I have only been an elementary school principal for two years. Most of my educational experience comes from a decade of teaching. Before I became principal I had no administrative experience or mentorship. Consequently, there have been many challenges along the way but the positive experiences have far outweighed the adverse moments.

I believe one of my biggest strengths as a principal is my ability to form positive relationships and connect with students, parents, the larger community and my staff. So when George Couros said, “Schools are built upon relationships, you can not have a good school without relationships” during the ETMOOC session it deeply resonated with me. In my opinion, positive relationships are the foundation of any good school. So I was very interested in this session to learn how social media tools could potentially further connect the school with the larger school community and how I could become a networked educational leader.

An important question was asked at the beginning of the session, “Why should you or your school administrators connect?” It’s a very good question and responses were posted to the blackboard. There were a number of reasons discussed but here are a few of the noteworthy ones.

First of all, connecting allows principals to lead by example. If we want our students to be successful in a technologically based society we must experiment with it so we can understand how to teach it. For example, if we are to teach blogging to students we need to be blogging ourselves.

Secondly, social media allows schools to communicate with students and parents in new ways. Recently our school set up a Facebook page. Thus far it has been a successful communication platform, keeping many of our parents up to date with school activities. It has even removed some barriers and allowed parents to have a voice and participate in their child’s education.

Thirdly, a connected principal has the ability to efficiently network with other professionals and gather information very quickly. Sharing and learning can be accessed almost instantaneously using platforms such as Twitter. Couros recommended using the hashtag #cpchat. I had previously bookmarked and read many articles on the Connected Principals website but not accessed this resource through social media. I feel like I am still finding voice on Twitter, but look forward to the responses once I use this hashtag.

Fourthly, social media can be utilized to declare and solidify beliefs and values of a school. In the session, George Couros referenced his “8 Things to Look for in Today’s Classroom.” He was able to share this on his blogpost for his teachers to read. This isn’t a top-down approach either as he has welcomed feedback and comments. Social media can be a great way to begin any discourse.

Lastly, according to Couros, connecting can “humanize” our position and maybe take the “anxiety” away when they hear the word principal. Coming to the principal’s office almost automatically breeds discomfort in people. Social media can be an effective way to demonstrate a principals true character and hopefully dispel the stigma attached to this position.

Overall I found the entire session fascinating and another useful part of the ETMOOC learning experience. I feel like I am still starting on the path to becoming a connected principal but am looking forward to connecting in new and exciting ways. I will start by reading more articles by George Couros and maybe I’ll send out a tweet or two.