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[|Classroom 2.0 Website] George Couros and Patrick Larkin on Connected Principals

George Couros and Patrick Larkin are two principlas in different parts of the United States who have connected through the web. Initially having seperate blogs, George came up with an idea to create a website that puts all their info on the same webpage. In August 2010, they created Connected principals which is a blogging website that is open to anyone. The motto of the website is Sharing.Learning.Leading.

I think this was an excellent idea. This site gives a place for administrators (or other educators) to go to share their ideas, passions, and thoughts. On the blog they can share what they are doing or blog about different programs that they have enacted in their schools that have become a success. Others are able to read the information and learn from what other people are blogging about. I think that this is the most important process of blogging, sharing and learning. The fact that George, Patrick, and so much other people can connect with so many people. I agree with what they said during the audio presentation, it is not about the technology, but rather the building of relationships and connecting with other people. They are able to benefit from readin what others have posted and in turn others are benefiting from what they are posting, all in hopes o f becoming a better principal, teacher, or school in general. I believe it was George who said it was the best learning he had ever had, the learning was better than any workshop or formal class he had every attended. In my opinion the true beatuy of blogging and Connected Principals is the degree of learning that is actually going on.

Another part of Connected Principals is leadership. George and Patrick said one of the reasons they began the site was to empower the people in the building. They said a good principal empowers the people in their building. A principal is like a boss. If you go to work and your boss does not empower you to work harder and be the best your going to be, most likely your work experience isn't going to be a good one. Whether it be George and Patrick has made the step toward encouraging other people in their building to become connected, or the knowledge that they gain from reading others blogs, George and Patrck are empowering others in their building which I believe to be the most important thing.

I believe that more people in schools need to become connected through internet technology. George and Patrick spoke about a great opportunity for their students that came about because of the relationship they had formed through blogging. George's class was learning about India and Patrick said he had children who were Indian. Through skype their classes were able to connect and learn about the Indian culture from these students. This is just one way of how teachers modeling blogging connects can make their way into the classroom and provide opportunities for your students. It is important to get more people in the community invovled in blogging, whether it be facebook or twitter or a blogging website like Connected Principals. It is a great way for educators to share their ideas. It is important to remeber that blogs aren't just for principlas and can work for anyone. It is a good way to let your voice be heard. I found it interesting when George said it can be extremely helpful for kids who are shy and seem awkward at times because they do not connect with anyone in terms of interests in their classroom. They can use blogging to connect with someone in a different state or country that share their interests and passions. Before he said this, I never really thought of blogging this way.