PLP Dreams

"Powerful Learning Practice" - has a nice ring, doesn't it? To a teacher of nearly twenty years it conjures images of new discoveries in learning, new ideas in brain research, "powerful" new tools to bring into the classroom to help my students become better learners; to, hopefully, become life-long learners. Ideally, it will help me to become a more "powerful" learner and educator. So, what is PLP? It's a program for learning to "use Web 2.0 tools, such as blogs, wikis, Twitter, and social networking/bookmarking sites, will help you begin to build your personal learning network and prepare you for participating in the connected learning community as a whole." So, the "powerful learning practice" is meant for me as an educator to learn to use social networking tools to become a better teacher. I hope it works. I enter the process as a reluctant participant. As a member of the "Boomer" generation, I am wary of social media. I have a Facebook account, but use it rarely. I am, by nature, a private person. Oh, I willingly share personal stories, thoughts, dreams, and ideas with individual friends and acquaintances - or even with small groups. But I am uncomfortable opening myself up to "the world." And, let's face it, the internet is the world. But, I try to be open-minded. I recognize the value of social media in education. I know that this is the way many of today's students communicate. I have to learn it, use it, become comfortable with it and, hopefully, master it to the point that I can make it a valuable tool in my teaching. So, here I am writing my first blog. To whoever chooses to visit my site, "Welcome." My name is Tim d'Auteuil, and I currently teach 4th grade math and science in a private school in Fort Worth, Texas. I can't promise that my blogs will be especially enlightening or entertaining. I can't promise that I'll write daily (or even weekly). But I'm going to try this. And, because I'm involved in a particular training program, I will be (forced? encouraged? motivated?) to write regularly. If you wish to come along for the ride, I'm happy to have you. Just remember that I'm a "newbie" and go easy on me. See you soon.