PLN Challenge - Tag, You're It!

 I am honored to have been “tagged” to participate in the PLN blogging challenge.  The PLN Blog Challenge, similar to the Sunshine Award and Homework Club, highlights the incredible learning network of amazing educators who are eager to collaborate, learn, and grow with each other.  

I'll readily admit that I am practically a Twitter-newbie, only coming on board in the summer of 2013.  I’ll also admit that discovering this wide network of educators has broadened my horizons as an educator immeasurably!  This collective sharing of ideas and ideologies has definitely brought new energy to my classroom!  My class participated in the Global Read Aloud, Hour of Code, and have used many new apps and learning strategies thanks to my Twitter PLN.  I look forward to even more connections and opportunities to learn in 2014. 

The PLN Blogging Challenge:

1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger. 
2. Share 11 random facts about yourself. 
3. Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
4. List 11 bloggers. They should be bloggers you believe deserve some recognition and a little blogging love!
5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated. (You cannot nominate the blogger who nominated you.)

Acknowledge the nominating blogger:
I was nominated for the PLN challenge by Drew Frank (@ugafrank) who joins me and many others in participating in the #blogamonth challenge for 2014.  If you are interested, join us by following the link provided here.  If nothing else, follow the link and check out my fellow blog-a-month-ers to grow your own PLN.  These bloggers run the gamut from preservice teachers to seasoned veterans, from kindergarten to higher ed, from teachers to superintendents, so you know the information and ideas shared will cross many areas of expertise!

11 random facts about me:

1. I am blessed beyond measure to have a dynamic circle of family, friends, and colleagues who support me.  Without these lovely people, I would not be the person I am today.
2. I don’t like danger.  These four words were my mantra once while mountain biking through a nearby state forest.  My son and husband were quite tolerant, thankfully.   These same words are also in the forefront of my mind for the first couple of days of skiing each year….oh to be a "french fry" skier instead of a "pizza" skier...
3. I once co-authored a chapter in an NCTM book - our chapter was about classroom and school climate.   
4. One of my favorite places on the planet is the point at Frying Pan Shoals on Bald Head Island, especially at low tide. I don’t know why  exactly, but it magically seems like you are at the very end of the earth.   Plus, there is just something restorative about being at the beach and watching the ocean.
5. I hope to  see the Northern Lights one day.
6. If I weren’t a teacher, I would love to work in a library or as a personal chef - after taking cooking classes, of course.
7. I enjoy taking time to be a paper-crafter and card-maker.  What can I say - mixing papers, ribbons, fabric, and embellishments while making something that will bring a smile to someone else’s face just gives me a charge.
8. I was once nearly kicked out of the Barnes Museum in Philadelphia for what the security force mistakenly thought was a “code contact,” or contact with a painting.  Thankfully, Ron Wood - guitarist for the Rolling Stones - arrived and pulled their attention away from lil' ole innocent me.  
9. I’ve been a BGG - Book Group Gal - for 12 years now. The BGGs are my inspiration in so many ways!
10. I'd love to learn to play the piano or the cello some day. 
11. One highlight of my teaching career was the year I taught a half-day kindergarten class (we called it “Kincer-garten”) and all 19 kids learned to read!  I was blessed to have many of these students again as 2nd graders; now they are high school juniors and I continue to be proud of their accomplishments!

Answer Drew’s 11 questions:

