How One Teacher’s Digital PLN Created a Pathway to District Leadership

Dr. Robert R. Zywicki is a young, newly appointed district leader who is well-known as a champion for students’ and teachers’ technology usage. Developing an offline and online professional learning network (PLN) no doubt has propelled Rob’s career trajectory. Rob is now serving as the Superintendent of Schools for the Weehawken Township School District. Rob began his teaching career as an alternate route candidate, served as Supervisor of Social Studies and later became Chief Academic Officer for High Point Regional High School District. Thanks to his PLN, Rob has fine-tuned his professional practice and advanced his career.

To help other educators do the same, Rob serves as a co-adjunct with Rutgers University Center for Effective School Practices’ Alternate Route Program and leads many discussions on how developing a PLN can enable teachers to advance their careers. We interviewed Rob to gain a deeper insight on how developing a PLN helped open doors for him.

It is our hope that you use his recommended best practices when developing yourself professionally.

How long have you worked in education?

I’ve been working in education in New Jersey since 2002.

What inspired you to become a teacher?

I’ve always been inspired by public service. I decided that working in public education was the best way for me to serve my local community and nation as a whole. I decided to pursue a doctorate in education, so that I could understand the impact of educational policy on schools and the many issues school administrators must weigh when implementing curriculum and instruction in their districts.

What inspired you to transition from teaching to becoming an administrator?

I became involved with a series of initiatives that allowed me to step into the role of teacher leader. A lot was changing when I first began teaching, and still is. I wanted to be a positive force, by supporting both students and teachers. After eight years of serving as a teacher and teacher leader, I then made the switch to serving as an administrator.

Were you always dedicated to developing your PLN?

No initially, developing a professional learning network wasn’t on my radar. Developing my PLN only became a priority when I began teaching courses that no one else in my school taught. In the beginning, I developed my PLN by joining email listservs and going to conferences.

When did you begin using social media and other digital channels to develop your PLN?

I started using Twitter in 2011. I mainly connect with other educators through Twitter and by going to conferences. Listservs have become more secondary to me.

Which digital channels have been most effective for you in developing your PLN?

Writing blog posts has been an amazing way for me to reflect on my teaching experiences and practice communicating what strategies work in my classroom. By reading other educators’ blogs I was able to stay inspired and informed of new teaching strategies and tools.

How has developing your PLN online influenced your career track?

Following education blogs and connecting with other educators on social media allowed me to really stay informed and refine my teaching practice. It also boosted my awareness of professional development opportunities. Through Twitter, for instance, I learned about and applied to ASCD’s Emerging Leaders program. Through that program, I was able to develop a specialization in curriculum instruction, and work with researchers on measuring the impact of technologies like Google apps. I also was able to connect with leading educational practitioners and scholars such as Grant Wiggins, Heidi Hayes Jacobs, and Eric Sheninger.

What advice do you have for new teachers?

For teachers who are newly entering the classroom, I’d recommend two things:

1. Get connected—Get on Twitter, go to conferences, join listservs!

2. Recognize that professional networking is a two way street—You must be open to accepting new ideas and best practices. You should also actively look to present, share and get feedback on the work you’re doing.

I’d also recommend adding any of my go-to resources to your toolkit: Edutopia & ASCD inservice’s blogs have fantastic resources for K-12 teachers; AP Central has listservs for AP teachers.