Before this week, I did not know there was a name for the informal and formal mutual learning connections and virtual relationships I have built over the years. Through my music, education, homeschool, social justice, church and yoga networks I have quite a collection of contacts and resources with whom I interact. Many are on Facebook, in blogs, and on Instagram, and many more are in person or both. I have the most presence @musictogethervivo and in real life. These comprise my current PLN - or personalized learning network. 

For the purposes of this program and my new adventure into teaching English and ESL to secondary students, it is exciting to expand my PLN to include learning for my own growth. I am building a presence and network on the education friendly Twitter platform -  https://twitter.com/cherylsabo2.

To build my PLN, I combed my current course modules and selected educators and organizations that spoke most to me at the moment. The five I would like to highlight here are all from twitter, because this is the new platform for me. If you’re interested in groups I follow on other platforms, please pursue my social media via @musictogethervivo on IG, FB, YouTube, and a small amount on pinterest. All links are available on https://www.musictogethervivo.com/ 

Highlights from my new twitter PLN for education include:

1. Education Week @educationweek offers interesting topics and notifications to click through and read more about topics that interest me.

2. Learning for Justice is a resource I already follow, so I am pleased to also see it in my twitter feed. This organization posts frequent links to follow for more reading and learning. https://twitter.com/learnforjustice 

I learned about this book during my field placement from middle school English teacher Mr. Daniel Wu at Whitman Middle School, FCPS. It’s a small but powerful book, and I enjoy Mr. Fischer’s twitter feed. It reminds me that writing is F U N and that I can do a lot to support students in their path toward true literacy. https://twitter.com/WriterRalph17 @writerrapalph17

In addition to following the entire Fairfax County Public School twitter, I would like to highlight a more local feed: our county is so large we have several regions. Region 3 is the region in which I live and includes the schools where I hope to teach.   https://twitter.com/FCPSR3 

Finally, I follow Alexis Wiggins, director of the Cohort of Educators for Essential Learning, and part of the Grant Wiggins ‘Veteran Teacher Shadows a Student’ experiment from 2014. Ms. Wiggins continues to research and transform our understanding of student experiences in education. @alexiswiggins https://twitter.com/alexiswiggins 

In addition to the online resources mentioned above, I want to remember my most important teachers: my family, and my many students. For years, I have observed and interacted with students of all ages. I have been fortunate to work with preverbal infants, exuberant toddlers, senior citizens who have lifetimes of experience to share, and everyone in between. 

In the in-person world, I follow the lead modeled for my by my mother, Nancy Anderson: life is an opportunity to serve, to grow, and to make a difference. Every year, she enrolls in a new training or continuing education and gets genuinely excited to learn something new. She is still teaching, even after retiring twice from the public schools. I love you, mom!

I follow her model by learning as part of my life. I have certifications in a wide variety of fields, each with it's own network of learners. Some fit my work and mission, others have been reitred, but the takeaway is that I genuinely love learning and enjoy the contacts I build within each experience:

• Suzuki Flute Instructor (3 separate summer session in-person trainings)

• Kripalu Yoga Teacher (month-long residential training with over 200 hours of in person instruction and extensive reading, field work, and follow-up)

• Let Your Yoga Dance Teacher (100 hours in person training, extensive field work)

• Spirit Play Religious Education Program Teacher (2 separate weekend trainings in person)

• Pat Miller Fear-free Canine Trainer (week-long intensive course with extensive reading and field work)

• Tinkergarten Teacher (online training modules)

• Early Childhood Music Licensed Music Together Director (over 23 years, I have attended 3 live in-person 30 hour teacher trainings, 2 online trainings, hosted additional 3 trainings, earned highest Certification levels I and II, presented at NAEYC for Music Together Worldwide, and attended regular songs workshops.)

And, in 2023, working hard to earn my Virginia State ESL teacher certification!

I decided to keep the good stuff going, so I registered for a Responsive Classroom Middle School Core training to take place in June 2023. I can't wait to learn more about classroom set-up and SEL support in middle school grades through this program and network of other learners. 

PLN Personalized Learning Network PLN Personalized Learning Network PLN

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