Creating a Personal Learning Network (PLN)

Before anything else, you might be asking yourself... What exactly is a PLN? And what is the connection as well as purpose of the poem above? Well, let's begin taking a first step.... 

A PLN is "a great way for educator to get connected with learning opportunities, access professional development resources, and to build camaraderie with other education professionals"; or in other words, it is an organized way of classifying hobbies and activities one loves and make those academic. This "page" of one's development to success, helps people, who are still not sure of what wanting in college, have an idea of what makes them happy and keep moving in life - what incentivize them. Even though the choosing part is a section quite hard, when chosen one gets inspired and create a presentation for that subject or activity that one loves, just like in the picture above.

For example, I choose four activities and subjects that I really have passion for: 

1. Soccer
2. Psychology
3. Music
4. Photography

In each of them, I created an online page within my ePortfolio and presented personal and well as exterior perspectives and experiences of that such event; although for each one of them, I used different tools, since each of the areas inspired me differently. In addition, I made those that apparently don't seem academic, as one.

The greatest feeling in the world is when your on that soccer field, and you know that your team is going to succeed because you look around and see your 10 best friends playing beside you. 

I used this quote to express the emotions felt in a soccer field, showing how soccer is my passion. This page (Soccer) in specific was one of the most value for me, since it inspired me, after looking at the diverge experiences I went through. It was that something that marked your life. In order to express that emotions, I used many tools such as, videos, and pictures, as well as the creation of a stop motion.

The other sections were super well- constructed as well, since they were topics, agains, that I had passion for... This directly relates to the Psychology page, since my teacher and I have been discussing for days the following specific topic: Do citizens have free will? I then, site analogies made by Sam Harris, a well known atheist, and Jawaharlal Nehru.

Some other passions, include playing the piano (Music page) and taking pictures (Photography page) and they each were shown differently through the ePortfolio.

Using tools, activities people have an approach on, and one's environment, will make one's pathway clearer and engage learning, even though those activities do not seem academic at first glance.

IT WILL MAKE YOU GROW!...

Check this YouTube video for some tips, when starting to brainstorm a PLN:

Creating Own Future

As Abraham Lincoln once said, "The best way to predict the future is to create it".

Analyzing one's inspirations as well as career pathways is a challenge. This might related to the number of options and areas one can possibly choose. Choosing. Were the challenge begins. Although being aware that one's Major subject in college does not necessary relate to one's job that same person might succeed in, just the talk and the mentioning of the words "college" and "IB" gives me chills and goosebumps. But now is the time. The time to begin creating that road ahead of me. But then, the doubts:

Will I be successful? Will I be able to choose that respective area that I am most interested? Will I be happy with my chosen IB Courses?

But then again, the hard work:

Success will only be reached through hard work.

Facing the actions and coming out of the "rough street" through the creation of objectives, will be the key to one's success. That is why the Academic Leadership course has offered a 10- day Career Orientation Class, conducted by Vanessa Benaci. This class will supervise and guide my decision in an organized manner; or in other words, guide my through the process of creation.

Vanessa Benaci, with that objective in mind (orientation), has been providing the 10th Grade class some guidance and tips. Because I am interested in choosing my IB Courses although still confused, attention was given to the maximum; intrigued from the start. While she talked about one's education and career, referring to the graduating seniors, I pictured myself graduating from ISC. I pictured myself walking around in a college campus, while carrying my books and computer going to class. I could see all of that. I could picture the situation. Everything. As if it were happening in that moment. "Oh... (long and deep sight)"; that utopian dream- like vision. Could and would it be eventually real?

As Mrs. Benaci continued with her lectures, she handed out the first activity, which related to the following:

If you could live 5 lives at the same moment, what would they be?

And no, they were not directly related to one another. It was a process composed of writing down the emotions I felt that exact moment.

As days passed by, other tests were accomplished, so that student's had a broad idea of what area they liked the most. Like is not the most appropriate diction, but it is one that perfectly describes my situation:  due to my liking of all subjects, confusion begins to arise, in relations to my career goals. My History teacher would always say that I was going to accomplish something related to the Humanities or the Educational Area - i.e. college professor. However, I always denied it. I denied it, because my parents had always been influencing me to become an engineer, since I worked well with numbers and Math; but was I really going to work with numbers my entire life? 

In order to clean most of the confusion in my mind, Mrs. Benaci gave us approximately three to four tests that would reflect what areas and careers interested each individual. The tests were based on two theories: My Holland Code and Myers-Briggs Typology theories. Both reflected one’s personality, values and skills. What I really enjoyed about these tests was that they were not bias, since I did not really understand the meaning of the results – the letters.

These were my results:

Both test gave me the same results... Could that be destiny?

Test 1 Results– My Holland Code

Test 2 Results – Myers- Briggs

Test 3 Results– Combination of My Holland Code and Myers- Briggs

What had freaked my out the most was that my History teacher was correct... How could that be possible?

Here are some careers that valued my skills and personality:

1. Teacher 
2. Social worker 
3. Politician/ Diplomat 
4. Psychologist

I was happy; now I had a common sense and idea of what I was really dealing with and the possible career pathways based on my values, skills and personality. 

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