Communities of Learning🌿

 

                Teamwork is Dream Work!

Growing in any field of study requires amazing Professional Learning Communities (PLN). Especially for educators, we need to broaden, strengthen and learn from others to improve our practice. Torrey Trust, an educational researcher, and professor broke down four domains: social, affective, cognitive, and identity. In tandem with breaking each point down and how they can develop healthy teaching practice, I will share how my results to the surveys I took about myself. 

Image source: Thinglink screenshot

When I saw the Tic-Tok/Bingo board presented in my Social Media class, I thought, what a fun way to do choose my educational destiny. As I browzed the different worm-holes of opportunities, I settled on the self-reflective surveys. I can't tell you how many times in a dept meeting, course team, and or professional development days, I have asked to do a self-reflective survey. My first reaction is, "not this again." An hour later I am still talking to my colleagues about how I'm stubborn, like a bull, and how the results of the survey, are connected to my astrological sign, Taurus. This picture is of me at the end of the session.

Image source: Giphy.com

Naturally, when I saw I could take reflection surveys, first I ignored them like a friend I have seen the way too much (like Tiktok), and then I went in for the embrace. I took two tests, the 538 Personality Test and Psychologist World- Five-Factor Test. FiveThirtyEight was exciting to see on the list, as it brought back memories of manically watching their live blog till God knows what time in the morning, as the endless 2020 election rolled on for the President and the Senate! I will share my results along with how, Trust advocated for vibrant PLN communities. 

Trust said one of the biggest benefits of PLN's, "the social aspect of learning." Gratefully the survey reflected, I have a strong propensity to meet, share, and confront challenges. 

Source: FiveThirtyEight Website and my results

                                                    Source: FiveThirtyEight Website and my results                                                                  

 In the field, I have to look out for mentors and trust their guidance. I follow a lady on Tik-Tok, @nattiemeetsworld who constantly blows me away with her creativity and courage. She is dancing with her students, reading with puppets, and breaking down the subtle anxieties any educator faces. It reminded me of how important broadening my social educational network can be. 

The FIVETHIRYEIGHT survey revealed I am very agreeable, which helps with working with others while perhaps losing my voice. They said those who are too agreeable are like Ned Flanders, a way to trusting naive character, from the hit-show (I think we all know it), The Simpsons. Glad, I did not make the over 90, club, but hopefully, I can build some global PLN networks as Trust advocated. 

Trust also included the cognitive and affective benefits for PLN's. The affective-part of a PLN is and Trust said, "socially supported to try new things which lead to innovation" ( Trust, Dominican). I think every-teacher knows what's it like to have a judgmental eye in your class and a heartwarming eye. I have the pleasure of working with amazing colleagues who share lesson plans as we constantly slice and dice what is working from each-others classes while differentiating for our own. Additionally, the survey reinforced my balance of negative and positive emotions. In turn, this equilibrium prepares me to keep my leveled head to be open for such amazing support ( I scored a 45% on the neuroticism score, a 100 would mean trouble and way too many thoughts!). 

Hanging out at temples didn't necessarily prepare me to not be the "sage on the stage" as Trust points out, identities critical role in PLN's. I have heard my principal say that directly to me "no-one wants to learn from the sage-on the stage." Inside my head, I think, "ah-huh-whatever you say." Yet, classroom harmony rests upon the co-identity between students and teachers. Everyone learns from someone they can relate to not someone who thinks they are better or knows more. 

Lastly, let's be real, I am a Taurus, the greatest astrological sign ( no- arrogance here). We live for our communities and try to bend over back to do the right thing for the whole. Luckily, I am privileged to grow my PLN while learning from amazing people all over the world. Let me know who you learn from either on Tik-Tok, Youtube, Twitter, and of course your astrological sign.

Source:Giphy