PLN Challenges

The information and questions posed by my Twitter PLN challenge me.  There is so much to learn, and so many approaches to education to consider.  I have to take pause now and then to focus.  Currently, these are the issues I hope to explore in the months to come in addition to my earlier summer short list.

1. Learning how to learn.  I want to engage students in many lessons related to learning how to learn.  We will discuss topics such as active listening, asking questions, effective effort, collaboration, and utilizing the best tools.  We'll create anchor charts and refer to our discussion findings often as we explore topics.
2. Reading:  How can we best promote reading with all students in a class.  I believe book groups are the way to go in addition to specific skill development.  I hope that our collective summer RTI study will serve to develop our reading workshop model into an even more personalized, responsive approach to reading/literature study.
3. Project based learning:  Projects based on authentic, meaningful, worthy questions promote the best of 21stC skill development (communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity).  Projects present students with many levels of achievement and possibility.  I want to assess and refine our current grade level projects.
4. Building my own background knowledge.  As my PLN challenges me, I realize that the more I know about a specific topic, the better I am able to teach it.  I will follow their lead and read books and articles related to education in general, and the specific topics I teach throughout the year.
5. Optimal field studies.  During the summer months, I'll make the time to explore possible field study venues such as museums, zoos, parks, and others to find the best places to help our students understand the primary concepts of our grade level program.

It's an exciting time in education.  Please let me know if I've missed an important topic.

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