Comments on: Expanding your network… http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/06/expanding-your-network/ Celebrating 30 Years of Ed Tech Vision Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:51:16 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Why did you come to NECC? | Reflections on Teaching http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/06/expanding-your-network/comment-page-1/#comment-2268 Why did you come to NECC? | Reflections on Teaching Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:50:13 +0000 http://www.isteconnects.org/?p=9303#comment-2268 [...] My ISTE Connects post on Expanding Your Network [...] [...] My ISTE Connects post on Expanding Your Network [...]

]]> By: We Are All Individuals! | ISTE Connects - Educational Technology http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/06/expanding-your-network/comment-page-1/#comment-2262 We Are All Individuals! | ISTE Connects - Educational Technology Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:01:14 +0000 http://www.isteconnects.org/?p=9303#comment-2262 [...] my last post here I talked about reaching out, and meeting others. In that I pointed out two contradictory things, by [...] [...] my last post here I talked about reaching out, and meeting others. In that I pointed out two contradictory things, by [...]

]]> By: Alice Mercer http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/06/expanding-your-network/comment-page-1/#comment-2260 Alice Mercer Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:59:50 +0000 http://www.isteconnects.org/?p=9303#comment-2260 @Theresa Thank you. I'm happy that this struck a chord. @Gayle, it wasn't a session, although I've heard of some great one, it was just a dinner conversation. I'd love to join, I'd suggest you drop the URL here because there are other parent/educators like ourselves, AND it's a resource for teachers to point parents to? I've started to follow autism folks on twitter, and I will retweet stuff to educators because they need resources too! @Theresa Thank you. I’m happy that this struck a chord.

@Gayle, it wasn’t a session, although I’ve heard of some great one, it was just a dinner conversation. I’d love to join, I’d suggest you drop the URL here because there are other parent/educators like ourselves, AND it’s a resource for teachers to point parents to? I’ve started to follow autism folks on twitter, and I will retweet stuff to educators because they need resources too!

]]> By: Gayle Cole http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/06/expanding-your-network/comment-page-1/#comment-2259 Gayle Cole Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:42:41 +0000 http://www.isteconnects.org/?p=9303#comment-2259 Alice, The workshop you said was one of your favorites is one I missed; earlier today though I emailed the presenter to ask for more information. Now that I see you enjoyed it, I am glad I did! I haven't kept up enough with blogging about educational technology, but I plan to improve that this year. I do blog about parenting a special needs child, though. Email me if you would like the url. My little corner of the blogosphere has some wonderfully supportive community members, and a good sense of humor, too! Best, Gayle Alice,
The workshop you said was one of your favorites is one I missed; earlier today though I emailed the presenter to ask for more information. Now that I see you enjoyed it, I am glad I did!
I haven’t kept up enough with blogging about educational technology, but I plan to improve that this year.
I do blog about parenting a special needs child, though. Email me if you would like the url. My little corner of the blogosphere has some wonderfully supportive community members, and a good sense of humor, too!
Best,
Gayle

]]> By: Theresa Reagan http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/06/expanding-your-network/comment-page-1/#comment-2258 Theresa Reagan Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:00:05 +0000 http://www.isteconnects.org/?p=9303#comment-2258 Alice, Your post has applications beyond large national conference settings. Your perceptive and honest reflections about the need to connect with those outside your comfort zone could be extended to staff gatherings, parent related events and, for students, cross-grade experiences. I plan to share this post with the staff and post in on my school blog. Thank you for taking the time to write an article about the courage to maintain eye contact and focus on meeting and learning about someone new! Alice,
Your post has applications beyond large national conference settings. Your perceptive and honest reflections about the need to connect with those outside your comfort zone could be extended to staff gatherings, parent related events and, for students, cross-grade experiences.

I plan to share this post with the staff and post in on my school blog. Thank you for taking the time to write an article about the courage to maintain eye contact and focus on meeting and learning about someone new!

