Pinterest: A Great PLN!

What do you do when you find something you like online and you do not want to forget it? Do you email it to yourself? Do you bookmark it onto your computer? or Do you print it out? As an educator, I have done everything from emailing myself, bookmarking websites with resources, and printing out information that never makes it into a binder.   Last year, I was finally introduced to Pinterest when I asked my fellow colleagues where they came up with great ideas for their classroom as far as worksheets, projects, and printables go. On that day, I went online and typed in Pinterest and till this very day I cannot get enough of the website I am “pinning” away 24/7.

 So, what is Pinterest? Pinterest is a website that allows you to "pin" things online, just as you would pin them on a real life bulletin board, but instead, Pinterest saves all of your pins on your account so that you can access them easily (Kavulla, 2012). I was drawn to Pinterest by the stunning visuals that the website provided making it easier for myself and others to see what I have pinned. Pinterest is also very user friendly and provides ways to get organized using “boards”.  Plus, I am able to follow friends on Pinterest and “repin” things that they have already pinned on my Pinterest account and browse items that are being pinned by others (Carr, n.d.).

I decided to use Pinterest as my personal PLN (Professional Learning Network) to collaborate and help fellow educators and parents who are looking for ideas to help themselves in a classroom and ideas of what to teach and how to teach a certain lesson.  The title of my PLN is Teacher’s Toolkit. In Pinterest, I am able to follow other teachers and get lesson ideas. I am also able to share what I have found by creating a board where members of my PLN can easily access and browse through what the resources I had found.

Pinterest is a great website and it can get addicting. Unlike other website where you can search for a person to follow, with Pinterest you must be invited, which I believe is the biggest downfall.  However, despite that one downfall, this online tool is fun and is filled with great resources and ideas for your net birthday party, classroom project, DIY projects, and many more. It is easy to navigate through and is the best way to organize all the websites you like and want to remember.  All it takes is just one little click on “pin it”.

Works Cited

Carr, K. (n.d.). Pinterest for Dummies. Retrieved from For Dummies: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/what-is-pinterest.html

Kavulla, K. (2012, January 19). Pinterest: What it is, how to use it and why you'll be addicted. Retrieved from She Knows: http://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/852875/pinterest-what-it-is-how-to-use-it-and-why-youll-be-addicted

Pinterest. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/.

  

Website:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_clyfawMLs&list=UUdWw4P1QSkr0ATII3srvo9w&index=1

My PLN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy30oGWRxdM&index=3&list=UUdWw4P1QSkr0ATII3srvo9w