Last night I was tagged in two separate posts asking me to share three random facts about myself with the world. Now, I’ve seen these types of viral share posts flying around on Facebook, but never on Twitter with my trusted PLN.
I scrolled up and read through some of the responses and was immediately drawn in by the zany, the crazy, the simple, and the sincere. People were sharing about their families. Their travels. Their most prized possessions and the oddities that make them unique.
I learned who has been a Go-go dancer (Barbara) and who’s adopting a child (Jessica). I discovered that some of my PLN have very diverse heritages (Did you know that Angela is Cape Verdean, Black, Portuguese & Native American with a Chinese last name?)
I scrolled and I scrolled and I scrolled and with each three facts I read, I learned a little bit more about the people who share my passions, who lift me up, who inspire me with their words and kindness each day. I felt connected and the laughter that was shared throughout the night filled my heart with joy!
It made for a great virtual ice-breaker as each person was asked to tag three more people and the thread continued to expand left and right, connecting classroom teachers with administrators and first year teachers with seasoned educators holding multiple degrees and designations. Published authors were chatting with new bloggers and the walls of entitlement were flattened. Some were even brainstorming ways to have a Three Random Facts dinner at their next Edcamp!
We were just a group of people, getting to know each other a little better, with a LOT of fun in the mix.
It was a simple post, but WOW – what an impact! It made me realize once again the power of our words and how we can use our words to connect with others in a positive way.
I was so inspired by the collegiality that I created this padlet to capture any responses people may want to share and keep in one place. I thought it might be a fun way we can all learn about each other to share at conferences and #coffeeEDUs, showcasing the power of a PLN!
Padlet link – http://padlet.com/tletter/3littlethings
I would love for you to share your three random facts on this Padlet, too. Let’s show the world how social media can be used to strengthen relationships and shine a light on all the things that make us unique. (It could also be a great intro activity for a lesson with your students, too!) If you’ve never used a Padlet before, give it a go – you just double-click on the main page to start a text box!
A special thanks to Bethany Hill and Annick Rauch who tagged me in their threads – this has been SUCH fun! Another round of thanks to Jarrett for the tweet that started it all… you never know when YOUR question will go viral!
Jump on in and share your three little things… I can’t wait to learn more about you!
