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Now that we’re into our second week or more of social distancing, let’s brainstorm ways to continue our learning.
I’ll start. Let’s make this a dynamic blog: Share your ideas in the comment feature below. What are some ways you’re expanding your own professional knowledge? What are you learning about effective ways to keep students in the learning orbit? Just give us your notes – like you might on Twitter or Facebook or Instagram. We’ll keep a running list of ideas and organize them for further sharing. And we might get in touch for more information!
Here’s some of what I’m thinking about and want to share:
► Pull out that professional book that you intended to read but never got around to it. For me, it is a book titled, You’re Not Listening: What You’re Missing and Why it Matters, by Kate Murphy. I’m also midway through The Advice Trap: Be Humble, Stay Curious, & Change the Way You Lead Forever, by Michael Bungay Stanier and The Instructional Playbook: The Missing Link for Translating Research into Practice, by Jim Knight. What about you? Are you doing some professional reading? Put it in the comments!
► If you are a member of Key Leaders Network, go online and join our virtual KLN 4 session through Google Classroom. Even if you attended a KLN recent session before we all began to shelter, this online course may magnify your learning. To receive an invitation email contact our new new Program Coordinator Dakota Punzel at [email protected].
► Check out the ABPC Facebook page where you’ll find lots of links to learning opportunities for you and your students. Click here!
► Spend more time on Twitter. You can find a lot of really good learning opportunities. If you don’t have an account and/or want to focus your attention on education interests, check out these excellent tips from Jennifer Gonzalez at Cult of Pedagogy (she also has a very inexpensive five-part course – see the coupon at the bottom). Be sure to learn about #hashtags – they are a key part of building a personal learning network in social media! Twitter hashtags. Instagram hashtags. Following lots of accounts on Twitter? TweetDeck.
► Search out an online course. One that started this week is based on the book I referenced above: The Advice Trap. The link to the online two-week course: mbs.works/FYLopt-in. What courses have you discovered? Put it in the comments!
► Share online resources that you’ve found on Twitter, using the #alpartners hashtag and the @al_bpc twitter address. We recommend Twitter for this because that’s where we have the biggest following. Don’t use Twitter yet? See above! And be sure to follow us @al_bpc.
► And, finally, add your own evolving ideas in the comment box below. I know you have some!
In addition to focusing on your learning, take good care of yourself. For me, I’ve made a commitment to walk for 30 minutes every day. Additionally, I’ve found great comfort in the many religious services online. And, I’m connecting with friends and family through Facetime, Zoom, What’s App and other ways. Our communications consultant John Norton is using Skype to play Connect Four with his 6-year old grandson Wyatt. (And, he says, losing consistently!)
I’d love to know what others are reading — personally and professionally. Maybe we could start an informal google doc book club? Ideas?