Benefits to having a PLN for K-12 Teaching by Mary Follette

Efficiently Pooling Ideas

follette07 — 2014-09-23 00:22:56 UTC

When you're a new teacher, or an old teacher, it can be time consuming coming up with fresh ideas each new year or semester, but by having a PLN you can quickly see what others are doing, or posting and draw ideas from that quicker than having to think on the spot all the time.

It is good to have your own ideas and use them, but by sharing them with others, and drawing from others' ideas, it creates a more efficient way of thinking for teachers.

Support

follette07 — 2014-09-23 03:18:59 UTC

As a new teacher, it is important to feel supported in your field. Having a PLN allows us to see how other teachers deal with certain situations and can show that others go through similar situations and that we're not alone as teachers.

Broadening Community

follette07 — 2014-09-23 03:28:13 UTC

It can be easier to communicate and connect with colleagues and teachers from different areas who you normally couldn't see face to face. Through different connections and people, we can virtually meet people on a global scale rather than the immediate vicinity.

Parental Connections

follette07 — 2014-09-23 03:30:45 UTC

Having a PLN can allow you to communicate more effectively with parents by having them be a part of your network. This allows them to see where you pool your ideas from and gives them insight to their children's teachers. By having parents on board with you, you can more effectively see what methods work with particular children.