Not long into my teaching career, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) became a popular "tool" in my school district. We were directed to meet twice a month with our department members at the high school level. These meetings were to be "learning sessions" as we discussed, as my administrators put it, "the good, the bad, and the ugly." One meeting was to introduce a new concept handed to us by the administration, and the next meeting was to discuss our successes and failures with that new concept. We would often find that our students had barely mastered the one concept or strategy before another was introduced. Once a quarter we met in vertical collaboration- our middle school counterparts would participate in a PLC with us. It was the purpose of this PLC to apprise the middle school English department what we saw as needed adjustments to what they were teaching. These vertical collaboration meetings became vitriolic sessions and after two years the entire PLC process was abandoned.
My district does regular year long book studies of which I have participated in and contributed to two. I have also provided PD to the staff of my high school in the past. It is my hope that I can provide more in the future in the way of the Blended Classroom and the Growth Mindset.
The first Professional Learning Network I joined after enrolling was the GroupMe chat set up by one of my classmates. This has been by far the most advantageous move I could have made. The members of this group shared the triumphs and trials of our first two courses in the ADL program. We have given each other feedback and feed forward with almost every assignment we have completed. Many of us have been up until 2:00 am on many occasions providing that support.
During the course of this class, I have become a member of three professional learning networks based on the EdWeb.net platform.
- Blended Learning: Extending Class Online
- Digital Learning and Leadership sponsored by Common Sense Education
- Tech Tools for the Classroom
I have not had the opportunity to fully engage with these PLNs, but have it as a SMART goal to do so in the near future.
I have been a member of LinkedIn for several years now. Being a member has allowed me to keep in touch with former colleagues and share in their triumphs. I have also been able to share resources and ideas with those former colleagues. As one of the first PLNs I became a member of, I have had a good experience with it.
I am also a member of the National Council of Teachers of English. Through this organization, I have been able to engage with publications and research studies in order to improve my teaching. I hope in the future to be able to contribute to the periodicals that the organization publishes.
I am also a member of the ACT State of Pennsylvania Chapter. Through postings and webinars, I learn what it takes prepare my students better for the test. I then pass that information on to the school counselors and the students.
I am consuming large amounts of information from the readings in both of my classes, and supplemental readings that are referenced in the assigned work. I have often found myself spending hours going from one hyperlink to another discovering what is out there for me to learn. I have been contributing to my GroupME learning community by reviewing and providing feedback and feed forward on the postings, assignments, and e portfolios that we have shared with one another. I have also contributed to the online class meetings for 5302 and 5305 by asking questions or trying to help explain a concept.
My collaboration in the ADL program has been most beneficial. My classmates and I have been each others support and sounding boards. The collaboration in my high school and department continue to develop. I am a member of my high school's PBIS committee, and have been a part of the committee to establish a "Lunch and Learn" program for the 2024-2025 school year.
As a teacher of over 25 years, I have learned that you always prepare the receiver of any critique with the commendations and then the recommendations. I have been a feed forward teacher for quite a few years now. I like to begin a 1 on 1 conference with a student by recognizing the effort they put into his/ her/ their work. It is sometimes difficult to get a student to begin an assignment let alone complete it. At the many stages of review and conferencing, it is the effort put into the contribution that is focus of the beginning of the conference. Feed forward is the best way to build trust with an individual and community with a classroom of students. When I take a sick day, I always ask those covering my class to provide some feedback on my students behavior and work. I then return, review the notes prior to class and commend my students on the good, and then discuss with them where they can improve in the future.
As an "old school" teacher I have found that it is possible "to teach an old dog new tricks." The Growth Mindset is something that many of my colleagues display on posters in their rooms, but not something I would seriously consider- until now. Dweck's idea of the power of 'yet' has allowed me to see the possibilities for making true change in my learners' worlds and hopefully their mindsets as to what they can do.
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