I first joined Twitter 3 years ago at the urging of @gcouros. Since then I’ve grown more as a teacher than in the previous 10 years combined, all bc of an awesome #PLN! #sunchat
Join #HackLearning chat March 11 at 8:30-9:00am EDT when Naomi Austin @AustinELA8 will be guest moderator leading chat on the "hacky" topic of Creating Leaders.
We read for fun every day for 10-15 mins in class, Lena - the kids love it! And we share on Whatcha Reading Wednesday (AFTER we get our reading time in, of course...) #sunchat@Dr_LMR
Exposure to different ideas. Reassurance that there are others wanting to push the boundaries & energy & encouragement for making it happen. And friends :-). #sunchat
I find that nurturing my PLN has been easy. Connecting to my teacher peeps through twitter, finding common chats, and seeking them out in person at #edcamps has been fruitful for me, and my students benefit from my growth. #sunchat
We read for fun every day for 10-15 mins in class, Lena - the kids love it! And we share on Whatcha Reading Wednesday (AFTER we get our reading time in, of course...) #sunchat@Dr_LMR
Morning, #sunchat. I'm Brian. I teach MS students English in CO. Twitter has connected me to communities of educators who simultaneously enrich my practice & provide an audience for reflection+feedback. Twitter has accelerated iterations of professional me. #sunchat
Beth, It's more of a chaotic chat - we let the conversation take us anywhere it wants. You'll witness many side conversations happening. Fasten your seatbelt. #sunchat
I love that my PLN on twitter is always willing to respond to questions and suggest resources. I really enjoy how their passion and personalities show. #sunchat
I have benefitted from all of the connections made here. I found people in my area that I may not have ever met. Also met people all over country/world that share passion for EDU. An amazing journey! #sunchat
My fav. thing about Twitter is feeling less isolated. Sometimes my building feels full of "Why do that? It's too much work!" I never get that from my #PLN. #sunchat
Support
Motivation
Encouragement
Resources
Connections
Collaboration
Ideas
Courage
Inspiration
Understanding
Community
Strength
Friends
Just to name a few...
#sunchat
Aubrey, It requires commitment to learn the tool - I've had Ts jump on but didn't understand how to follow the hashtags. Since I've switched to Tweetdeck, I feel that I've become a twitter multitasker to the max. #sunchat
Yes! I’ve decided to do my next book study this summer on twitter to hopefully turn some of my colleagues on to it! Such a powerful experience for me! #sunchat
Finding a group of inspiring teachers has benefited me the most. I would say specifically that #sschat was that group and the teachers involved with that chat have been supporting me for years. #sunchat
Dynamics you describe make sense, Jon. I still carry with me analogy offered by @AngelaMaiers: Twitter & other platforms used for comparable learning purpose are like potluck-style meals. #sunchat
It has helps to be a consistent participant in a few chats, its where relationships begin to form. Waking up early with the positive crew at #bfc530 has been a wonderful way to start my day for the past few yrs #sunchat
It's hard to know who/how to follow. Lots of my building T friends think it's just celebs. They miss all the sharing and caring of Ts and admins! #sunchat
Beth, that's how we nurture our PLN! We are here to help each other no matter the topic, and sometimes that means we wander into the personal side. I love that about our PLN - it's not all business. #sunchat
Sometimes I struggle coming up w/words on the spot in meetings. Writing it out makes it easier for me to trust my voice (which bleeds over into verbal sharing, too). #sunchat
Also being able to have people who know what they are talking about answer your questions on something that you don't know a lot about yet. That is invaluable. #sunchat
My PLN (Personal - Learning Network) page https://t.co/SxqhUhRJAj My 1st principal had me observe a master teacher and he and two other teachers became my mentors, my first PLN and lifelong friends. https://t.co/7whu19N2Ki#sunchat
#sunchat I have mentioned that I'm active on Twitter to the Ts in my GradeLevelMtg, and silence falls upon them... I've suggested using Twitter for lessons and still... silence...??