]]> By: Alice Mercer http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/06/expanding-your-network/comment-page-1/#comment-2256 Alice Mercer Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:39:46 +0000 http://www.isteconnects.org/?p=9303#comment-2256 @Errin: EXACTLY what I was talking about! Glad you made that connection. @Nancy: Wish you could have been there. I sometimes worry that when we don't expand who we talk to, we are just speaking the same language and not getting outside our box (I do that myself sometimes). @Gayle Cole: I almost came with family (although they would have left before NECC), but $ did not permit. I really missed my family on Sunday when I was at the Smithsonian Air and Space, so I documented the heck out of it, and told them to look at pics. Not the same, I know. Folks who commuted in, had some of the same issues. Those after meetups seemed to really "gel" things. I do wish we had met. One of my favorite convos was with an educator who worked with a teacher using IWBs in her autism class and I shared my son working with one in his classroom. Follow me on twitter, or let me know if you have a blog/facebook/Classroom 2.0 page I can follow. @Errin: EXACTLY what I was talking about! Glad you made that connection.

@Nancy: Wish you could have been there. I sometimes worry that when we don’t expand who we talk to, we are just speaking the same language and not getting outside our box (I do that myself sometimes).

@Gayle Cole: I almost came with family (although they would have left before NECC), but $ did not permit. I really missed my family on Sunday when I was at the Smithsonian Air and Space, so I documented the heck out of it, and told them to look at pics. Not the same, I know. Folks who commuted in, had some of the same issues. Those after meetups seemed to really “gel” things.

I do wish we had met. One of my favorite convos was with an educator who worked with a teacher using IWBs in her autism class and I shared my son working with one in his classroom. Follow me on twitter, or let me know if you have a blog/facebook/Classroom 2.0 page I can follow.

]]> By: Gayle Cole http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/06/expanding-your-network/comment-page-1/#comment-2255 Gayle Cole Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:26:21 +0000 http://www.isteconnects.org/?p=9303#comment-2255 Hi, Alice. I, too, am a parent of a child with autism. I wish I'd met you while at NECC. So many things about the conference made me think of my son, and autism would have been one of many things I would like to discuss with you if I'd met you in the see of 18,000. I had a harder time connecting with others at NECC this year than I did last year, perhaps because I brought my family on the trip and I felt a tiny bit divided while at the conference, or perhaps it was just chance didn't offer me those connections it did in San Antonio. I am trying to develop my PLN and am making baby steps... I am glad I found this post of yours, even if I didn't get to meet you f2f. Gayle coleg@cee-school.org Hi, Alice.
I, too, am a parent of a child with autism. I wish I’d met you while at NECC. So many things about the conference made me think of my son, and autism would have been one of many things I would like to discuss with you if I’d met you in the see of 18,000. I had a harder time connecting with others at NECC this year than I did last year, perhaps because I brought my family on the trip and I felt a tiny bit divided while at the conference, or perhaps it was just chance didn’t offer me those connections it did in San Antonio.

I am trying to develop my PLN and am making baby steps… I am glad I found this post of yours, even if I didn’t get to meet you f2f.

Gayle
coleg@cee-school.org

]]> By: Nancy Pratt http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/06/expanding-your-network/comment-page-1/#comment-2243 Nancy Pratt Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:27:58 +0000 http://www.isteconnects.org/?p=9303#comment-2243 Hi Alice, I Loved your post here and even though was not at NECC THIS year, your words ring true to me... Last year, I was there and had the chance meetings of several people now in my PLN and it happened just as you explained.. But we had to risk reaching out and opening up and out. We both (all) had to be open to rejection and except for one incident that I had with someone that was pretty surprising and disappointing, every single person I met was generous and kind. We spoke the same language, and in most cases, I felt as though we were starting our conversations in the middle of the sentence...:) You know what I mean? Most everyone I met ...I have kept in some sort of contact with, mostly on twitter, blogs, eluminate and email, but it is so wonderful to know that there are those folks out there ...connections. Folks who care about the same things as I do in education and technology. I just appreciate all of the support and learning I have received over the past two years as a result of these two past NECC conferences, and will continue to try to nurture my PLN in the same way I have felt nurtured! :) Thanks, Alice, for being one of my wonderful PLN people! I enjoyed meeting you last year, and have totally enjoyed your webinars and our network...:) Nancy Hi Alice,
I Loved your post here and even though was not at NECC THIS year, your words ring true to me…

