Probably the best professional development I have ever done started about 8 months ago and continues every single day that I sign into Facebook. Somewhere in the past few years Facebook morphed from a friend-based social site to a catch-all online forum for anyone and everyone to meet. The absolute best development in music education world-wide has thanks credited to Facebook.
Today as I was at school working (I'm the technology specialist so summer is just as busy), I had my Facebook page open. Within the course of the 8 hour day, I conversed with 56 music teachers from around the world and over 200 music teachers listened in (possible thousands more). Ideas get bounced back and forth, new activities are created, teachers are learning, growing and energizing! I feel honored being a part of it all!
Anytime I have a question, I have over 8,000 teachers ready to offer advice. If I have a funny moment in my classroom, I have over 8,000 people to share it with ('cause my husband won't appreciate it the same way). When something goes RIGHT in my classroom and I'm excited to share my success, there are over 8,000 teachers excited to hear and maybe try it themselves! I don't think even a year ago we had this kind of peer-to-peer networking to grow and develop together.
I don't know whose brilliant idea it was to start Facebook pages for music teachers; maybe Katie Wardrobe or James Frankel and those geniuses at MusicFirst, but I am so thankful that I even know those music technology gurus and can ask them a question at any time! Praise God for Facebook!
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