The rapid exodus of teachers from the classroom continues to befuddle some in the political realms. To those of us who are teachers, and work with them continually, the causes are much less mysterious. Building a "personal learning network" addresses two of the primary reasons why we are losing young educators (Spoiler alert: The reason is not money).
In exit interviews I have read and in my own experience, beginning teachers often feel especially isolated. This is particularly true in the middle and high schools which tend to be more department driven and do not, as a general rule, foster the teamwork that is more associated with elementary education. I remember that, as a high school English teacher for many years, I would often go for a week or more without having any meaningful communication with those in my own department (except through the wall of adjoining bathroom stalls - which was always awkward). Of course, I would "bump into" some of them during cafeteria or bus duty, or perhaps exchange a cursory greeting at the faculty mailboxes, but there was certainly very little in the way of building relationships. I used to explain it away by saying that we did not "have the time", but I am less convinced of that now. I have come believe that at the heart of the problem is a lack of confidence among teachers that they have anything meaningful to convey on a professional level. Educators have been so beaten down over the years by legislators, policymakers, administrators, and the public in general, that a good deal of their confidence has been eroded. There seems to also be this hidden belief, particularly, again, among young teachers, that to ask for insight or suggestions is a sign of weakness or a lack of knowledge.
Though some residue of the current application of educational technology to all facets of teaching and learning concern me, there are some tools available that are providing educators with opportunities to connect with others. No longer need teachers be limited to those in their own building for possible avenues of professional exchange. Online programs now, literally, allow us to effect education across the globe and, in turn, be effected. Many of these applications are not necessarily new, but their wider use in education as a conduit for personal learning and professional development is becoming much more common.
One example of this is Twitter. I recently began using a Twitter account for the first time (Doc @longstreetlee). Admitting this probably draws much the same reaction from a more tech savvy generation as announcing that I just began using indoor plumbing or just discovered the wonders of the light bulb. In the past I suppose I resisted "twitting" or "twatting" - whatever the correct term is. I have always been something of a loner anyway, and the chance to "twit" with the likes of Brittany Spears or Paris Hilton has been one that I have gladly bypassed. I certainly did not see the possibilities of Twitter as part of a professional learning network. Now I have participated in "Twitter Chats", hooked up with other educational twits, and found that I am not alone - though I sometimes again long to be. Twitter allows me to type in areas that especially interest me, and it seems that the Twitter community never rests. At any time - 24 hours a day - I can soothe my insomnia through Twitter rather than wasting my time reading Proust or watching "Inspector Morse" reruns on Netflix. The best part is that I am gaining new ideas and materials for use in my online university classroom, dwelling not in remembrances of things past, but building things to come.
Another companion in my entry into the 21st century is Google+ and its network of circles and communities. I was surprised at how many of my friends and colleagues had already signed up, created groups, and networked across the world. I was a bit hurt that none of them had invited me, but then, if you know me, that is certainly understandable and brings about memories of an episode of the old "Andy Griffith Show" where the church choir continually relocates for practice every week to avoid Barney. Even for a neophyte like me, the mechanisms for interacting in the Google world, as in Twitter, are fairly easy. I even gave birth to my own Google+ community - "Foundations of Education" (https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/115213663238780796303). As of this writing, no one has "joined" my community. I am sure that this has more to do with me personally than any waning interest in foundations of education.
Arriving just in time to help me keep all my new friends, circles, communities, followers, etc. organized is Tweetdeck. This ingenius program allows me to create a kind of "dashboard" that keeps my most referenced connections in full view. Now, instead of only seeing the "check engine" light in my car, I can see the latest tweets, twats, and postings from across my professional world. Gauges become "columns" that update in real time and provide easy response routes.
The possible downside to this technological nirvana is the addition of yet another entry in my "to do" list and the resultant guilt when I fail to twit, twat, Google, or chat daily. While I might be impressed that my friend's latest blog has racked up a zillion responses from Topeka to Tokyo, I still have to wonder: If she can find the time to do it, why can't I? Am I less of a professional? Less of a teacher? Am I shirking my "responsibility" to contribute to the "great conversation"? It's enough to drive one to Brahms or brandy.
Still, the possibilities are endless, and there is renewed hope that the loneliness and isolation that afflicts so many in the teaching profession can be assuaged. Great ideas are out there, and they are being forwarded by everyday educators in classrooms and learning communities that are not that different from mine. Still, as Proust said, "we feel in one world, we think and name in another. Between the two we can set up a system of references, but we cannot fill in the gap" (Swann's Way).
Perhaps there is an application for that. I think I will go Google it.
