Teacher Connections

Teacher-to-teacher connections provide important peer mentoring, collaboration, and professional development for teachers as they strive to increase their skills, improve their content delivery, develop their classroom style, and maintain their motivation and passion for teaching. Connecting with other teachers can take different forms and be oriented to various goals. The following are types of teacher-to-teacher connections and their benefits.

Resource Sharing

Resource sharing refers to websites, discussion groups, or in-person meetings at which teachers share materials. These materials may be fully-developed lesson plans that worked well or ideas for using certain books, movies, or educational technology. Teachers can share how they use technology to teach their subject and give examples of effective and ineffective technology uses. Teachers can share web quest plans, lists of approved and useful web sites for research on common topics, and give examples of Internet-based presentations and projects. Resource sharing groups can stimulate creativity, introduce teachers to new ideas and ways to present material, and help reduce preparation time.

How-To's

A how-to group may be an electronic or in-person forum for teachers to share step-by-step guides on how to create materials, which can range from interactive word walls to multi-media presentations. Teachers who are unfamiliar with certain technologies or unsure of how to integrate these tools effectively in the classroom will find easy-to-follow instructions and ideas that can help them learn and practice new skills at their own pace, in the comfort of their own home or office, and on their own schedule.

Professional Support

Online community support and discussion groups can be an important outlet for teachers seeking encouragement, assistance, motivation, and stress relief. These discussion groups allow teachers to talk about teaching, trade ideas for improving classroom instruction, coach others on developing their classroom style, give organizational tips, help colleagues deal with difficult classroom or administrative situations, and empathize with colleagues facing challenges. Teachers can take their successes and problems to a community of like-minded individuals in similar situations who can understand the ups and downs of teaching. Internet sites provide the added benefit of anonymity, which can benefit teachers who need peer input but who hesitate to bring up delicate situations with close colleagues.

Professional Development

Teachers discuss useful resources for professional development and trade information on grant money and other funding for professional development. Teachers can recommend professional development topics, classes, or seminars that they found particularly helpful and direct colleagues to them. Teachers can share professional development materials they have developed or used for the benefit of others.

Collaboration

Some websites offer collaborative partnerships for teachers in the same or different states, countries, and fields to work together. These partnerships may relate to individual research, the research and development of curricula and lesson plans, or to how teachers and their students can work together on projects in the classroom.

Teachers find connecting with other teachers an enriching experience, both personally and professionally. Speaking or messaging with colleagues in similar or related fields provides the opportunity to discover new resources and new ideas and to reevaluate one’s own practices.