In "The Tribes We Lead," Seth Godin postulates that in order to affect real social change, we don't need to "push our ideas out" to millions of people via Social Media. Instead, Godin says that we should look for our "tribe," that smaller subset of the population that fervently shares the same beliefs that we do. When such a group bands together via Social Media or other means of collaboration, Godin claims that they can change the world in the most profound manners possible.
Well.....I couldn't agree more! Godin's impassioned talk is insightful, inspiring, and humorous, a trait that I think is much too lacking in many TED talks. It speaks to me on so many different levels: As a teacher. As an aging punk-rocker. As an amateur philosopher. As a 21st century human being. He ticks all of the boxes. Well, mine anyways. After watching the video, I began thinking about the concept of "tribes" and how it relates to building a Professional Learning Network. Really, Godin's assertion that we should seek out a more narrow audience that share our passion for whatever is the fulcrum of the PLN is spot on. PLNs are not about acquiring Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram fame. They are about exchanging ideas with a group of like-minded individuals so that you can grow as both a professional and a person. Doing this requires a group of people committed to contributing ideas of substantive worth to the PLN. This is in sharp contrast to more socially oriented sites where all opinions are welcomed, regardless of their factual relevance. I know as I embark on building my own PLN, I will be looking to include teachers and even those outside of the education profession who can share valuable, POSITIVE strategies and technologies that will benefit students with learning disabilities. And I thank Seth Godin for pointing me in the right direction. So, watch this video and view a master at work!
1 Comment
Michelle
10/16/2015 07:43:23 am
I agree that Godin makes us think about our own personal tribes and how we can use the power of our tribes to affect change. My tribes are also from different facets of my life- the oldest being the people I went to grade school with who are still in touch on Facebook. Social media is the binding link, and I know I wouldn't have maintained contact with this tribe without it!
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
February 2017
AuthorI am a Special Education teacher currently pursuing his Master of Arts in Information & Learning Technologies (Option: K-12) at CU Denver. I work at Boulder High School in Boulder, CO. Here you will find my thoughts on education. Categories |