Read a Blog and Build Your PLN

What Is a PLN?

At your fingertips, you have the means to connect with teachers from around the world.  You can talk to them, learn from them, visit their classrooms, share information, and have a good time with them, and you never need to leave home.  Most of what I have learned about using technology in the classroom, I have learned from people I met via the internet.  These people, along with educators in my own school and community are my PLN, my Personal Learning Network.

I was able to connect with these people by following them on Twitter, Plurk, or Pinterest, liking a page on Facebook, or reading their blogs.  To gain a thorough understanding of an issue, or how to implement something, blogs are your best bet. Unlike other forms of social networking, when it comes to reading blogs you never have to say anything to the author, if you don’t want to.   As someone who writes several blogs, let me tell you that we really really want you to talk to us, but if you are at all nervous or uncomfortable about Twitter or Facebook, reading blogs is the place to start.

There are millions of blogs out there. The word blog is actually the words “web log” combined.  A blog is basically an on-line journal.  It is a website or part of a website and it can be written by individuals or groups.  Most blogs post so the most recent article is at the top.  Blogs are written about every subject imaginable.  When it comes to education, there are blogs about every aspect and every topic.  When I started reading blogs, I was most interested in those about using technology, but more recently I’ve been reading lots of grade level blogs about things teachers are doing in their classrooms.

Setting Up a Google Reader

With so many blogs out there, it can seem overwhelming to try to find them and keep up with them.  I use Google Reader to help me do that.  Take a look at the video below to learn how to set up a Google Reader account for yourself.

Practice by adding the web address for this blog to your Google Reader.  As you visit other blogs, add those to your Google Reader as well.  The next video will explain more about using your Google Reader.

Fantastic Blogs to Follow

Now it’s time to become familiar with a few blogs that are out there.  According to Hat Trick Associates, there are about 450 million English language blogs out there on a multitude of subjects, so where do you begin?  Members of my PLN on Twitter and Plurk helped me to assemble the following list of education related blogs.  Click on the links to visit the blog.  If it is something you find interesting, add the blog to your Google Reader, so you can be notified of future posts.  Check out the side bars of the blogs.  Many bloggers list favorite blogs, so you can find many additional blogs this way.   Visit blogs from other grade levels as well as your own.  You may find lots of useful ideas.

Preschool & Kindergarten

1. Aloha Kindergarten!

First Grade

1. Little Voices, Little Scholars,
2. Tunstall’s Teaching Tidbits
3. First Grader At Last
4. A Primary Blog for the 21st Century
5. Kids With a View
6. Room 6 + 6 Kind Kids

Second Grade

1. Life In the Second Grade

Third Grade

1. Room 14, 2011
2. Virtual Teacher

Fourth Grade

1. Teaching is Elementary
2. Tales of Frogs and Cupcakes
3. Create, Teach, Share
4. Teach Children Well

Fifth Grade

1. A Teacher’s Life For Me
2. Penny Pinching Teacher
3. Mr. C’s Class Blog

Fine Arts

1. Berryart’s Blog
2. Fairview’s Physical Education
3. The Teaching Palette

Reading

1. Delightful Daily 5 Cafe
2. In My Classroom: The Forest and the Trees
3. The Sensibly Savy Teacher
4. A Year of Reading
5. Doing the Daily 5
6. Children’s Literature

Special Education

1. Reality 101

Library

1. Van Meter Library Voice

General

1. Bulletin Board Ideas
2. Book Making With Kids
3. Successful Teaching
4. Free Technology for Teachers
5. Dare to Care

Principals

1. Opening the Doors of Our Writing Workshop
2. The Principal of Change
3. Connected Principals

A few of these are class blogs, but most are professional blogs written by educators for other educators.  Do you know of other fantastic blogs for educators?  If so, please write a comment and share the blog with us.  Next time we will take a look at classroom blogs.  You will be amazed by all the great ways that teachers use their classroom blog.