Google + as my ed platform

In January, my local educational cooperative posted a course to become a technology coach and I was on board fast.   I started the process last week and in the two days there, I learned so much.  The experience, I know is going to be a rewarding and life changing one and I am so excited to take part in the course.

There are about 18 of us in the cohort and we were all encouraged to use social media to share and expand our skills.   I learned quickly that Google + is my new professional social media platform.  I have been on it since it started, but I never got super involved with how it works and how much I can do with it.   I have been on Facebook for years, but I use it mostly to share things with family and friends, see what people I have known forever are up to and to post about my more social things.  I did create a Facebook page to communicate with students and parents, but I seldom visit.  

Google + is just different for me.   I am catching myself checking it on and off throughout the school day and I don't feel like I am doing something inappropriate since it is a self directed professional development.  I am finding myself asking people in the educational field questions about things and getting good answers.   I do the same with twitter, but the ability to post more information and not just 140 characters makes it easier to be more specific.

So, as I delve into the training to be a tech coach and as I expand my horizons professionally, I am going to rely on Google+ as my platform.  I suspect I will be very pleased with how it helps me grow as an educator.