Networking

Networking is nothing new.  We have always sought ways to gather with like minds. Christians are particularly good at meeting on a regular basis in church, Sunday school classes, mid-week services, Bible studies, prayer groups and more. However, as Christian educators in the public and private schools we are trying to make it on our own.  One of the most important aspects of the 16-9 movements is to bring us together socially.  We need to know and feel that we are not alone.  Will you help me find a great platform for our own social networking?  I am presently at the FETC (Florida Educational Technology Conference) and there are vibrant social networking activities all around – some you can physically attend while many others are virtual settings. Where is that perfect place for us to gather both virtually and physically? Wouldn’t it be great to find out that you have other Christian educators in your district and even in your own school?  Believe it or not, the #1 misconceptions of Christians in the public school is that they are the only one who is trying to live out their faith at their school.  9 times out of 10 when we begin networking virtually and in face-to-face events, we realize that there ARE other Christians at the same school! I’ve heard time and time again, “I didn’t know Bobby was a Christian. I didn’t know Patti was Christian either.” Before you know it, two or more Christians gathering together on one campus begins to change the way we act. Encouragement in difficult settings now finds comfort in prayer with and for others.

Please consider thinking about ways that would be best for us to gather virtually and then pull us together locally also.  At FETC, we have those who are in FaceBook, Edmodo, NIng, Moodle, on Twitter, text messaging and more.  I see our own social network as much more interactive than a FaceBook page where we could “talk” to other Christians across districts, state and even the nation.  I would love to see the platform as a private place we merely set up for you and then it just blossoms into multiple groups of interest. I would love to see an area in our social network for prayer groups, devotionals and Bible Studies.  The best part of any social network is that you are not getting inundated with emails and other annoying contacts that you don’t want, but that you come to the group “ubiquitously” – at anytime, from any place and at any pace.  Dreaming……..

Prayerfully yours,

K