PLN

      When I worked as a summer camp counselor it was always necessary to have an appropriate game for each age of kids. Seeing as how children get bored of games rather quickly I always had to look for new sources of fun. Pinterest was very helpful in this search. I learned games from elementary teachers that they played with their classes; I read about game that were intended for adults but could be modified to suit a younger age; and I even found games that someone played with their family at a reunion. Pinterest brought all of these ideas together and I found them just by searching "group games" or something like that. Now imagine that same pool of ideas for lesson plans or interactive activities. Pinterest is great for teachers because it allows the whole teaching community to collaborate and share what worked in their classroom with other teachers across the country.
      The National Education Association has comprised a list of professional development programs to help teachers in many ways. The NEA has a series of Webinars that teachers can sign up for and attend online at their convenience. Listening to other professionals discuss new thought provoking ideas not only provides a new way to approach a lesson, it also motivates teachers through a sense of community. Teachers who successfully incorporate what they learned from a webinar will share their stories with others.