity. However, I still believe speaking in public is a valuable skill and ought to not be avoided. So I often walk a line with giving too much choice.

I also think that it is going to be a tough balancing act for teachers to really adopt a true UDL and COVA approach, because it is so outside the box. I recently watched Giovanni Corazza's Creative Thinking TEDx talk (2014) where he mentions that thinking outside the box feels unsafe and too new. We often feel like we are risking our dignity and reputation by discussing new and innovative ideas. This happens often in education wher teachers struggle to get away from the teacher dominant wall and factory style environment much like what Godin discussed in his Stealing Dreams TED Youth talk (2012). But as Corazza notes, we need to invest in "long thinking" and just because an idea is new does not mean we should disregard it. It just means it is harder to assess at first.

So I hope that as I continue in my educational leadership role that I keep long thinking at the forefront and really start working on items such as lesson study where we can have deep collegial dialogues about how to best facilitate our students in a variety of innovative lessons by giving Choice, Ownership and Voice in Authentic learning environments. It will take a while to become as ubiquitous as chalkboards, but I recently read a story that talked about how people were as up in arms about the Chalkboard years ago as they are about Chromebooks and other tech tools in the classroom. So I will continue to make new boxes to go outside of, because as John Dewey said in Schools of Tomorrow (1915), 'If we teacher today's students like yesterday's then we rob them of tomorrow.' And our students deserve better. I know for one that I can always be a better version of myself. Just like Tiger Woods hones his golf swing each and ever day so must we hone our craft of reaching every student in the classroom, every day!

My Learning Manifesto

Growth Mindset

The message of Carol Dweck is abundantly clear as we read and watch about Growth Mindset (GM) and its effects on not just classroom achievements, but in all facets of our lives. I believe it is easy for anyone to listen, read or watch these ideas and get behind them. However, the real challenge is the application in our own individual lives. Can we truly walk the walk?

I first was introduced to Dweck and her 8th grade math research while reading Grit by Angela Lee Duckworth. And in her book Duckworth puts forth a chart of GM praises versus FM praises that each group in the study were told. I was immediately taken aback because even though I so fervently believed I was team GM, I found that my words told a different story. In my own personal life I have struggled with weight loss, I have lost over 100 pound and it took 30 years for me to get there all of which did not occur until I started to change my own mindset and really believe I could do another mile or another rep when my brain was trying to tell me to just give up. And it's something I continue to struggle with daily. Why is that? Well, I believe it is deeply rooted in how I was (we were) raised. My mother, who I adore, was raised to keep up appearances like a Norman Rockwell painting. Thus praising talent and intelligence over process was ingrained just like you might nod your head when listening to someone. After hearing so much praise for me grades and natural talent, I began to use that as my compass for success. If I had to try then something was wrong with me, because I was always told how smart I was. I found and still find myself caught in a swirl of GM and FM. I think we all do and it's hard to undo that deep seeded FM of wanting everything to be easy. My buddy who I work out with is a huge inspiration and he always tells me to remember that my brain is going to mess with me, when people reach 40% into a new program their brain is naturally going to go into a flight mode that you will have to fight against. Hard work is just that, hard. We as humans have an ability to overcome our natural instincts.

As an educator and building leader, I work hard in paying attention to my words. I carefully craft even the smallest of emails to staff. I want to ensure that I am setting a positive and optimistic example that focuses on growth and the power of yet. Technology does not come naturally to a lot of people (of all ages) and this allows me great opportunity to put GM into practice and not just "Talk" about it. I find ways to praise teachers and students merely for leaving their comfort zone. And most importantly I have to constantly remind myself and talk to myself with the same care. Be kind to yourself, and keep focused on your goals. Every mistake is a chance to learn and an opportunity for growth-Keep the faith!

My Growth Mindset Classroom Plan