Today, I had a conversation with dozens of the most amazing teachers in the country.
We exchanged notes, talked teaching, and exchanged tips and resources on how to make our practice more vital. And we did this all on-line through the power of one of my all time favorite things: Twitter. I’ve blogged about Twitter before. I’ve mentioned its power as a professional development tool. I’ve written about its potential for teachers to form life changing PLN’s.
Today, I saw it in action.
From 4:00-5:30 I participated in a super cool “Chat” with a group of Social Studies teachers from around the country. We shared a Google Doc full of resources, and using the #sschat hashtag, managed to hold a conversation that included support, tips and advice from some of the best teachers in the country. Questions were posed, answers were given, and we each had the chance to weigh in on specific topics related to the work of transforming education. What struck me the most was the willingness for this group to (freely) share the wealth of their knowledge, and the welcoming support I felt from the community.
The training shared today could be a year’s worth of PD alone. And the archives of this group could easily form the foundation of several years worth of course work in Education. (Now that’s an idea–a degree program created fully from the information shared on social learning platforms..let’s work on that..)
Anyway. I’m hooked. I feel inspired by this new network, and surprised by how intimate and friendly it all felt. And feels. I feel like a found a real community. In 140 characters or less.
New to Twitter? Try it out, here.
Need ideas on how to use it? Check out this link on ways to use Twitter in the Classroom.
Still need convincing? Check the following posts, links and resources on Twitter as a tool for PD:
1. Twitter-Building a PLN (A very sweet Glog–and a great example of how to use THIS tool in education!)
2.Twitter for Teachers (a cool video)
3.Twitter for Teachers (a resource site with tips on how to use Twitter, who to follow, and definitions of Twitter-speak.)
What are you waiting for? Get Tweeting.
