30 Day Reflection: What's in Your PLN?

This is the 22nd day in a 30 day challenge from Teach Thought.

 Day 22: What does your PLN look like, and what does it do for your teaching?

Until a few years ago, my PLN looked like me. Most of the colleagues I associated with were high school English teachers. It was rare that I had the opportunity to work with someone who wasn't a teacher in my department. Thanks to a few amazing opportunities and Twitter, my PLN is diverse and large now.

In my PLN, there are teachers from all content areas and experience levels. This is where Twitter has been amazing to connect with teachers from all over the world. It isn't uncommon for me to take a picture of a bug and post it on Twitter for my science buddies to identify for me.

These teachers are the first ones I turn to when I have a content question or need a new strategy. My PLN keeps me up-to-date on new strategies and pedagogy. They challenge me and make me defend my teaching choices. None of them accepts the "because that's how we've always done it" response. 

Also, I have teacher friends who help me with my policy questions. Thanks to them, I know what is going on in the Ed policy world. Often, they will send me an article or ask my opinion about a topic. It is because of their encouragement that I have ventured into the world of policy myself this year as a Hope Street Group Kentucky Teacher Fellow.

I really love that my PLN is diverse because sometimes I get stuck in my own little world inside Room 218. Sometimes I don't realize that other teachers have it better or worse than I do. Sometimes I can't see the forest for the trees. That is what my PLN does for me. They keep me engaged, motivated, and grounded.