Teach42

@CogDog
I think that gets right to the heart of the matter. Being a member of a PLN simply exposes you to so many more types of cookies available. And if you aren’t satisfied with how the cookies you baked look or taste, that isn’t the fault of the cookie store for having so many good looking options, or the fault of the bakers for making them. If you think your cookie is inferior, it’s up to you to figure out what to do about it. But leaving cookies for cupcakes is kind of an extreme choice to make, and if you do it, it better be for the right reasons.

Ok, that’s as far as I’m willing to take that one

@CoolCat
I was really hoping you’d chime in. I deliberately used you as an example because I think some people may think that you’re in some sort of ideal setting, with huge budgets, an incredible supportive IT department, loads of planning time and so on. I do wonder how many people think, “Well, if I worked in a school like hers I could be doing those things too.” But you don’t work in an ideal environment. In fact, you’ve overcome some pretty hefty challenges and keep gaining momentum. So in some sense, you really live the counter argument.

If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, start watering your lawn more often.

[...] Teach 42 blog about whether or not joining Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) was bad for morale (Is joining a PLN bad for morale?).  Steve cited two examples of teachers leaving positions after learning what others are doing [...]

Steve,

After reading your post, I feel that I could be the teacher in either example. I have dusted off the resume for greener pastures, especially those that would provide the technology. However, I am still in my current position, becoming the educator in example number 2. You can definitely say that morale has gone down the drain when it comes to technology amongst colleagues. It was determined that only two content areas are receiving smart boards, computers etc…, thus making the other content areas “depressed” and frustrated. Your article has inspired me to take the ideas of PLN’s to at least those two content areas and encourage them to use them. Eventually the concepts and excitement could trickle down to the other content areas as well. Thank you.

I agree with you Steve and Patti. My PLN is the group that gets me through my frustration with the little things like the administration putting paper copies of emails in my school’s mailbox. The group also encourages me to keep up my blog and submit proposals to conferences. Through the support of my PLN and all of their resources I realize I am capable of more. As my supervisor says, “I am now on the radar.” That is the double-edged sword.

Now I wonder if I should be doing more somewhere else? One can only bang their head against the same wall so many times before you start looking for a new wall. I realize that I have it easier than most and I grateful for my position. I get positive notes and emails from parents and students. I went down the rabbit hole and am now waiting to see what is on the other side.

Selena Ward´s most recent blog post.. Birds of a Feather…

[...] Dembo is the motivation behind this post (thanks Steve!). His last post asked if personal learning networks, or PLNs, are bad for morale. That post inspired me and when [...]

Wow, Steve, you could have been writing about me. But I don’t see my disillusionment with my district as negative. I work hard to make change with those colleagues that want it, enjoy what I am doing in my classroom as long as the door is shut, and keep one eye opened for a more tech position.

I do believe that the feeling I have of wishing I could do what others are doing, makes me work harder to get my classroom to be a facsimile of those others. So my PLN forces me to stretch my wings and soar. And I am forever grateful for having taken the pill.

Although I am new to blogging, it is amazing how much helpful information is available this way! I am only in my third year of teaching (second career), but I have already begun to think about moving from the classroom to a tech position in another district. By reading the comments of those who have done this already, I am able to see things from other perspectives. Thanks to everyone for sharing!

TY @mmckormick for directing me to post from @teach42 @http://tinyurl.com/6vlxpt munching on it…

[...] on January 11, 2009 | # | Tags: career, innovation, lessonslearned, thoughts This phenomenon of joining a public learning network and soon seeking greener grass is not limited to education, innovators always face frustration. Connecting and learning just often [...]

@lparisi Another shining example of what happens when you take the potential negative energy and use it in a positive way. I knew that you had your hurdles, but I appreciate you sharing how you felt about those things. Definitely should be encouraging to other people to see one way to spin things around.

[...] Is joining a PLN bad for morale? [...]

Steve,

Great post. I read it early today and have been thinking about it all day. When I came back this evening and saw all the comments, I could tell you struck a nerve.

I know you think in it is more than PLN’s. It is being creative, engaging students in real learning. and taking advantages of the technology. I think people get frustrated when their co-workers and the administration tries to drag them back to the pack.

A long time ago (ok I’m old) I won an award for my use of technology in the classroom. One of the issues we discussed at the time in the lack of support we had amongst our peers. We had support at conferences and special gatherings but not in our school.

I think the technology now provides the support and the isolation in the buildings continue. The issue is how do you build support from other teachers, the administration, and the school board.

I’ve been out of the classroom for over 15 years now. There are still days I miss it.

Great post,

Jim

Jim Wenzloff´s most recent blog post.. Just One Click

Interesting article by Steve Dembo on PLN http://tinyurl.com/6vlxpt

Your portrayal of the challenges teachers face as we attempt to integrate technology is so realistic. Unfortunately directives and censorship are a hurdle we must overcome as we strive for a classroom of today.

