3a Current Network

What are the established ways that others use their networks, especially if they are more established or experienced practitioners that you admire?

I admire Mrs Churchill from work, who also the treasure and runs the local community hall where I live. She often runs events for the community, including Halloween, New-year, summer fairs and much more. At times she uses the local youth to help post leaflets to help advertise events, which gets them and others more involved in the community. I like the way some schools link with other schools to work on collaborative projects and school development. I also admire the way Natalia Hyson has used the Network she has to be able teach her passion.

A few of my friends, family and colleagues are better communicators when it comes to social gatherings, I can at times be reserved and conservative.  Working in a school you are often too aware of the responsibility of the professionalism in and outside of work, this has probably contributed to me becoming too reserved and conservative over the last few years; this at times has hindered the development of some networks. When I went to a business network meeting I was nervous at first but became more relaxed, as the evening went on and realised I had more to offer in terms of my skills and the networks I already had. On reflection of my friends, family, colleagues and the Business network meeting, I realised I don’t always need to be so reserved and more importantly be myself, even if I am a occasionally a little eccentric at times.

Are there methods, approaches and technologies that you use socially that might apply and help you develop your professional network?

Yes, Facebook and Twitter, although I currently use Facebook more. I have considered these previously when aiming to help to develop the communication of a PTA. Allowing for ideas to be developed and for parents who may like to get involved but have to work. These parents’ often have professional networks of their own that may be of use to a PTA and the community of a school. But this would probably need to be monitored by a school, to stop it being exploited and limit any risks. This could also open a debate on what profit means to school, pros and cons. In addition I have recently starting thinking about Teacher Assistant professional network after reading Reader 3, to build a network of people with a similar job role that are creative, like minded yet also have different ideas etc…     That maybe interested in being a part of an Enterprise Business/Social Enterprise. I am sure there are some Teacher Assistant sites out there, but if I start a site, it would give me an element of control of its direction. This is something that would be easy to start up and I will do. I will blog to let you know how it goes. 

YouTube would play a big part in the long term in broadcasting audio clips; I could then link this to the Teacher Assistant social site and other teacher sites. My own personal Facebook site, because I have teachers, a previous Head Teacher, Deputy Heads and SENCOs who I have become more informal with, yet have also kept a strong element of professionalism, because they all still work in the Industry of Education in some form, including myself. All these professional people would have good/strong professional connections, although I wouldn’t pressure them in any form of way. Simply adding a link to my own site or asking them what they think could be enough to promote a butterfly effect of my audio clips being shown to a more professional audience. This then could be linked to my own website, which could bring in work and promote an Enterprise.

What would your ideal network look like and why?

As well as adding a network of teacher assistant’s to my current network. I would also like to have more connections and a network of printers, Manufactures, wholesalers, companies that make prototypes etc...  The reason I would like add the above network, is because I would like to budget costs of a product from single to bulk buying, speed of production, add companies that offer free prototypes. This is something I would probably focus on over the summer holidays, as a mini project. Plus a network of different ways to raise funds, because working in a school this could be helpful plus it may help when starting a Business/Social enterprise which may in the long term link to an after-school club.