This will be my 15th year of teaching coming up, and I have learned so much the past three years compared to all of my previous years of teaching. The difference? Building and engaging a professional learning network (PLN). Connecting with fellow educators from around the world via Twitter, Google+, Voxer, Pinterest, and attending conferences (on my list for this coming year is to attend at least one edcamp) has not only given me new ideas and a much deeper knowledge base, but it has also deepened my passion for teaching and learning.  Building my PLN has been the single best thing I have done in my career so far for me and my students. After participating in Twitter chats like #paedchat, #personalizedpd, and a few others, I went into work excited every day this year past year, and I cannot wait for the next school year to begin. There was not one day I did not feel like not going in. There was not one "mental health day" I felt I needed to take. There was not one questi...

This time of year has to be my favorite time of year. I am seeing so many wonderful things from my students with how they are taking ownership of their learning, collaborating with each other, becoming more and more creative, and starting to see some quiet students really begin to open up and share their personalities. It is also my favorite time of year to try out new ideas, reflect on my successes and failures, and start thinking about how and what I want to accomplish with next year's students. I find myself building my PLN more and more, as I search for new ideas and ways to improve my current practice. The information I am getting through Twitter, Voxer (thanks to the suggestion of fellow educator Rachelle Dene Poth), Google+, and my director of technology is extraordinary. While I have heard of Alice Keeler for years, I recently started following her on Twitter (@alicekeeler). I honestly do not know why I waited so long to follow her. Everything she tweets is outstanding....