Parma Plan It: Stay Connected

Please keep reading.....I know many of you saw the title and thought, "This is more about technology and more that we need to do with technology, or twitter, or blogging, or...." I know we have been a bit overwhelmed with all the possibilities and ways to connect and use technology in the classroom and in our own professional growth. It is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. Staying connected is critical and the use of social media allows us to connect with so many professionals and educators, authors and colleagues outside our district, county and state. Twitter, for example, allows us to share ideas and gain information from people we may never meet. I know that we are all at different phases as Twitter users. Some have not created an account. Some are "egg heads". Some are "lurkers". Some of us have just begun posting our own "tweets". Some are tweeting pros. Facebook has allowed so many to stay connected and share photos and ideas. Pinterest....I've heard many of you say you can spend hours on pinterest "pinning" ideas shared from others.

image cc licensed (BY SA) flickr photo by Quinn Dombrowski: http://flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/8107606569/

I believe in the importance of connecting and staying connected, however, I believe we need to have a balance so that we don't lose connection with those right in front of us. I like having a PLN (Professional Learning Network), but I also believe most important is our PiLN (People I love Network)....I just made that up, but I like it. : ) It is very tempting to check our phones and ipads and get lost in the tweets and messages in social media. The first link below is a blog I read this week, and it really made me think about the importance of truly connecting and not missing out on those moments with those right in front of us or beside us or looking up at us.

I go to my parents every week for dinner. I found myself taking my ipad in and checking twitter or facebook to "stay connected." My mom asked me one evening what in the world was so important. I realized that nothing is more important than spending time with my family, just talking and "connecting" with them. My connections through twitter as @susankhaney are important to my growth and learning in my professional life, but my connection as "Suzy" (yes, my mom still calls me Suzy) with my family is most important.

Each of us will need to figure out how to find that balance. This will look different for all of us. Though I encourage you to connect, I also encourage you to keep balance. There are so many great things happening in schools all over this country, and thankfully, people are sharing those ideas. We have so many amazing things happening at Parma Elementary, and I want us to share our story....it is an amazing story. I read a quote a man wrote that his wife said to him, "“how many moments have you missed by trying to share that one?”. Tell our story, but don't miss the moments in the process. Sharing the moments can help us capture them.....if we keep balance. I know we have all seen a table at a restaurant where both or all people are on their phones or devices instead of communicating. We have seen the parent on the phone at the end of the school day as they lead their child to the car waiting to explain their school day. It is awesome to "connect" with so many people all over the country, to create a PLN and share ideas. I can't tell you how much I get from my PLN through twitter or from Pinterest. Afterall, the idea for this blog came from someone I follow on Twitter. Our students were able to enjoy an author from California through a connection on Twitter and blogging. (Thank you Colby) Make those connections and learn from as many people as we can. Just don't forget to put it all away at times to truly connect with your PiLN and be there to just enjoy the moment.