By Jori Krulder, High School Language Arts Teacher, Chico, CA:

It’s only in the last few years that I have realized the value of making connections with other teachers.

Of course, I’ve known that teachers learn the most from talking to other teachers and sharing ideas and solutions, but the impact of the relationships I’ve built online with educators all across the country has been immeasurable.

I am now writing about my practice for Edutopia and aplithelp.com, a reflective practice that has improved my own teaching so much. I’m also mentoring teachers, both at my school and in other cities, which is incredibly rewarding.

Perhaps the biggest impact of the education community, however, has been felt in my own classroom. I am far more courageous about trying new ideas and methods in my instruction, and consequently, far more engaged.

This has led to my students being more engaged as well, and the positive feedback loop makes me look forward to Mondays. I am excited about teaching again, and to a great extent I owe this to my wonderful community of educators. I look forward to making more connections in the years to come.