Having an educational Twitter account is like having an educational smorgasbord delivered to your door. Everyday. Although some educators are still skeptical of having a social media presence, twitter is a different platform. Instead of personal postings, tweets by educators generally showcase the work of students and schools districts.
Why Use Twitter?
Simply Stated, Twitter gives you access to other teachers, administrators, experts, researchers, professors, and authors. Want to get some tips for teaching addition? Twitter can help. Want to know who is offering fellowships and grant opportunities? Twitter will tell you, first. Want to implement a maker space in your classroom? Search #geniushour. If you are interested in a new teaching practice or topic, you will be able to seek out other educators also interested in your area of inquiry. In short, Twitter has become a customizable portable professional development hub that will help you grow your craft.
How to Get Started:
1.) Create a profile and username (@bestteacherever)
2.) Select your area of interest (Education)
3.) In the “About you” section, add your interests so others can find you. (Love dogs and kids)
4.) Follow anyone who you think will add value to your “Feed” (@mshoughDVE)
5.)Take part in Twitter chats- A chat is an online discussion designated at certain times and the participants use a hashtag to share thoughts and resources around a central theme.
6.) Follow hashtags by searching topics. For example, #Kindergarten and #STEM will retrieve tweets with those tags and allow you to zoom in on that content. Follow #teacherproblems for self deprecating teacher humor. Follow #phdlife #acwri #phdweekend to see what other doctoral students are tweeting about.
Larry Ferlazzo’s (@LarryFerlazzo) Recommendations for Who to Follow on Twitter:
Social Justice: @ZinnEdProject
ELL Issues: @ValentinaESL, @LarryFerlazzo, @ColorinColorado, @WIDAConsortium
Race &Racism: @ValeriaBrownEdu, @TeachMoore
Journals & Periodicals: @AdvocateforEd, @EdSource, @educationweek, @EdWeekTeacher, @NYTimesLearning, @edutopia, @PoliticsK12
Literacy Experts: @KellyGToGo, @Doug_Lemov, @ILAToday
SEL: MindsetScholars, @Brainology, @pertslab, @caselorg:
EDtech: @edublogs, @coolcatteacher
Engagement: @karen_mapp, @PTHVP, @NAFSCE, @FCEnetwork
Administrators: @fastcranny
Curriculum and Instruction: @Eurekamath, @engageny, @
Policy and Research: @EdPolicyAIR, @BrookingsEcon, @ECE_Research
Articles and Resources:
Scholastic’s Twitter Guide for Educators
References:
L. Ferlazzo (n.d.). Recommendations For Who To Follow On Twitter In 2018 (with tweets) · larryferlazzo. https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2017/11/15/new-updated-recommendations-for-who-to-follow-on-twitter-in-2018/
Miller, E. (2017, April 20). Teachers on Twitter: why you should join and how to get started. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2017/apr/20/teachers-on-twitter-why-join-get-started-social-media