Monday, May 13, 2013

Seeking Personal Professional Development

background image by Usien
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dany_Reyes_juggler.JPG
A member of my PLN, Jerry Blumengarten, recently tweeted, "You should not have to wait to get PD you need. Be a constant learner on your own with great resources & support online." As I read these words the following image formed in my mind. Seeking professional development in our hectic, busy, Common Core, Data-driven lives is definitely a juggling act. Some will sit and watch the balls or rings fall and collect at our feet and have no idea what to do with them (let them fall). Some will pick up some and throw them away (toss them up). Others will pick up a few and run with them to put them to good use. Others yet will find a way to keep the cycle going. Toss some up. Catch some. Pass them around. Share them. Add new balls or rings. And keep it all moving fluidly. On different days I can be at different phases of the pd juggling cycle. However, in reading Jerry's words I find myself interested again in helping others to reach out and catch some new balls or rings and take them to heart (The perfect finishing act.) As someone who spends "free" time catching up with my PLN on Twitter, Google+, Edmodo, Facebook, etc. I obviously believe in receiving new balls pitched into my circle by friends. But it is up to me to keep the energy in motion or just let them collect at my feet. Thanks Jerry, for sparking this thought based on your words tossed back into the share-able collective instead of collecting at my feet.