Category: EDCI 338

My Journey with My PLN: Growing, Engaging, and Expanding

As I wrap up this course, I’ve been reflecting on how my Personal Learning Network (PLN) has become such a vital part of my professional growth and daily teaching life. My PLN isn’t just a tool; it’s a dynamic, ever-evolving space where I connect, learn, and inspire—and where I’m inspired in return.

Using My PLN for Growth When it comes to using my PLN for professional growth, Instagram has been my go-to platform. For me, it’s the perfect mix of interactivity and inspiration. The image-based content and engaging scroll make it easy to stay connected, share resources, and exchange ideas with fellow educators. I’ve found that Instagram’s simplicity in tagging, direct messaging, and collaboration features make it an ideal space for building a vibrant teaching community. I’m particularly focused on growing my teacher Instagram to showcase more of my day-to-day experiences as a middle school teacher. It’s a space where I aim to inspire young, aspiring teachers and those I’ve connected with professionally. My goal is to remind them to stay open to learning opportunities and, as cheesy as it might sound, to believe in themselves.

Engaging with My Community Engaging with my PLN community has been such a rewarding experience. I love participating in discussions, offering support, and sharing content that I find valuable. Whether it’s commenting on a peer’s post or sharing a creative lesson plan, I’ve found that being active in my community not only helps others but also enriches my own practice. The feedback and ideas I receive from my PLN have pushed me to think outside the box and keep my teaching methods fresh and innovative.

Building a Supportive PLN Building a supportive PLN takes intentional effort. I’ve made it a point to connect with individuals who share similar professional interests and goals. I look for people who are passionate about making learning fun and accessible—just like me! Reaching out to new contacts, engaging in meaningful conversations, and collaborating on projects are all steps I’ve taken to strengthen my PLN. I’m always on the lookout for new connections who can bring fresh perspectives and ideas into my network.

Expanding My PLN Going forward, I want to expand my PLN to include more diverse voices and perspectives. I will continue to connect with other educators, share photos and resources, and contribute to an ever growing web of awesome, hard-working teachers. My goal is to build a network that supports my growth and helps me stay inspired as a teacher.

In closing, my PLN has become more than just a collection of contacts—it’s a community where I learn, grow, and contribute. As I continue to expand and engage with this network, I’m excited to see where it takes me and how it will continue to shape my journey as an educator. Here’s to the future of teaching and learning—full of connection and creativity.

For this week’s blog post, I’ll be reflecting on some important topics: the benefits of a diverse Personal Learning Network (PLN), creating an inclusive PLN, the dynamics of different social media platforms, and the challenges of maintaining inclusivity in digital spaces. As a Gen-Z middle school teacher who’s passionate about making learning fun and accessible for all, these themes are close to my heart.

Diverse PLN Benefits

Having a diverse PLN has been a game-changer for my personal and professional growth. Interacting with educators from different backgrounds and teaching styles has opened my eyes to new strategies and perspectives. For example, I recently connected with a teacher from a rural school who shared innovative ways to incorporate local culture into lessons. This inspired me to look for ways to include my students’ diverse backgrounds in our classroom activities. Diverse voices in my PLN help me grow and learn as a teacher. Through this, I can ensure that I’m providing my students with a rich, inclusive learning experience where they can see themselves represented.

Creating an Inclusive PLN

To ensure my PLN includes a variety of perspectives, I take intentional steps. First, I actively seek out educators from different cultural, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. I follow hashtags related to diversity and inclusivity in education to find and connect with new voices. I especially like to follow Indigenous trailblazers and leaders who are making positive changes in our community here in Victoria, and sharing traditional Indigenous practices that I can show to my students in order to emphasize the First Peoples Principles of Learning. Additionally, I make a conscious effort to engage in conversations with educators in my school district who have different viewpoints, even if they challenge my own. This openness to diverse perspectives enriches my learning and helps me stay progressive in my teaching practices.

Social Media Dynamics

Each social media platform has its own unique features and culture, which definitely affects how I interact with others in my PLN. On Twitter, I find quick, insightful exchanges and a wealth of resources through hashtags and Twitter chats. It’s fast-paced and perfect for sharing and discovering new ideas. LinkedIn, on the other hand, feels more formal and is great for networking and deeper professional discussions. Instagram allows me to share a more personal side of my teaching journey through photos and stories, which helps build a sense of community. Each platform offers different ways to connect and learn, so I tailor my interactions accordingly.

Challenges of Inclusivity in Digital Spaces

Building an inclusive PLN isn’t without its challenges. One difficulty I’ve faced is ensuring that my network truly represents a wide range of voices. Sometimes, despite my efforts, I find my PLN becoming an echo chamber of similar perspectives. That’s why I like to look up to other educators like Shelley Moore, whose work on inclusivity in education is incredibly inspiring. She emphasizes the importance of seeing diversity as a strength and creating spaces where all students can thrive. This perspective encourages me to keep pushing for inclusivity in my own PLN. I enjoyed reading her work titled One Without the Other : Stories of Unity Through Diversity and Inclusion, where she brings to light that “Inclusion is not just about students with special needs.” (Moore, 2016). If there is one takeaway that is going to stick with me from that piece of writing, it is that quote. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had an EA, Principal, or Inclusive Ed teacher implement a new strategy for a student in my class with an IEP, then go on to realize that that same strategy works to help ALL the students in my class, so I implement it for them too. That nugget of wisdom has opened my eyes to the truth that is what helps one will often help all.

