#FuturePLN

I think the concept of PLNs is very interesting, and I hadn't really considered it before. I have seen teacher blogs, and teachers pay teachers, but I've never considered being an active participant in it. From the article, it definitely makes me interested in using Twitter. I've never used it before but I think the Twitter chats sounds really greats! Being able to sort through a topic so easily to see what everyone is saying about the one specific topic is very useful. I've never used a hashtag in my life, but seeing the benefits makes me want to try it out. 

I love the tip that everyone should jump in. We have a tendency to overthink things, and we never really just let ourselves do it. This is a tip I want to take into my teaching, because as teachers we HAVE to be flexible. We can't plan everything, and when a lesson goes in a different direction than what we expected we have to jump in. There is no time to overthink things. This is also applicable for the social media groups. Often we are so afraid of being judged or of being out of place that we psych ourselves out about it. We end up not getting involved in something that we could possibly add value to, just because we don't know how to jump in. 

I think following a range of people is very important. What is the point of following someone that thinks exactly the way you do? That doesn't broaden your thinking! Following someone who thinks differently than you do allows you to think of things you wouldn't have otherwise. It gets you outside of your box, and can give you more ideas for the classroom. Not every child thinks the way you do, and to differentiate for them you need to have other ideas. Following different kinds of people and adding them to your PLN can help to broaden your thinking and perspective.