“Thought Tribes”

I was asked to contemplate the concept of tribes in relation to my current journey as an educator. As a lifelong learner and thinker, it seems the ability to have a “thought tribe,” or a group through which I filter ideas is essential. Connectivism outlines the concept of a network of resources that are available to an individual. You can control the people, concepts and function of your personal network through the use of social media and other forms of real life and digital connection. My “thought tribe,” is currently in the process of changing as my understanding of what needs to change in education unfolds. While I agree with many great thinkers, such as Sir Ken Robinson, Tony Wagner, Paul Tough, and Angela Lee Duckworth, I also need to connect with people who are on a similar path to myself. My current mission is to create a Networked Learning Space where members of my thinking tribe can assemble to share ideas, learn from failures and successes and compile resources. While I find there is no shortage of opinion regarding what education should be, the actual real-world stories of teachers applying innovative educational experiences are rare. Ideas conceived by individuals matter. Ideas proposed to and refined by a collaborative group of deep thinkers have the potential to reach far and wide. I look forward to connecting with real teachers and hearing and learning about how they are having a positive impact on their learners and communities.

#inspiration #tips