I’d like to end off with this sweet little video that showcases the special kind of magic that is childhood friendships. These children are interviewed about what makes them different from their friend(s), and the results are priceless. Just goes to show that we are all human beings who share a lot of the same needs, desires and dreams.

As a passionate teacher, I focused my research on teaching, using Instagram as my platform. I explored various learning communities by browsing through my teacher account (@mme_eliza) and checking out my favourite “teacher influencers.” This task was straightforward, as I already follow numerous inspiring accounts. I also discovered some new accounts that caught my interest, including those with Pinterest-perfect classrooms, exciting lesson ideas, classroom management advice, and comedic relief. The five accounts I explored in depth are: @teachingitreel, @getyourteachon, @bored_teachers, @pinkpencilmath, and @just.playsports. These accounts offer a mix of educational content, practical tips, and humour, essential for every teacher’s sanity!

Building Your Personal Learning Network (PLN)

To build my personal learning network (PLN), I primarily use Instagram, but I also plan to leverage platforms like Pinterest, and YouTube. Instagram allows me to connect with other educators and stay updated with trends and ideas through visually engaging content. Pinterest is a treasure trove of creative lesson plans and classroom ideas. YouTube offers in-depth tutorials and educational videos. These platforms collectively help me stay informed, inspired, and connected with the teaching community.

Setting Professional Goals and Engaging with the Community

Through my teacher Instagram account, I share photos of classroom activities, teambuilding games, crafts, field trips, funny moments, holiday fun, special accomplishments, organizational tips, book recommendations, classroom design, teacher hacks, humor, and lesson ideas. My goal is to engage with my community of followers by posting valuable content and participating in discussions. I plan to set professional goals such as attending online workshops, collaborating with other educators, and posting high-quality content to grow my network and contribute meaningfully to the PLN.

Protecting Your Information and Ensuring Ethical Behaviour

To protect my information and ensure ethical behaviour in my PLN, I maintain both a personal account and a professional account, both which are private accounts. I have found that it has been helpful to keep my personal and professional lives online separate, to ensure that I can post relevant and specific content. I’m cautious about sharing sensitive information and always seek permission before posting student-related content. Furthermore, I honour the privacy and consent of my students, so I don’t post pictures that show their faces, names, or other personal info. I use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication for added security. I also adhere to ethical guidelines by giving credit to original creators and avoiding any content that could be deemed inappropriate or unprofessional.

Privacy Concerns and Online Participation

Privacy concerns do affect my willingness to join online communities and share information. I’m mindful of the potential risks and take steps to protect my privacy. This includes using privacy settings, being selective about the information I share, and regularly reviewing my account’s security settings. While I’m eager to connect and share, maintaining a safe and trustworthy digital environment is always a top priority.

Digital identity is how you present yourself online. It’s like your virtual self, consisting of all the information, photos, and content you share online, or that others are sharing about you. Think of it as your online reputation and persona. I quite like how this video below explains digital identity.

I belong to Gen Z, and I’m a middle school teacher, so it should be no surprise that I’m totally addicted to my phone. Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, BeReal, and most of all Instagram. I use my Instagram as a kind of visual diary. I share memories, pictures of my dog, travel photos, aesthetic pics I’ve taken, pictures with my friends and family, things I’m manifesting…etc.. I love connecting with friends, sharing bits of my life, and, of course, keeping up with trends and memes. Privacy is super important to me, so I make sure my account is set to private, and I’m selective about who I accept as followers. I never let any students or parents follow me on my personal account. I also avoid sharing super personal details, like my exact location or any sensitive info. Here’s what my personal account looks like:

Maintaining a professional image online is a bit different. I have a separate, Instagram account where I share educational content, like classroom activities, teaching tips, and student projects. I always avoid posting photos of students faces, instead I take photos from behind so only the backs of students’ heads are visible, or I put emoji’s in front of their faces while I am editing the photo to post. I keep this account clean and positive, avoiding anything that could be seen as controversial or unprofessional. I keep this account private, but I allow my students to follow me. They love to keep up with what I’m doing at school, especially when they move on from my classroom. I also engage with other educators and participate in online communities to build my professional network. Here’s what my professional account looks like:

Balancing personal and professional digital identities can be tricky. Personally, I use social media for fun and to express myself, while professionally, I focus on sharing valuable content and maintaining a professional image. The key is to keep these identities distinct yet complementary. For instance, on my personal account, I might post about a fun weekend trip, while on my professional account, I might share a photo of a cool science experiment we did in class. The benefit is that I get to enjoy both worlds: the creative freedom of my personal life and the rewarding connections of my professional life.

Looking ahead, as social media keeps evolving, I’ll continue to adapt by staying informed about new platforms and trends. Overall, my goal is to maintain a consistent and positive digital presence that reflects who I am, both as a teacher and an individual. Let’s keep the conversation going about how we navigate our digital lives!