So, as you can probably tell, I have joined the Compelled Blogging Challenge for a reason: to force myself to get more comfortable with my writing. This is something that has always been a challenge to me. Having the words flow off my hands were never an easy task. So, I am sitting down to write. Forcing myself to try and get comfortable with a process that does not come naturally to me.
I use to have the same feeling about my Professional Growth. When I first started teaching, I was just trying to survive. "Growth" for me was trying to make it from year to year. "Growth" was just trying to save enough worksheets, tests and quizzes in my countless folders to use the following year. Man, did I have it all wrong...
My Professional Growth started to make a big change when I discovered Twitter. I can not begin to explain the impact this has had for me, but of course I will try:
1. I have connected with countless educators that have pushed my thinking in pedagogy and research.
2. I have connected with educational authors that I was able to share my classroom experience with.
3. I have used these connections to be interviewed for an EdWeek blog.
4. Made meeting these connections face to face at an EdCamp so much easier. There was no need for "ice breakers".
5. Provided me with an endless amount of resources to keep challenging the students in my classroom.
6. Have provided me with shoulders to lean on when a lesson or a unit does not go well. I can not thank them enough for that.
7. Twitter, for me, is a great culture of learning. I love the sense of collegiality among the educators that participate in the chats I follow.
8. I am not afraid to try something new because I have had the opportunity to discuss things with a group of people on Twitter before I give the lesson.
Needless to say, I am very happy with my Professional Growth since I joined Twitter. I never thought I would have had the Professional opportunities occur over the last several years before joining Twitter. I am very thankful for the educators that have "paid if forward" by helping me during my teaching journey. I now feel it is my obligation to continue this trend by helping others the same way. It took me a while to figure this out, but I do not really think we grow as educators until we help others grow themselves.