You're right Susan, I do think the experience is better from a computer overall than the phone, although I do use both depending on the situation. #sunchat
well-said. I learn much more from reading than from listening, so Twitter is tremendously helpful. That, and the challenge of expressing oneself conciscely even with 280 characters instead of 140 #sunchat
I would really love some help w/the pitfalls of PLN. For me is being on social media too much to where I miss things in life. The other is checking out and being overwhelmed by what I missed. #Sunchat
My fav. thing about Twitter is feeling less isolated. Sometimes my building feels full of "Why do that? It's too much work!" I never get that from my #PLN. #sunchat
well-said. I learn much more from reading than from listening, so Twitter is tremendously helpful. That, and the challenge of expressing oneself conciscely even with 280 characters instead of 140 #sunchat
Still taking baby steps to overcome my Twitter FOMO (fear of missing out). How do y'all manage your feed so you catch (most of) the gems being dropped? #sunchat
It was cold, dark and scary in the tunnel until I turned the corner and could see the light, and then up ahead a castle ✨
#peebles#scotland#sunchat#Sunday
Yes, there *is* a learning curve, yet also abundant stepping stones (which, admittedly, either require a modicum of digital savvy or a patient f2f helper or both). #sunchat Among favorite online resources: https://t.co/jh86Z9cvjr & Saturday a.m. #nt2t chat
Sharing ideas and great peeps you find on Twitter at your school, then saying you found them in chats like this one. I find folks respond to content, then find their way. #sunchat
My twitter PLN has helped me as a parent understand the teachers. It shows me where we are in the big picture, too. I get ideas from other schools as well as appreciate our own progress.#sunchat
Still taking baby steps to overcome my Twitter FOMO (fear of missing out). How do y'all manage your feed so you catch (most of) the gems being dropped? #sunchat
The thing with Twitter, like with any learning activity, you get what you put in. Can't just say "Hey, I am here" and expect information to start flowing. Put in some effort. #sunchat
A pitfall is that it can be easy to sound amazing on Twitter, to paint a rosier pic than reality. It's easy to SAY I differentiate to all my Ss all the time. No need to prove it. #sunchat
Agreed - I would always tell my teacher peeps "it's not just for the Kardashians!". Once they are on it, they get it. But dragging them onto it without experience in how to navigate is tough. #sunchat
It's hard to know who/how to follow. Lots of my building T friends think it's just celebs. They miss all the sharing and caring of Ts and admins! #sunchat
I was just saying that! You read my mind. I think a new pitfall is thinking something someone shares that I know is trustworthy. Now I know it could be the Russians! #Sunchat
I don't. I tried at first, but failed miserably. Now I just open up my feed when I want inspiration and find good stuff there. I close it when I don't have time. And I have chats (like this one) that I participate in regularly to keep some consistency #sunchat
Another thing that has helped me is to stay focus on how I answer "How does this improve my game?" since it is tempting to be pulled into the cornucopia of topics. For me, I stick to education & baseball #sunchat
I also love giving my PLN credit when I do a new lesson that I've "stolen" from a PLN teacher. When asked where I got the idea, I immediately say "My teacher friends on twitter! You need to join us!". #sunchat
I don't worry about what I "miss" ... I can only control what I can control ... i don't strive to see every Tweet ...If it is meant to be seen then I will see it. #sunchat
Yeah waking up at 8 am on a Sunday lol just kidding. I’m not great about going back and looking at things I think sound/look great. I should be taking notes! (Or screenshots I guess) #sunchat
Changed my mindset over time. FOMO became GWIC -- grab what I can. Be opportunistic & understand that gems will circle around in sparkling fashion more than once. Also, encourages me to share even if I fear, "Someone already said that." #sunchat
Pitfalls- allowing Twitter to take up too much time, making sure to remember the term “professional”, and I think following current Ss can cause a lot of problems #sunchat
I did start to make lists and tags I follow in TweetDeck. I also only have certain groups on my favs in Facebook. Problem is I have too many of that as well LOL #Sunchat
Biggest pitfalls to Twitter:
The trolls/haters - block them.
Sometimes it feels like you are shouting into the void. It's so fast that you miss a lot.
Miscommunications happen because of lack of voice tone etc
It can be a time-waster
#sunchat
I can't imagine the power of the school staff if everyone in the building was in a twitter PLN. Some schools have a monthly twitter chat - a great way to acclimate the staff to the medium. Need Ts to buy-in though. #sunchat
I think in the beginning I tried to ‘see every tweet’ b/c it was so amazing, engaging and exciting to have great convos. Had to slow that down and find manageable balance - if there is a balance. #sunchat
Changed my mindset over time. FOMO became GWIC -- grab what I can. Be opportunistic & understand that gems will circle around in sparkling fashion more than once. Also, encourages me to share even if I fear, "Someone already said that." #sunchat
I use it all the time - keeps chats up and active on my screen all at the same time, and I can see my notification and other streams I choose. So great! #sunchat
I can't imagine the power of the school staff if everyone in the building was in a twitter PLN. Some schools have a monthly twitter chat - a great way to acclimate the staff to the medium. Need Ts to buy-in though. #sunchat
That's so true! If all you follow are those who agree with you, you can miss the power of questioning yourself. This is why I follow a couple rebels, like @NA_Dellsey, who question authority regularly. #sunchat
You should "@" people who you want to hear from ... then ask for a retweet. People do this for their blogposts #sunchat Mark @ShiftParadigm is a great hub for sharing.
