This past Wednesday I had the awesome opportunity to present to several educators from Fairmount, Hankinson, and Lidgerwood. It was amazing watching these educators come together to share ideas with each other and to incorporate these ideas and skills in their own schools to help students succeed.
The topic I presented on was on how to develop your own Personal Learning Network (PLN). The main focus I wanted each person to think about was professional/personal growth. Not only as an educator, but also as a parent, grandparent, etc, etc, etc. Here are two points we talked about during our PLC day:
1. We all need to grow as individuals daily. This is what the PLN is about. Developing relationships, connecting with individuals, and constantly having that thirst for knowledge. So the question is, are you green? What do you mean green? Well - if you are green you are growing. You are always learning. You are observant. You seek help. You seek improvement. You do this daily and you implement it. This not only improves you as an individual, it improves those around you also. John Maxwell puts it this way - "If you are not learning, you are not growing."
2. What's your story? This is the question that Andy Stanley asks those under his supervision. Take some time to think about this. One of the best examples I've read about on this topic comes from Joe Ehrmann and his book "InSideOut Coaching". Coach Ehrmann has his athletes write their own obituary. If you had this assignment, what would you say about yourself? What would others say about you? Did you lead a life of significance? Coach Ehrmann says this exercise gets "transformative results." His athletes at a banquet would read their obits and here are a few quotes that would be heard - "a loving father", "a devoted husband", or "he lived his life for others." What would your obituary say?
Happy Friday!
Mr. Townsend
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