Steve,
Wow, your post gives me a lot to think about as I was just getting ready to email you to ask how I can find out more information about the Twitter App that we used to set up all the followers from Discovery Education. I am supposed to be presenting on the benefits of PLNs at an upcoming technology conference. I wanted teachers to begin with Twitter and had hoped to create a group of users from Ohio related to our EETT grants.
I know in my own situation, I have greatly benefitted from creating my own PLN. Although I sometimes feel I am just taking and not doing enough giving, I do then give to the teachers I work with in the classrooms.
Overall, I believe PLNs are a good thing!

[...] Dembo was only half-joking when he suggested that participating in a PLN is like unplugging from the Matrix; once your eyes are opened, you [...]

I am firmly in the example #2 camp. If a position like that opens up I will think about it. Although it didn’t take creating a PLN on Twitter to have these thoughts. I started thinking about what to do different with my career after being told no to Google Apps for my school.

This blocking of Google Apps is on the verge of being changed, thanks to my school’s math department head wanting to change a project how he wants students to collaborate on a project. Previously the students did their collaborating by meeting at someone’s house, in the library after school, or in our computer lab after school. Now that may change thanks our district changing it’s collective mind about Google Apps.

I think it will take these technologically forward thinking teachers moving into these positions of ed tech administrators to change the culture of education. Those that want to bring web 2.0 tools, and whatever comes next, into the classrooms may do more good for students by taking that position of ed tech coordinator or coach. Not that they couldn’t do great things for their students in a classroom. But, they may do more by teaching teachers to use these tools.

Of course I would need to upgrade my educational papers first. A masters or phd in ed tech should do.

Eddie Carr´s most recent blog post.. Inauguration: Historic Irony

[...] about employment status. (I thought some of the comments on Tomas’s post resonnated with Steve Dembo’s post earlier this month.) This week Tomaz’s posted about Memetics (10 January) and I [...]

[...] the school scores were almost rock bottom. What does it mean? You got me. It may lend support to Steve Dembo’s theory that participation in a PLN catalyzes some teachers’ decisions to leave a school, or even to [...]

[...] theme with me recently, something that I shared in a comment on Teach42 — Steve Dembo asked, Is joining a PLN bad for morale? I commented that as I read more and more about the innovative, and impactful things that people in [...]

[...] theme with me recently, something that I shared in a comment on Teach42 — Steve Dembo asked, Is joining a PLN bad for morale? I commented that as I read more and more about the innovative, and impactful things that people in [...]

[...] Posted by Paul on January 25, 2009 Recently, I decided to unplug from Twitter and Facebook and Stumbleupon and only allow myself to check email and peak at my Bloglines reader.  I did this for two reasons: 1) My wife was reminding me how much time the computer was taking out of my days. This was a truth I didn’t want to admit and one I’d been struggling with.  Between teaching and the computer, I wasn’t devoting much time to the things that are important (i.e. wife and daughter) [Disclaimer: I wasn't shirking responsibilities or daddy-daughter time, really.] 2) I was feeling overloaded, too connected. Does this make sense?  These were my thoughts the morning I read Teach42’s post about joining a  PLN. [...]

I think looking for greener pastures is the best way to boost morale. Ignorance is not always bliss.

Wow! Went to leave a quick note and got caught up reading some of the 72!! comments.
Unlike Michelle in post #3 above, I am considering returning to the classroom to take a pay increase!! Try working as a digital learning consultant in exam and tutor driven Hong Kong it is a sure way to poverty. You guys seem to be a long way ahead in terms of wanting to move with the use of ICT across the curriculum. Here all of the schools are rushing to adopt the IB Diploma which is a very rigorous exam-driven course. Some schools are going 1:1 laptops and trying to find more maths texts in PDF and sites where kids can practice mensuration problems over and over like they do now only with online feedback.
Anyway great post! I moved to Hong Kong nearly 5 years ago but realised that the high tech side of the city is resisted by all but the most progressive of classrooms. Seriously considering a move to a country that gets the need to shift teachers and students to 21st Century methodologies. We all have our challenges I guess but I would advise those contemplating a shift to the “grass is greener” schools and systems to do their homework first.
Cheers

Paul McMahon´s most recent blog post.. The Right People in the Right Place at the Right Time

[...] Dembo pontificates if “Joining a PLN is bad for  your morale.”  He says: “Example #1. Teacher A works in a decent district. It isn’t a dream [...]

[...] article As I’ve been talking to some of you, and reading the thoughts shared both here and on Steve Dembo’s blog about the daunting task of getting up to speed on all of this “new stuff,” I have [...]

[...] Is Joining a PLN Bad for Morale?- be sure to read the comments [...]

