All Roads Lead to Twitter

My path to becoming a connected educator began last April during a conference workshop presented by none other than @tomwhitby (founder of #EdChat).  A few minutes in he said,  “There is an entire community of educators sharing great ideas on Twitter that you’re missing out on if you're not connected.”  I created my account the very same day and have become an avid user since.  Twitter has become my 24/7 professional development companion.  The graphic you see below exists to illustrate the benefits of being connected; this post will elaborate on each bullet.     

Networking-  Twitter has given me a deeper understanding of and an increased ability to effectively network.  My Personal Learning Network (PLN) currently includes roughly 900 professional educators from all over the world.  Before Twitter, this network was limited to colleagues within my building and district.  Through direct messages and face-to-face interactions, I’ve established real relationships with many of these people.  They continue to motivate and inspire me through their tweets.

Professional Blogging-  Reading professional blogs has given me authentic insight into the minds of other educators.  There are thousands of educators who regularly share candid professional experiences in the form of a blog such as mine.  Although reading professional publications can be informative, hearing the thoughts of our peers will often resonate with you on a deeper level.   Had I never established my Twitter account, this blog would not exist. 

Collaboration-  Many of the connected educators making consistent use of Twitter are open to collaboration.  Learning how to use the direct message feature will enable you to begin private conversations with like-minded educators.  These exchanges can help push you out of your comfort zone with the confidence of knowing someone impartial is there to bounce ideas off of. 

Educational Reads-  The grassroots movement of teachers teaching teachers about teaching has become the norm for many connected educators.  If you’re looking to dive deeper than a “500 word” blog post on a particular topic, there is no shortage of material.  The Hack Learning Series and Pirate Books by Dave Burgess consulting are among my favorites.

Conferences-  Organizations and school district accounts frequently promote local and national conferences in “tweet” form.  As a Long Island resident, some of my favorite local conferences are the Connected Educators Summit and EdcampLI.  With a professional Twitter account, it's never been easier to find out about upcoming events.  Make sure to follow educators in your state to stay informed.

Innovative Ideas-  Shifting the paradigm from traditional schooling to that of 21st-century learning is a complex challenge.  Social media can act as an incubator for game-changing ideas in our field.  Following the right people will make innovative ideas accessible.  More importantly, these ideas will literally come to you upon logging in to your Twitter account.  Here is a list of 14 Trailblazing Educators for you to explore. 

I wrote this post to share my experiences, inspire and guide newcomers along their journey to being connected.  The education-related content on Twitter has transformed me into somewhat of an advocate.  I recently finished co-teaching a staff development course on the subject in my district and have intentions of running it again in the near future.  Here’s a shout-out to @tchrmom2boys for co-teaching with me and “hopefully” inspiring others.  On that note, thanks to all members of my PLN for adding value to my life.

How are you leveraging Twitter as a 24/7 professional development tool?

Challenges of a "First-Year" Teacher

For the past three years I was a full-time music educator in a public high school.  For a variety of reasons, including but not limited to budget constraints, my teaching position recently changed.  I am now split between two buildings and spend the majority of my day working at the middle school level.  The opening two weeks of school have given me a renewed sense of how difficult it is being a first-year teacher.  In this post I’ll share some of the challenges I’ve faced in my new role thus far.

New Surroundings:  Walking into a new building for the first time felt surreal.  I had grown so accustomed to knowing the familiar halls of my high school that I took it for granted.  I visited the middle school over the summer to meet my department chair and spent time in the building during our non-instructional first day.  One might think this would be enough to become somewhat acclimated to my new surroundings.  However, once classes began it was a whole new ballgame.  In many ways I felt like a sixth-grade student; a slightly anxious yet excited 34-year-old sixth-grade student. I’m not ashamed to admit that locating my classrooms during the first two days in less than three minutes was a little scary.  I felt my heart beat a little faster every time the bell rang and I had to ask for directions at almost every turn.  Even basic tasks like making photocopies, utilizing classroom projectors and finding the bathroom were intimidating.  

Workload:  Veteran teachers often forget how demanding the first year of teaching truly is.  In my new role, I’ve spent an average of 3-4 hours after school every day to keep up with my classes.  First-year teachers cannot opt to take the weekend off or leave work early on a whim, that luxury comes over time.  I’m a firm believer that teachers should consistently reflect on best practices and strive to improve pedagogy, but, I’d be lying if I said there weren’t a few units that I tend to teach the same way year in and year out.  New teachers have a responsibility to create innovative curricula and deliver new lessons 180 straight days.    

Fitting in:  The social aspect of working in a new building can also be stressful for a first-year teacher.  It’s intimidating to walk into a situation where everyone knows one another as the outsider.  On the first day of school I knew a total of four people.  Now that a few weeks have passed, I’ve begun friendships within my department and had the pleasure of attending a social committee event with new colleagues; but it was difficult.  The best advice I have for new teachers on the subject is to smile often and be yourself.

What challenges can you recall from your first year teaching?