Last year, I was there and had the chance meetings of several people now in my PLN and it happened just as you explained.. But we had to risk reaching out and opening up and out. We both (all) had to be open to rejection and except for one incident that I had with someone that was pretty surprising and disappointing, every single person I met was generous and kind. We spoke the same language, and in most cases, I felt as though we were starting our conversations in the middle of the sentence…:) You know what I mean?

Most everyone I met …I have kept in some sort of contact with, mostly on twitter, blogs, eluminate and email, but it is so wonderful to know that there are those folks out there …connections. Folks who care about the same things as I do in education and technology.

I just appreciate all of the support and learning I have received over the past two years as a result of these two past NECC conferences, and will continue to try to nurture my PLN in the same way I have felt nurtured! :) Thanks, Alice, for being one of my wonderful PLN people! I enjoyed meeting you last year, and have totally enjoyed your webinars and our network…:)

Nancy

]]> By: Reflections on NECC 2009 Day One | Alice Mercer's PD Blog http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/06/expanding-your-network/comment-page-1/#comment-2241 Reflections on NECC 2009 Day One | Alice Mercer's PD Blog Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:04:03 +0000 http://www.isteconnects.org/?p=9303#comment-2241 [...] Have gone up at: http://inpractice.edublogs.org. Enjoy! Also a post on the “social” scene and how to make the most of it is at: http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/06/expanding-your-network/ [...] [...] Have gone up at: http://inpractice.edublogs.org. Enjoy! Also a post on the “social” scene and how to make the most of it is at: http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/06/expanding-your-network/ [...]

]]> By: Errin http://www.isteconnects.org/2009/07/06/expanding-your-network/comment-page-1/#comment-2240 Errin Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:06:26 +0000 http://www.isteconnects.org/?p=9303#comment-2240 After reading your post, I have to share this! At a recent conference, I ran into Betty, a lady I knew a little from graduate coursework. Betty invited me to join her for breakfast and introduced me to the two other women at the table. Polite small talk ensued. I felt a bit out of my comfort zone but I like to meet new people I was enjoying myself too. The interesting part was that, sitting beside me at the table, was a lady named Claire. After a few minutes, Betty pointed out that I follow Claire’s blog, at which point I realized I was sitting beside someone that I knew of and had ‘met’, but only virtually through blogging! I had been reading and commenting on Claire’s blog for almost a year. That morning, I sat right next to her and never would have realized who she was had it not been for the fact that Betty made the connection! This is one of my favourite coincidences, and probably one of my most unique 'meetings' I've experienced so far! After reading your post, I have to share this! At a recent conference, I ran into Betty, a lady I knew a little from graduate coursework. Betty invited me to join her for breakfast and introduced me to the two other women at the table. Polite small talk ensued. I felt a bit out of my comfort zone but I like to meet new people I was enjoying myself too.

The interesting part was that, sitting beside me at the table, was a lady named Claire. After a few minutes, Betty pointed out that I follow Claire’s blog, at which point I realized I was sitting beside someone that I knew of and had ‘met’, but only virtually through blogging! I had been reading and commenting on Claire’s blog for almost a year. That morning, I sat right next to her and never would have realized who she was had it not been for the fact that Betty made the connection!

This is one of my favourite coincidences, and probably one of my most unique ‘meetings’ I’ve experienced so far!

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