Nebraska Change Agent
' I am entirely certain that twenty years from now we will look back at education as it is practiced in most schools today and wonder how we could tolerated anything so primitive.' John W Gardner
Progress Tracker
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I Need My PLN
I have tried to write this post no fewer than three dozen times and each time I struggle with where to begin. Sometimes it is hard for me to figure out exactly where I fit in with my PLN. There are days when my role is crystal clear and I feel so connected to everyone, but then there are days where I feel lost and disconnected from what is going on. Earlier this evening I asked my PLN to tell me one word that they would use to describe me. (Thanks to everyone who contributed. I hope I can keep being all of these things!) Their responses are the Wordle about this post. One day last spring when I was feeling particularly passionate, innovative, resourceful, and fearless, I devised a plan to test our strength.
Most of you who are reading this already know about the Newbie Project. I know you are sick and tired of hearing me talk about it, but there are some things that I feel I need to say. I think that somewhere along the way the meaning of the project was lost. The purpose was to come together as a PLN to raise awareness about the benefits of social networking. It just so happens that Richard Byrne was the beneficiary of your generosity last year and Jason Schrage will benefit this year.
Last week I started asking for contributions to the project. There are not too many things that make me more uncomfortable than asking people to part with their money. In fact, I HATE asking people for donations, but it is just part of what I have to do as the project coordinator. While it is great that so many of you are helping raise awareness the cold hard truth is that it just isn’t enough. In order for this project to be successful I need your help. I don’t want any one person to contribute more than $5 unless they really want to do so. I want hundreds of people to contribute just a few dollars. That’s all it will take. I know that together we can make it happen, but I also know that so many people don’t even think about donating because they figure someone else will do it. The problem is that when nearly everyone thinks that way it will spell failure for the project. (Similar to the bystander problem that Malcom Gladwell references in The Tipping Point). My job is to convince you to care about “your neighbor.”
There was such a positive response to this project last year. I was encouraged by dozens of people in my PLN to make the Newbie Project into an annual event. Where did all of you go? I need you right now and I am asking (OK–begging!) you to support this project. I know that ISTE is still 240 days away, but I need to wrap up the fund-raising part of the project for my own sanity. I have taken some measures to cut back on some costs, but we are still $1462 short of the $1600 goal. (A plane ticket from Upstate New York to Denver is not cheap!)
The original intent of the project was to serve as a testament to the power of our PLN. I have no doubt that if we each take on a tiny portion of the cost of the Newbie project we will meet the goal in no time. It will also mean so much more if there are hundreds of people who participate. So what do you say? Is it possible for us to do this again this year or have we run out of steam? We are a focused, trailblazing, and caring group of people. I refuse to believe there is even a chance that we will fail. If we work together failure is not even a possibility.
11 Responses to “I Need My PLN”
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Recent Visitors
November 1st, 2009 at 11:39 p
I just made a donation to show my support. I think that the project is a wonderful example of the power of PLN’s and I hope that you make your goal. I am sure you will!
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November 2nd, 2009 at 12:11 p
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tom Whitby, Andrew Green-Howard. Andrew Green-Howard said: RT @tomwhitby: RT @bethstill: New post written from the heart. I need all of you! http://bit.ly/2lQ5lb [...]
November 2nd, 2009 at 1:21 p
Hi Beth! I am on board! Just made my donation. Don’t worry, I think everyone will come through.
Just keep up the great work, and keep a good thought! It will happen!
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November 2nd, 2009 at 6:22 p
Thank you, Beth,for the heartfelt reminder. Please accept my donation.
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November 2nd, 2009 at 7:32 p
Just sent in my donation. Power to the people. Fear not, there are probably a lot of other procrastinating English teachers like me out there biding their time.
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November 2nd, 2009 at 8:20 p
After reading the post, I think I remember that I donated last year. Just added to this year’s project.
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November 2nd, 2009 at 9:41 p
Joan, Nancy, Ruth, Christopher, and Linda,
Thank you so much for supporting this project! It is so important that all of us have a variety of project to point to when trying to show our colleagues the power of Twitter. If we can pull this off two years in a row it will be an even more powerful example of how effective we can be when we all work together.
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November 2nd, 2009 at 12:36 p
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Steven W. Anderson and oswego98, Mary Beth Hertz. Mary Beth Hertz said: I Need My PLN: http://bit.ly/3ZT6X3 via @bethstill Support the Newbie Project! [...]
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:28 p
[...] Tweets about this great post on TwittLink.com [...]
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:39 p
iStrategyLabs is very happy to support this initiative! We know first hand the tremendous value educators get from attending NECC, or in this case ISTE 2010! Thanks again Beth for being an example to us all and showing us what being an active part of your PLN is all about!
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Beth Still Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:29 p
Joe,
Thank you so much for supporting this project again this year. I truly believe that it can serve as a concrete example of why educators should become part of a PLN. How could anyone discount the power of a PLN once they see what we can achieve when we work together?
Hope to see you in Denver.
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