Why now? Reflections and a call for your advice!

More on beginning this blog....

In teaching, I take my inspiration from all the connections I have in my online PLC.  My professional learning community helps me to understand and apply better instructional strategies to bring forth better learning.  My online Learning neighbourhood shares with me the best ways to  use technology as a learning tool (thank you Desmos) and not just as an informational resource.  My linkedIn connections (Daniel groenewald, Tom Barrett ) remind me that I have worked with some amazing, professional educators.  And at the end of a long week, if I am feeling frazzled, I know I need only to turn to Twitter or my weekly RSS feeds to find like thinkers, passionate educators who will put me back in that positive mindset about why I love teaching mathematics!

Reading tweets ( @aitsl, @d_groenewald,@edutopia) and blog posts (Desmos, Dan Meyer, Samjshaw) help me to connect and enrich both my own learning and that of my students!  It's a win win for me - I learn, I'm inspired, I teach better lessons, my students are inspired, grades improve..............and yet.........

Even with the great progress I've observed in the learning achievements of students as a result of implemented researched based instructional strategies, I feel that many teachers on the ground are still missing out! "Too much content to get through", they say, or "need to make sure they are ready for their end of year entrance exams...".

Sometimes I feel like I may not be making a difference.

So my questions are.....

     1.      How can I more effectively share my experiences, failures, triumphs, ideas, questions and curiosities with others?

     2.       What suggestions do you have to effectively share your learning about best practice?
and,

     3.         What is the best way to generate more discussion within my school based teaching community about the best way to teach a particular concept, topic, or idea?

And this is why I am going to build this blog.  If I can connect with even one maths educator as a learning partner, then I will be happy😊.