Take this image. Replace the word “student” with “teacher,” and the word “reading” with “Twitter.” THAT is why being connected is so powerful. #sunchat
Another pitfall: Following only people who think just like you. We tend to gravitate toward them, but it can make your world smaller, in a sense. #Sunchat
Twitter has become a great virtual PLN tool, but I found a great resource on Facebook as well. Shout out to the 2ndaryELA page peeps who share just as willingly! Another great way to nurture a PLN. #sunchat
I have become a big tag person. I have my fav tags in @TweetDeck. About twice a week, I check them for what I missed. I also love that my closest people tag me in what they have discovered. I have a large PLN and then I have my “ride or die” PLN. #Sunchat
I moderate an informal tweeting challenge for our district like twice a year. Helps those less familiar or proficient with twitter to feel more comfortable with it. And I get to learn new things about the people I work with #sunchat
Sometimes more reflection and reading is needed before spreading an idea a visual .. Twitter might hold us back in shallow waters if we are not conscious about having deep reflection first #sunchat
Totally agree about 2ndaryELA on FB. BUT I see a lot less push for Teachers pay teachers here, vs there. Twitter seems to be a more free share market. #sunchat
One PLN downfall, though, is that meeting up in person, building that face to face relationship, is sometimes hindered by time/location. Having online connections helps, because a building-only PLN is a bit too small and contained. Not enough alternate views on topics. #sunchat
I am seeing many Educators who are not necessarily comfortable with discourse ... more of a "Here is my idea/product/blog, please like/share/agree" #sunchat
Hah no wimp. When we post we know that we put ourselves out there, and invite response. But that response doesn’t have to be petty or childish; that advances nothing. #sunchat
Until I get in chats/convos, sometimes Twitter is everybody throwing their thoughts out there w/o real dialogue. Ideas are great to jumpstart, but convos tend to change my practice more. #sunchat
I’ll admit I post about new blog posts, or things we’ve done in class. But I welcome discourse. Would you advise including something like “please comment”? #sunchat
I use twitter as my PLN to stay up to date on what is out there, consider other viewpoints, and to grow as a leader of our most important resources! #SunChat
Heck I have to make sure my "filter" is in place so I won't be dropping F-Bombs with some of the things I read. LOL #sunchat although, sometimes I like to antagonize just for the fun of it.
Totally agree about 2ndaryELA on FB. BUT I see a lot less push for Teachers pay teachers here, vs there. Twitter seems to be a more free share market. #sunchat
Until I get in chats/convos, sometimes Twitter is everybody throwing their thoughts out there w/o real dialogue. Ideas are great to jumpstart, but convos tend to change my practice more. #sunchat
If smartest person in the room is room, as they say, then social-media platforms like Twitter harbor potential to push out walls dramatically. Especially, as many here have advised, we follow with strategic eye towards inviting voices different from our own. #sunchat
I don't see posting awesomeness in the classroom as wrong. I think it takes looking for the dissenters and being open to thinking to see more than just praise. #sunchat
Asking for comments is a great idea, but I have found few actually do ... a bit sad ... I would love to be tagged in your future blogposts so I can be sure to catch them. #sunchat
#3189 Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. — John Quincy Adams
#sunchat#sundaymotivation
Agree. I like to have the dialogue on both sides, but many Ts see it as oppositional. I've always seen disagreement as an opportunity to learn from the other person. Not all feel that way. #sunchat
I am seeing many Educators who are not necessarily comfortable with discourse ... more of a "Here is my idea/product/blog, please like/share/agree" #sunchat
An important word for me is “productive”; is my contribution productive. Love a good joke and humor, but am I sharing a laugh, or just looking to poke someone? #sunchat
Glad to see you jumping into a chat. Honestly, chats are how I've grown my #PLN the most: look for like minded Ts to follow to build future meaningful convos. Right, @jodiepierpoint? #sunchat
In praise of Twitter sidebar, which emerges through practice/experience. What starts in willy-nilly chat can become relatively peaceful eddy when I reply to someone's thought & we start something akin to 1-on-1 convo, with or without hashtag. #sunchat
like a good conversation, we should inquire and listen more than we assert. nothing wrong with offering your own idea/blogpost/etc but probably shouldn't request the like/share/retweet. it'll earn those on its own..or not #sunchat
