This blog post will discuss the content of Chapter Six in The Connected Educator by Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach. I will discuss the most important pieces of information I found enlightening, and how I can connect it to my future career as an Educator. First, a topic discussed is ‘how do I start?’ which can seem intimidating to many. However, it is essential to recognize that building a personal network is a growth opportunity and growth takes time. Building your network involves developing personal relationships, deeper connections, and growing a community. This is not an easy task to complete in a short amount of time. It may take some time, but the reward of having a community of people to grow with you is absolutely rewarding and worth the wait. A quote from the book that is truly encouraging is “You will grow as you go” (Nussbaum-Beach, 2011).
There are so many amazing things that come with building a personal network, especially for educators. Once you have a personal network of others in a field like education, it makes teaching a whole lot easier. It allows you to bounce ideas off of each other, share lesson plans, help each other with classroom tips/tricks, organization tips, etc. This is such a useful tool for every educator worldwide. The book states “Networks are where you find ideas and information to bring back to your existing communities (professional learning communities and communities of practice) to develop into programs, to use to create action research, and to implement in your schools” (Nussbaum-Beach, 2011). This speaks on the importance of beginning your network of connections so you can have access to materials of great potential that can benefit you and your community/work.
There are two tips on evolving your community that I found helpful. The first tip is to ‘Design With Real Learning in Mind.’ This tip explains the significance of designing your community with true passion. Once this tip is incorporated into your plan, you will have a community of real, passionate counterparts who are dedicated to teaching and helping the education community thrive. The second tip is to ‘Build Trust.’ As an educator, you will need to build connections with others and gain their trust. In doing so, you will create a comfortable environment in which everyone feels secure. An example of this is Incorporating discussions and online resources that make it easier for students to connect, and to build a meaningful connection that will last. This is important to me, as a future educator, because I wish to create a safe learning environment both online and face-to-face. This is something that I want to integrate into my career as an educator.
How would you incorporate the ‘Build Trust' tip into your future career? I would love to know!
Citations: Nussbaum-Beach, S. (2011). The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age. Solution Tree.
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