Okay, I confess. I hoard my resources like a squirrel hoards nuts for the winter.
I felt completely convicted as I read a blog by @InnovativeEdu today. The idea is that we have teachers all across the world teaching the exact same subjects, and yet they are working in isolation to come up with the same resources, lessons, activities, etc. Imagine the time which could be saved if we all opened our planning books and shared the best of the best.
Trying to find the best way to teach the Pythagorean Theorem?
Don't reinvent the wheel.
Check in with colleagues across the country and find five "best" ways to teach it.
Does this mean we shouldn't individualize our classrooms? Absolutely not. We must always fit our plans to meet the needs of the specific students in our classroom. Still, imagine what teachers could do with the time spent coming up with lessons from scratch.
The challenges? Proprietary rights and mindset. I am guilty of this. I was just talking with my principal @kristin_nass about this yesterday. If I put together an awesome presentation I want to take it out and show it off! I want to show the world what I created. BUT, don't ask me to put it on Slideshare.com and let just anyone take credit for my work. That idea makes me physically queasy.
So I began forcing myself through a thought process:
First, off - I must filter everything through the question - "What is the best choice to affect student learning?"
Second...er...off - most of the stuff in my presentations I stole from other people online...(:
So, we all must overcome that "digital immigrant" mindset where we hoard and hide our best work.
Get it out there!
If something works, share it!
If something fails, well...keep those lessons to yourself, but share the experience.
I have had a Personal Learning Network (PLN) for only three weeks, but I can't ever go back. My personal goal is to become as much of a "sharer" as I am a "taker."
I hope you will join me.
Reinventing the Wheel
I felt completely convicted as I read a blog by @InnovativeEdu today. The idea is that we have teachers all across the world teaching the exact same subjects, and yet they are working in isolation to come up with the same resources, lessons, activities, etc. Imagine the time which could be saved if we all opened our planning books and shared the best of the best.
Trying to find the best way to teach the Pythagorean Theorem?
Don't reinvent the wheel.
Check in with colleagues across the country and find five "best" ways to teach it.
Does this mean we shouldn't individualize our classrooms? Absolutely not. We must always fit our plans to meet the needs of the specific students in our classroom. Still, imagine what teachers could do with the time spent coming up with lessons from scratch.
The challenges? Proprietary rights and mindset. I am guilty of this. I was just talking with my principal @kristin_nass about this yesterday. If I put together an awesome presentation I want to take it out and show it off! I want to show the world what I created. BUT, don't ask me to put it on Slideshare.com and let just anyone take credit for my work. That idea makes me physically queasy.
So I began forcing myself through a thought process:
First, off - I must filter everything through the question - "What is the best choice to affect student learning?"
Second...er...off - most of the stuff in my presentations I stole from other people online...(:
So, we all must overcome that "digital immigrant" mindset where we hoard and hide our best work.
Get it out there!
If something works, share it!
If something fails, well...keep those lessons to yourself, but share the experience.
I have had a Personal Learning Network (PLN) for only three weeks, but I can't ever go back. My personal goal is to become as much of a "sharer" as I am a "taker."
I hope you will join me.
Reinventing the Wheel
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