As a classroom teacher who is looking to transition into a new field, my personal learning network (PLN) includes platforms dedicated to secondary education, career transition, and the challenges of being a career driven military spouse. It is both an engaging and exhausting challenge to maintain a sense of growth and active learning in one field while exploring, learning, and developing new networks in other fields. The bulk of my current networks are through social media platforms. The speed with which technology develops and tools are either made available or required for classroom teachers often means that formal classes and traditional professional development can lag behind teachers’ and students’ needs. Social media can provide quick, up-to-date tutorials, explanations, and other content that enables us to be successful. Education is a field that is well suited for this kind of microlearning. If schools formalized the social media style with key concepts, skills, sources, and strategies that align with the school’s or district’s goals, it could be transformative for the professional learning process.
Until then, though, some key sites and accounts that have helped improve my own practice as a classroom teacher include: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram provide quick and easy access to teaching and learning strategies, ideas for new technology tools, tips for how to use tools in new ways, and classroom management ideas and strategies. Most of the content related to teaching, learning, and classroom management tends to be aligned with what I’ve learned formally in school or through professional development with the added benefit of being tweaked for the digital age in a post-Covid world. The education I’ve received as a history major has also helped me to evaluate content based on sources and context. Not all posts are created equal.
Here is a list of some great social media accounts to help inspire your next lesson
I generally use Instagram to follow educational accounts that prioritize educational justice. Whether it be antiracist education, disability justice, or tools for teaching history. Here are some of my favorite accounts:
TikTok
I've been on Instagram much longer than TikTok so this list will be a bit shorter. However, if you have any idea how social media works, you know that what you watch is what they will show you. So, give these eduCreators a follow and few watches and you'll see a bunch more reccomendations related to their content.
When You're Ready to Start Exploring Other Options...
Of course, you have the traditional sites to explore, refresh, and engage on. Sites like LinkedIn for example. Update that resume, build up those connections, learn the platform and all its capabilities. For the military spouse there are some additional resources and communities you may want to check out.
1. Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Network, Amplify
Being a military spouse with a career brings a very specific set of challenges that many people, including employers, do not know or understand. Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) is a national program that connects the military community, including spouses like myself, with businesses to help develop their careers. Amplify is an event that HOH offers several times a year to military spouses. This event and network would result in an increase in skills, resources, and connections. Their website states:
...attendees will leave with an improved resume, a professional photo, a polished LinkedIn profile, and a professional network of fellow military spouses and employers.
HOH also has a Fellowship program that matches job seekers with employers. Candidates work with a company, like a paid internship, with the potential for a full-time job offer at the end. Check it out here: Military Spouse Fellowship Program.
Trailblazer is a network of professional learners through Trailhead by Salesforce. Trailhead is the learning arm of the platform and Trailblazer is the connection side. Trailblazer functions as an informal discussion board where members can ask and answer questions about Trailhead Modules and products as well as network with other professionals. If you are interested in upskilling and joining the tech industry, Trailhead is a great place to start.
The Teacher Career Coach website provides an online learning platform, podcast, blog, jobs board, and community forum for teachers who are looking to transition into a new field. According to the website, the community is made of transitioning and transitioned teachers as well as human resources experts and resume writers. The course has helped thousands of teachers transition into new fields successfully.
Individuals who engage in personalized learning networks are both educators and learners. PLNs offer learners the opportunity to upskill and grow using the most meaningful and relevant content to fill their knowledge and skill gaps. PLNs can be the tool that sustains professional learning when traditional methods fail. The combination of technology, micro-learning, and PLNs provides professionals with autonomy, flexibility, respect of their time, and a sense of pride and purpose (Oddone et al., 2019). Individuals play a role in other people’s learning and can access the content they need to improve themselves. Learning and improvement are made manageable, consistent, and sustainable.
If you are looking for networks to help you be the best teacher you can and wanting to transition into a new field, it can be difficult to find likeminded individuals to connect and learn with. Add to that the complicated layer of being a military spouse and you've got yourself a potential (few) anxiety attack.
Take a breath.
There are communities out there that understand where you come from and the experiences you have. They will see these as strengths not liabilities. Find your people, share your expertise, and be willing to do the work of upskilling and rebranding yourself. It will be worth it.
Check out my complete personal learning network plan here in the pdf below.
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