Goal #18 … Share a Story

Goal 18: Share A Story

With this goal, we are encouraged to share our story of how we have loved to learn in new, innovative ways.

So this is my story …

While reading an NBPTS brief, I stumbled upon a blogger, Coach G., and how he handled a simple classroom management issue.  It was simple, yet profound.  Soon after, he advertised “Free PD – RSCom11.”  I had no idea what this was, but it sounded so interesting I put it on my calendar.  While sitting in my favorite chair, in my PJs, with my laptop, I learned so much from people around the globe.  I remember the course where a couple from Iowa or Australia discussed the value of looking at the physical arrangement of a classroom.  (I’ve already shared some great ideas with my mentees from that course.)

Since then, I have started a blog, and I have followed the #30Goals initiative started by Shelley Terrell (in Germany).  My story … I have blogged about each of these goals as I have shared them on my email conference site.  As a full-release mentor, I have also shared these postings with my colleagues – also mentors.

The other day, one of my colleagues said to me, “Thank you for sharing your ideas. I am using your goals as a means of reflection with all my new teachers.” (Of course, I had to give credit to Shelley.) Another colleague said, “You know, Sylvia, I steal everything from you.” 

I love sharing my story.  I love finding resources and spreading the wealth to other teachers.  I love sharing great ideas. Why reinvent the wheel?

So what would I encourage you to do? Start getting connected on a global scale.  Set up a twitter account.  I would then download TweetDeck – it helps filter the tweets and allows you to easily follow chats. 

Most of all one discovers that the soil does not stay the same, but, like anything alive, is always changing and telling its own story. Soil is the substance of transformation. ~Carol Williams

 Goal

 Short-term – Share your story about your accomplishment with one of the 30 goals and how it helped you grow. Write a blog post, do a video, or make a podcast. Also, you can try having your students share their stories of how your way of teaching has improved their learning.

 Long-term – Share your stories about your experiences with your online educator community with your colleagues in order to motivate them. The continuous process of sharing stories will eventually get them curious. We need the patience and faith to believe one day our stories will have an impact.

 Mentioned Posts:

Invite Them In

Dear Class by Greta Sandler

The Beauty of the Sand

Challenge:

Have your students share their stories of how learning with technology or other instructional practice you use that is different than most of your colleagues has helped motivate them.