As connected educators month is nearing it’s last week, the theme for me this year has been exposure.  Yesterday evening I sat for about 15 minutes and listened to Jimmy Casas, Tom Murray, Lisa Dabbs, and Kyle Pace chat about the impact that connecting has had on their practice.  About 3 weeks earlier, I had the opportunity to join Sarah Thomas @sarahdateeechur and Tammy Neil @mathneil in a Google Hangout on the same topic.  Tomorrow I’ve taken the opportunity to present to educators at a curriculum expo at West Virginia University at Parkersburg about developing a professional learning network.  I can’t seem to escape the impact that connecting has had on myself as an educator and on my students.  I won’t escape it!

I’ve helped run #WVedchat, the statewide edchat for West Virginia educators, for the last year now.  In one recent chat this month there were seven educators from my district, including six from my school, present during one chat.  It was extremely encouraging seeing that the message of exposure had seeped its way into the lives of other local educators.  I have admitted many times that I have an unusual passion for education and improving school for students.  I certainly don’t have any dreams that all educators share the same passion.  I do, however, believe strongly in the impact that connecting and receiving exposure can have on the status-quo.  Jimmy Casas asked the audience last night to name an educator in their network that was better than they were.  That statement struck me.  If educators can’t name someone in their network of whom they receive consistent give and take of communication, feedback, resources, data, strategies, and support, then what force is pushing against status-quo?  That’s a message needed by all in education.

I could never provide a list of all the educators that have pushed me to grow and continue to help expose flaws in my own practice, but here are just a few:

• Eric Sheninger
• Jimmy Casas
• Tony Sinanis
• Kyle Pearce
• Rik Rowe
• Garnet Hillman
• Craig Vroom
• Dave Burgess
• Todd Whitaker
• Tom Murray