Who's in your PLN?

A Professional Learning Network (PLN) is a group of excited, enthusiastic, innovative educators that connect to share and learn!  Most of the time this takes place through social media, however the face to face relationships that form as a result are priceless!  You know how you have friends on Facebook that you haven't seen in years, but when you finally do see them in person, you feel like you just saw them yesterday because you've kept up with them on Facebook?  Well, my PLN is the same way!  I have followed #edtech educators for years and have had the opportunity to meet many of them in person!  I may or may not have had a few fangirl moments meeting some of these amazing educators!
Be mindful about who is a part of your PLN.  We have a practice of adding people on Twitter, for example, just to add them.  I have spent some time recently, cleaning up the people on Twitter.  If they haven't tweeted in over 2 months, I hit the unfollow button!  I am committed to ensuring that when I scroll through my Twitter feed, that it's full of positive, innovative, creative and enthusiastically passionate educators and leaders that truly care for children and their futures!  I would consider the following when you are making connections that lead to the relationships formed in your PLN:

1. What value will this person add to your professional and growth?
2. What value will you add to this person as a result of being a part of their PLN?
3. What can you learn from this person?
4. Is this person continuously growing themselves and others?
5. Is this person innovative, creative and excited about the future of education and technology?
6. Do they genuinely care about people?
7. Who is in this person's PLN?

I've had several fangirl moments when meeting some of the #edtech leaders that I follow on Twitter! Here are a few!

Anthony Salcito from Microsoft with myself and fellow Georgia Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts!  I think of Anthony as the Steve Jobs of Microsoft!  He is so knowledgable about technology in education and I always leave from listening to him feeling so inspired!
@anthonysalcito

Tony Vincent!  I've met him a few times and he never disappoints!  He is just as sweet in person as he is online!  I could sit and talk to him for hours about all things #edtech.  He is like a walking encyclopedia of creative ideas that I wish would transform to me through osmosis!
@tonyvincent

Every time I meet Chris Craft I have to get a hug!  The first time I met him, he was full of such genuine energy!  Even now, every time I see him or talk to him, it's like I'm with a friend I've known for years!  I have 3 pictures with him from 3 different events and this is his signature pose!  He's AMAZING!
@crafty184

Leslie Fisher is one of the most down to earth #edtech gurus I've ever met!  Her heart is pure gold!  She's amazing, and smart, and transparent, and just a phenomenal person overall!  If you EVER see her, buy her a caffeine free diet coke!  Trust me!  She'll love you forever!
@lesliefisher

Mike Tholfsen, Microsoft Innovator, and Alice Keeler, Google Guru!  After seeing a side by side of these two awesome people on Twitter during ISTE 17, I HAD to find them both and get my own side by side!  I ran into Mike in the expo hall and Alice on the streets of San Antonio!
@mtholfsen    @alicekeeler

So what about you?  Who's in your PLN?  Who would you have a fangirl/fanboy moment over? What are you learning from those in your PLN?