Activity 5 - Professional Connection Map

Source: http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2013/11/14/3-ways-connected-educators-can-help-transform-educatio

Sheryl's quote above sums up quite simply for me that for kids to be at the centre of what educators do well, then connecting with other educators simply has to be a priority. And yes, while making these connections and keeping them 'alive' can be incredibly time-consuming (I for one have not  managed to get to one #bfc630nz morning chat this term yet!!), it is important that we do not work in isolation. In fact with the rise of social media, is even less need for us to do so, connections are only a 'type' away!

Being a 'connected educator' is more than just a label or a 'badge' that can be constructed online. It is the way to grow professional learning networks in order to improve practice. It's more than just taking part in the annual 'ConnectedEd' month (though that should be part of it!). It's about being connected within and across education sectors; within and across curriculum silos - something that leads to a truly 'connected curriculum'. The 'real world' does not operate or exist in 'silos' of knowledge and the integration of curricular has been mooted for some time (Mathison & Freeman, 1997, n.p.).

This simple presentation below demonstrates the key connections that exist in my professional world. While some areas of my connections overlap, I wanted to show these as discrete circles. Every domain that I encounter in my work has its' own concerns, foibles and issues. While they all sit under the umbrella of 'secondary education' 

My professional connections

                                                               Source: Author's own work 

1 Senior Leadership Connections

If moral purpose is job one, relationships are job two, as you can’t get anywhere with them.

                (Fullan, 2001, p.51)  

Leaders cannot function effectively in isolation. I work in a leadership team with six other members. we are connected via twice weekly meetings; pre-briefing meetings and messaging group. In fact it is via the iMessaging function of our phones that we bounce ideas and use humour to 'de-stress' ourselves from the situation that we currently find ourselves in. The relationships that have developed within this team, I believe are unique.

Part of this Leadership Connection has been the development of a 'support team' using a Workplace Support Agency. Working with this agency, which is not directly linked to the field of education, has meant a wider perspective of events and outcomes has been opened up for me.

At the last CADAP conference (Canterbury AP and DP Association) two of the keynote speakers were in fact NOT educators. They were LEADERS in their own fields. Their presentations on leadership in a crisis situation and innovative leadership were the most refreshing and engaging presentations of the two days. 

2 The English Teaching Connections

I have been actively involved in 'things English' for many years. I was a founding member of the South Auckland English Teachers' Association (SAATE) and since moving to Canterbury have been on the Canterbury Association (CETA). I have been on the National Association of English teachers (NZATE) for the last six years. I have published articles regarding the teaching of English in journals and present regularly at the NZATE annual English teachers' conference. I am an active participant in online foums such as EnglishOnline and EngchatNZ, the latter creating pathways and connections to a far wider audience. 

My practice has certainly benefitted from the connections that I have made locally (face-to-face) and online across the country, the Pacific and wider world. Discussion and debate around key issues such as assessment and course design are happening on a wider scale than just in North Canterbury. An example of this is the 'storify summary thread' of a discussion last year on 'growth mindset'. 

https://storify.com/ariaporo22/engchatnz-the-importance-of-developing-growth-mind

The collaborative nature of the connected community and the open sharing of ideas and resources represent what it truly means to be a 'connected educator'. 

Source http://corwin-connect.com/tag/connected-educator/

Sources: 

21st Century Collaborative. (n.d.). Retrieved February 07, 2016, from http://www.21stcenturycollaborative.com/

Fullan, M. (2001). Leading in a culture of change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Mathison,S.. & Freeman, M.(1997). The logic of interdisciplinary studies. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, 1997. Retrieved from http://www.albany.edu/cela/reports/mathisonlogic12004.pdf

WeAreTeachers: 3 Ways Connected Educators Can Help Transform Education. (n.d.). Retrieved February 07, 2016, from http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2013/11/14/3-ways-connected-educators-can-help-transform-education