1. What is your favorite movie of all time?  The Sound of Music
2. If you could go to have attended any concert anytime in history, what would it have been?  Past:  I would go back to Kentucky's Centre College in the early 80s to see Emmy Lou Harris again - it was a great venue with an amazing artist!  Future: Eric Clapton - anywhere, anytime!
3. What do you do for fun?  Hobby?  Card-making, reading, cooking, travel
4. What two guests would make the best comedic pair as co-hosts for the Oscars?  If we could bring back two great comedic actors no longer with us, I would say Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett.
5. Cat, Dog or Goldfish? Why… Dog - need to upgrade our family’s trademark “invisible dog named Spike” from when our kids were little and we couldn’t have a dog
6. How do you caffeinate? Coffee with flavored creamer (cinnamon vanilla or pumpkin spice) - 2 cups on weekdays, double that on weekends
7. Favorite twitter chat?  I am just jumping into the chats, so those I have tried are #satchat #edtechchat #titletalk #INelearn and #txedchat (formerly taught in TX - 30 years ago when I was fresh out of college - hope this qualifies me!)
8. Best place you ever vacationed? This is hard - I loved Paris both times I have been fortunate enough to go - but for a family vacation,  I would have to say either Bald Head Island, NC or Big Sky, MT....Phelps Lake in Grand Tetons and Hyalite Canyon are also epic!
9. Best book you’ve read in 2013? I am obviously late to the game, but The Book Whisperer was phenomenal!  Fiction = John Sanford’s Silken Prey
10. Favorite television shows? Downton Abbey; HGTV Design Star and Property Brothers; Food network - anything w/ Giada or Ina Garten
11. What is one thing you never/rarely share that you are exceptionally proud of?  Not so much proud as privileged:  I was fortunate to be a stay-at-home mom for 10 years and would never do it differently.  Learning from and with my own two children during that time was by far some of the most important learning I have ever done!

My nominations:

I really tried to make sure these bloggers hadn’t yet been “tagged” by late December, but if I missed your Homework Club, Sunshine Award, or PLN Tagged post, my sincerest apologies!  I also realize that I have more than 11 here, but I am hoping that of these 16 inspirational folks, perhaps 11 will find the time to follow through and blog to respond to my questions so we can learn more about them and about the bloggers who inspire them.  Each of these bloggers does much to inspire me!

Chris Kesler http://www.ckesler.com @iamkesler
Louise Morgan  http://mrsmorgansstars.edublogs.org @MrsMorgansClass
Brenda Hauff  http://www.brendahauff.com @BrendaHauff
DeLyn Beard  http://www.eleaderacademy.com/blog.html  @delynbeard
Kirsten Foti  http://crazyladyteacher.blogspot.com  @MsKirstenFoti
Lisa Dabbs  http://www.teachingwithsoul.com   @teachingwthsoul
Rachel Guinn  http://reflectwithrachel.wordpress.com  @RachelGuinn3
Paula White  http://amplifyingminds.wordpress.com  @paulawhite
Terri Eichholz  http://engagetheirminds.wordpress.com  @terrieichholz
Renee Boss  http://www.reneeboss.blogspot.com @renee_boss
Janelle McLaughlin  http://reflectinginspiration.wordpress.com @Ms_Mac4
Ariel Sacks  http://arielsacks.com/wholenovelsblog  @arielsacks
Ryan McLane  http://ryanpatrickmclane.blogspot.com  @mclane_ryan
Charity Stephens  http://www.differentiated4u.com @differNtiated4u
Mr. Kid President http://kidpres.tumblr.com @iamkidpresident
Allison Hogan http://www.primerattheepiscopalschoolofdallas.com/blog.html  @AllisonHoganESD

My questions: 

1.  What is one thing you tried this school year that you learned about from your PLN? 

2.  If you weren’t in education, what would you do instead?

3.  Who was your favorite teacher growing up and how did she/he inspire you?

4.  What is one example of ed-tech that you use daily in your work with students?

5.  What characteristic do you value most in a team member or colleague?

6.  What is the best book you’ve read lately?

7.  If you could have dinner with three people, alive or no-longer living, who would you select, and why?  What/where would you eat?

8.  Connections totally fascinate me, so name one member of your PLN and tell how you became connected with him/her.  {Just in the time it has taken me to type this blog post, seven individuals have popped up as my new Twitter followers - leaving me quite excited to check out who they are - but also curious as to how they found me.}

9.   What is your favorite children’s or YA book of all time?

10.  What educational conference is on your “do not miss” list for 2014?

11. If you had to narrow down your words of wisdom for students or fellow-educators to just three words, what would they be?  Please identify the intended audience (educators or students) for your words as you share them.

Thank you in advance for sharing your responses with us, bloggers!

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