10--Connected+With+Other+Teachers+and+Community

Teachers Are Connected With Other Teachers and Community Collaboration is critical. I find teaching to be an isolating profession if you allow it to be. As a professional who values collaboration, I am continually reaching out to my colleagues and community to open the doors of my classroom. Learning from others reflects the global community our world is becoming. As my students see me working with community members, they can better appreciate the village it takes to raise a child.

Teaching Teams I work with a variety of teaching teams in my school. My middle school level, committee teams, and hallway neighbors provide different groups with whom I can collaborate. Nurturing these relationships is vital to create an open and collaborative school environment. I have also greatly enjoyed working with our school buddies on collaborative projects where students are able to benefit from the collaborative nature of our school.

Colleagues As I gain different experiences and move through my career, I have been able to keep in contact with former colleagues. I am forever grateful for the influences these amazing educators have had on my practice and I honor their influence by striving for excellence every day. Many of them serve as my mentors and help me stay focused on my professional goals.

Marquette Cohort I am currently pursuing a masters in educational administration as a member of the Catholic School Cohort. This fine group of men and women are a wonderful support for my professional growth. As we experience each step of the program together, we share in celebrations and challenges that make each one of us better in our practice. I look forward to our continued learning experiences as we progress on this journey together.

Parents By working on the playground and service committee, I have been able to collaborate with parents of my school community. Participating in school events also afford me the opportunity to bond with school families. These experiences help me to connect with the spirit of my school and create a tight-knit community for which I am very grateful.

PLN (Professional Learning Network) A few years ago I enrolled in an online course that opened my eyes to the world of web 2.0. Through this course I began to develop my PLN. Using RSS, I am now able to learn from some of the best educators from around the world. Read my education RSS feed to see how these educators influence my teaching. In addition to RSS, I use twitter to connect with educators who do many wonderful things. These connections have allowed me to enroll in more online classes, attend online webinars, and get specific advice from some of the best educators out there. I am grateful for the openness of the online community to share and collaborate with one another.