In reply to
@DennisDill, @bethctech, @mrclinefhs, @NA_Dellsey
This may be one of the most important threads I have seen in a long time! I am naturally drawn to the supportive nature of @Twitter but also need critical friends to help me grow! #sunchat
In reply to
@DennisDill, @bethctech, @mrclinefhs, @NA_Dellsey, @Twitter
Thought I’d share with everyone that I have a new book out right now! Please check out Burned Out, Beaten Up, Fighting Back: A Call To Action For America’s Public Educators. It’s available on Amazon: https://t.co/PlGWxuze63#HackLearning#call2action4ed
It's hard to tell tone of voice on social media. I'll take even those that might seem disrespectful or unprofessional sometimes, if they push me to THINK about my responses. #sunchat
I'm not a fan of teachers pay teachers, but yes, I agree. I enjoy developing my own lessons based on ideas I hear or needs I see have to be met. #sunchat
Thank you all for an incredibly productive #sunchat! Don’t forget- if you’ve got future chat ideas, feel free to DM them to me, @susankotch , or @tiffanytruitt! See you next week!
Unfortunately, Ts at every age can be standoffish to anything they see as "extra work." This is why Twitter is so imp. to me. Age doesn't matter: attitude does! 20 yrs a T, here! #sunchat
That is such a good point. I had took on this idea but got caught up on other people seeming to not “miss” anything. Started to think I was wrong. Then I saw how much they are on their phone and I was like…Naaahhh. I want to live eyes up not down. #sunchat
Yes! Does it trigger any reflection.. then here you go something to learn from regardless of what is back in mind .. I’m hear to learn an grow & will definitely find my way through #sunchat
LOL!!!!! So true. I'm older! I used to think it was just an older problem. I know it is not an age thing but it makes me feel good to think it is something that will go away if it was just an older problem. #Sunchat
Not sure how it is in the USA, here in Spain few ts use CC licenses. I won't avoid leechers but once understood how licenses work, they help creating a safe environment for the ones who decide share their resources and somehow return what had been learned from community #sunchat
I think if I ever stop learning and trying new things, then that is when I should walk away from teaching. Do what you love in life; it makes life worth living. #sunchat
YES!!! I love when I run into teachers who are my age and still committed to life long learning and growth. Some of my colleagues are not and they won’t take my applications for other jobs #sunchat
For my 11th grade bloggers, we spend a lot of time talking about Cc licenses for content. Ss use @CommonSense citation, share links to images and content when blogging. #sunchat
I see Twitter as part of a larger PD universe. I get some cognitive dissonance here, but I also have other digital and non digital sources to challenge my thinking. #sunchat
I have a good friend who is a T as well. We are each other’s accountability partners. We R responsible for telling each other when we need to leave the profession if we don’t recognize it ourselves. If we stop growing, we gotta get out. #sunchat
You have a lot of people you are following and are following you! I have to admit. I think part of my problem is I am following too many people. #Sunchat
Take this image. Replace the word “student” with “teacher,” and the word “reading” with “Twitter.” THAT is why being connected with fellow educators on Twitter is so powerful. #sunchat#InnovatorsMindset#kidsdeserveit#gamechangersEDU
Age doesn't matter and some on here this morning need to read tweets carefully before responding..I meet so many great educators here..But My Truth is I shared my enthusiasm and people have laughed..Won't do it anymore ☺ #sunchat
I thought I was the only one. I probably shouldn’t use the words not a fan. Its more of I hate it perpetuates the worksheet model which needs to change. Thought of putting my stuff out there to help change it #Sunchat
That is horrible! I forgot to say that earlier when you posted. Don’t let the laughter stop your message though. I have experienced laugh, boos and other not so pleasant responses. Didn’t let it stop me and now they are the ones who are silent. #Sunchat
Never stop being enthusiastic! I'm okay with my fellow Ts thinking I'm weird, stay too late, and do school stuff voluntarily outside of school. Don't let the haters get you down! It inspires the Ss, in my experience. #sunchat
This is a brilliant piece that every educator should read. To elevate the teaching industry we have to welcome colleagues and visitors into our rooms. We will learn from them and they will learn from us. We cannot be fearful of feedback #iteachmath#sunchat#edchat#hacklearning
