Networking as Teacher Education

I can't express it more: teacher collaboration is an absolute must in education in general, and in the ESL world especially.  It's a field that's constantly adapting because of changes in population, politics, philosophy, and science.  It's also an area where ethics, cultural sensitivity, and larger systems of oppression play a large role.  Without a place to discuss and cope with these rapid changes and myriad challenges, EFL/bilingual teachers can't improve. It's curious, too: we spend so much time studying the value of collaboration and feedback for our students, yet forget sometimes to practice it ourselves.  Why?  Maybe we don't want to bug our coworkers while they're eating lunch.  Maybe we get tired of hearing ourselves talk all day as it is.  Maybe we're afraid of making someone angry, or being rejected.

The ESL Classroom 2.0 group is a great place to engage in collaboration without being hindered by these common social factors.  It's a great resource for me to find materials I can use in my classroom, too: games, reading materials, smartboard exercises.  Beyond that, it gives me some flexibility in seeking out others' opinions and advice:  I can read blogs that discuss important classroom issues, comment on those, or even start my own discussion in the Forums section.  Essentially, I can be as active or passive as I like, and still get great tips, points for reflection, and diverse opinions on teaching emergent bilingual students.