Two, maybe three years ago now, I opened my first social media account. Not because I wanted to, but because I was challenged to do it by my then new assistant superintendent Jacie Maslyk. She had a reason. A purpose. Relevance! Behind her challenge was… GET CONNECTED! Connect to other educators. See what the world is doing WITHOUT you! The relevance behind that one simple challenge gifted me a new life in education. A new life for me. A new life for my students.
Opening my Twitter account was not an easy task for me. I seriously had no clue what I was doing. However, my teenage son did and after chuckling a few times that his mom was about to “connect” with the world he was living in, he gave me a hand. From that point forward, Trent and I had a new connection too. My purpose may have been slightly different than his, but we had common ground to share in conversation. This one platform led to every single opportunity that has unfolded for me to date.
Every part of my PLN.
Every conference I have attended.
Most every idea that I have taken into my classroom.
Every single book I have read, starting with my first… Innovator’s Mindset by George Couros. That one book has led to over 30. That one book has led me to connect with educators all over the world through IMMOOC. That one book set me on fire and gave me purpose to find conferences connected to this network of incredible educators. That one connection pushed me to…
be a better me.
offer a first ever book study in my district for fellow teachers.
build relationships and value their importance.
take risks.
reflect.
Yet, the naysayers still pushed back on teachers putting themselves out there on social media. So, I felt as long as I stayed on Twitter and journeyed as an educator, I could at least defend myself.
What to the what? Defend myself? Defend relevance to my growth?
My family kept asking when I would jump on Facebook so I plunged right in… relevance. Family ties, enough said.
Then I started to blog. Oh wow, was this relevant to my world. I have always loved to write, but lost the time to do so when juggling mom, wife, and teacher. Not to mention all the other relationships I attempted to hold on to… but in order to share my blog I needed social media connections. Perfect, I got this! I was already on Twitter with other educators. Facebook connected me with family, but why not educators too? So I went on the search for my global network of #eduawesomeness. Wow, another moment forward for me.
You are not on Instagram? Friends asked me this often, but I felt I had enough to juggle and already had great connections so I was okay without. Then came George’s newest adventure… A Book Study on Instagram! What? Come on George… I’ve been in the last 3 with you on Twitter and Facebook… can’t we just use those platforms? Ummmmm… NO!
Risks
Relationships (L.E.G.I.T. Relationships)
Relevance
Triple Threat… jump in or be left behind!
Time to GROW AGAIN!
I logged onto Instagram 2 days ago. Created an account. Asked my son Trent AGAIN, to give me a hand. This time he didn’t chuckle. He smiled. Then he said mom, that’s cool… now follow me!
#relevance #growth #gift
T.R.U.E. G.R.I.T. 