I know what you’re probably thinking (because I thought the exact same thing!) – I do NOT need one more form of social media to check each day….
But, as we leave for the summer, I’d like to encourage you to take a little of your downtime during the break to get to familiarize yourself with Twitter, not in a social way, but in a professional one. One of my favorite authors in the field of literacy, Franki Sibberson, convinced me last year to give Twitter a try as a professional development tool – and I haven’t been sorry! I’ve attached one of Franki’s Choice Literacy articles on the topic – the one that convinced me to try it. In the time I’ve been using Twitter, I’ve found some amazing books, read many thought-provoking articles, and borrowed teaching ideas directly from well-known authors. Twitter allows us unprecedented, up-close-and-personal access to movers and shakers – whether they are Hollywood celebrities or big names in the field of education. (Secretary of Education Arne Duncan tweets regularly!)
Here is a link to a fabulous primer to get you started, called “An Educator’s Guide to Twitter:”
I’ve also attached a list “Twitter Tips” – it includes a list of people that I enjoy following and “hash tags” that have helped me sort my way through the hundreds of tweets out there, to find things that go together.
Franki Sibberson’s Choice Literacy Article:
Twitter Tips (from me)
My Favorite Literacy Coach 