Hey Steve…

Been away as a reader for a while, new baby two months ago (making 2 under 2 years)… and grad school is killing me.

That said- Interesting post to come late to. The train of commentary here makes a pretty prophetic post of this one.

I can identify with a lot of this. Actually- I left the classroom full-time three years ago as a generalist instructional coach. I now teach Dual-Credit Biology during one period (with marine bio as an additional night course) of the day… and work on staff development issues throughout the rest of the day.

Almost a year ago in April, I was given sort of the “go ahead” to focus my job more towards tech integration within my high school building. I was allowed to pull together a “coalition of the willing” -of sorts- consisting 20 staff. We purchased MacBook Pros, digital cameras, iPods… and then took off on building PLN’s and becoming tech-savvy adults before thinking of tech-integration with students before we knew what we were doing.

In that one year… I wrote my first blog post in April, didn’t even write one in May… slowly built a head of steam… you helped directly with 30DTBBB… created http://virtualsouthside.ning.com … http://thesynapse.ning.com … http://mwsu-bio101.ning.com … blah blah blah. And that is just a drop into the bucket of immersion from this past school year.

I am now on a district-level technology think tank aimed at developing a mission for the future. It is a pretty exciting time to be in a fairly open-minded school district. The remaining 60 teachers will come online with our 1st cohort this summer. We are pretty excited.

I think the reason I have bypassed the “grass is greener” syndrome here is the fact that I was pulled out of full-time teaching prior to this year. I had already felt the sting, as well as the beauty, of viewing classroom instruction as it looked outside of the four walls of my classroom. Therefore, this year, all of the digital connectedness did nothing but enhance my efforts.

I think the real key here is that my district was wise enough prior to implementation of our coaching model in secondary schools… to require that we keep one full class of students. The keeps us grounded with all of the grading, accountability, march toward standards, etc., that all teachers face.

It also gives us a “lab class” that allows us to truly find out what works before dumping a pile of new things out onto the entire staff. Honestly- I think this is key. Any district thinking of pulling teachers completely out of the classroom for any staff development purpose, be it instructional, technology, etc… should really really stop and consider allowing these top professionals to hold on to at least a sliver of the job that brought them into the business in the first place. It just makes sense for too many reasons.

Does juggling all of this at once drive me extremely crazy? Of course it does. However, to have no classroom duty/responsibility/creativity/inspiration is to be far too out of touch with the real world of education.

Sean Nash´s most recent blog post.. What does the “Information Superhighway” really look like?

Here’s my PLN story, Steve. Thanks for this post. It was obviously so relevant for many! And…nice to meet you at FETC!
http://tinyurl.com/cy9y4y

Melanie Holtsman´s most recent blog post.. From PLN to P-L-A-N for Moving our School Forward

@teach42′s post Is Joining a PLN Bad for Morale provides great perspective. Post/comments worth taking in. http://twshot.com/?AWT

RT @AngelaStockman@teach42′s post Is Joining a PLN Bad for Morale provides great prspctive. Interesting post/comments http://twshot.com/?AWT

Hi @mikesqaltney – @teach42′s http://twshot.com/?AWT seems somewhat related to your question on why more people aren’t using technology.

Brilliant post.
I can’t go back to being un-connected.
And I’m struggling to figure this all out as it relates to my job as a teacher.

Nancy Devine´s most recent blog post.. Who tweets more…

@teach42 love your post about PLNs, but i still like being connected http://tinyurl.com/6vlxpt

[...] social media for learning and reaching a brick wall professionally, check out Steve Dembo’s post here, and read through the comments.  I have known many people who have left their organizations [...]

[...] Is Joining a PLN Bad for Morale?- be sure to read the comments [...]

[...] Quiver & Quill » The Social Media Gift Guide Is joining a PLN bad for morale? – Teach42 [...]

@sammorra @TeachaKidd @datruss S.Dembo (@teach42) wrote a great piece re: this: Is joining a PLN bad for morale? – http://bit.ly/1RD8ni

RT @butwait:@teach42 wrote a great piece re: Is joining a PLN bad for morale? – http://bit.ly/1RD8ni ~Thanks Shelley, a good read indeed!

RT @datruss: RT @butwait: @teach42 wrote a great piece re: Is joining a PLN bad for morale? – http://bit.ly/1RD8ni

.@teach42 Would've been great to have you there. I did quote you re: "Is joining a PLN bad for morale?" (ref: http://bit.ly/1RD8ni)

.@lblanken Laura, here's the Steve Dembo post I was talking about: Is joining a PLN bad for morale? – Teach42 http://bit.ly/1RD8ni

HUGE gaps between those who are invested in these ideas & those who aren't… are PLN's bad for morale? http://bit.ly/plnmorale #edcampPLN

& really- I'm NOT the only person peering into the potential underbelly of "The PLN." Did you guys not read this one? => http://is.gd/dIQ3i