I like Twitter. I check it daily, and some days, multiple times. It has helped feed a professional growth spurt that I feel I have been experiencing, and I am a better teacher because of it. I am fortunate to teach in a district that supports innovation and being a connected educator. While this has been a truly positive aspect of my teaching world, it has also raised some issues.
I was presented with a comment from a colleague that has chewed at the back of my mind for some time. "I do not agree with the idea behind Twitter." At first, it struck me as odd, and, to be honest, I was defensive. I use Twitter for a number of reasons, and I did not see how the idea behind using it in any of those ways was "wrong' or "bad". What was there to not agree with? The comment took up residence in my mind, and I revisited it at times, wishing I knew what had produced it.
Before continuing, I should say that this discussion is not really about Twitter. It is about being connected as an educator and learner, about improving my opportunities to grow, about opening up the world for my students beyond the walls of my classroom, about connecting with those kids, and about celebrating the successes they work for. There are a number of ways each and all of those points can be achieved. Twitter is simply a tool, a resource. A valuable, effective, and accessible one. So, when someone told me, "I don't agree with the idea behind Twitter", I initially heard, "I don't agree with expanding my students' world, with growing as a teacher, with celebrating student success, or with being part of improving our profession." Such an attitude would be, to be blunt, educational malpractice. I had to be missing something.
As the comment continued to fester, I came to a conclusion: this person's "idea behind Twitter" is completely different from my "idea behind Twitter." At least, I think, and hope, it is. We are not looking at the same image, and that is where the problem exists. I need to try and discover what this individual's idea of Twitter is, and try to shed some light on my idea of the resource. At least then we will be on the same page.
I will concede that Twitter can be a deplorable, vile place. It can be a time suck that might offer little in return. Twitter can be a garbage dump filled with the lowest and most crude examples of what our culture and society has or could become.
Twitter can also be an nearly infinite resource for learning, support, and exploration. It can fill minutes or hours will new ideas, build connections, challenge your thinking, and induce professional growth. It can be a treasure trove of best practices and the most inspiring examples of what our profession and world has to offer.
The amazing thing about this is that I control what my Twitter feed becomes. And you control yours.
Earlier this year, I wanted to share a incredible spoken word poetry video that a pair of students had created. Of course, I wanted to give them a @ on Twitter. One of the girls told me she had deleted her Twitter because the political and celebrity Tweets were so negative, and she didn't like reading them. "You control your feed," I told her. It has occurred to me that this may be where the discrepancy in what the "idea behind Twitter" might begin. Name-calling, attacks, hatred, fluff, and negativity are on Twitter. But I do not think of Twitter that way: I do not have to see it. If I want my feed, my virtual world, to be positive, it is up to me to populate it with positive voices. My feed is filled with awesome educators, poets, authors, athletes, coaches, and students. It is a positive, productive arena of ideas and connections; I decided it would take that form. I have that power, and it is up to me to use it. If my feed is negative, I can fix that.
So, why do I use Twitter as an educator? At its core, my Twitter usage usually falls into four categories:
- Professional Learning Tool. Twitter is, quite possibly, the most accessible and powerful professional learning tool that exists today. Yes, it is that powerful. I do not need to wait for a conference to explore the latest innovations in the classroom, ask questions about new technology, or have a discussion about best practices with the greatest teachers across the country. Twitterchats can be found for every content area, from #aplitchat to #TxHSFBchat (HS football), from #4thchat (4th grade teachers) to #musedchat (music ed). I think you can get the picture. (Here is a link to a list of available edchats.) Teachers from across Kansas gather at #ksedchat Monday evenings to discuss topics in education, such as how poverty and trauma affect student learning to how we can help new teachers develop and succeed. Most states have their own edchats, and believe it or not, they often welcome teachers from other states to peek in and learn with them. Each Saturday morning, #leadupchat challenges thinking and feeds the growth mindset of educational leaders from across the country, while #ecet2 celebrates and encourages great teaching every Sunday evening. Through these chats, I have made connections with individuals who have shared lesson ideas, helped flesh out course ideas, and provided fresh insights that might otherwise not have been available. In addition to chats, the people on my feed share research and articles, discuss book studies and academic reading, and provide numerous other links to more learning that I take advantage of on a daily basis. From moment to moment, I can learn from an AP Lit teacher in Boston, a History teacher in Philadelphia, a principal in Little Rock, a college student in Manhattan, and a kindergarten teacher in California. My PLN is amazing, and it encourages me to interact even more with my teammates I see each day, driving even more productive hallway collaboration.
- Classroom Learning Tool. Our students live in a world that is global. They are not restricted in their opportunities to interact and connect by where they live; we should not expect their educational opportunities to be restricted by our classroom walls. Students can connect with authors, research centers, NASA, national parks, art museums, musicians, or just about any other group or organization one can think of. That spoken word video? It received a reply from an internationally known spoken word poet, and he offered both constructive criticism and encouragement. My neighbor teacher (literally named Mrs. Neighbor @AmberNeighbor), had her students give shoutouts to their favorite authors. Authors responded. They are no longer far-away, abstract figures; they are living, breathing people, just like her students, and those responses motivated conversation and reading. My students have used Twitter to share research driven by Ray Bradbury's "The Veldt", which led to more reading and discussion in class. Students have shared their favorite lines from their reading and have written "Twitter Poems" about themselves. They comment on classroom learning and activities when they apply them or see their relevance in 'real life'. Along the way, they are building positive online presences, and that is important. One article on Bloomberg BNA reported that many employers consider little or no online presence by an prospective employee as a negative presence and around 35% said that chances for an interview dropped significantly if no online presence could be found. We must teach our students to create an online world that serves them in a positive way. They will learn more, and it will benefit them later in life.
- Narrative Tool. We, as teachers, must control the narrative of our profession and our places in it. There is enough negative chatter floating around media and public perception; we know better in our classrooms and schools, and it is our responsibility to open our doors and let the world know what is truly happening. This means sharing what is happening in our classrooms, so other teachers, parents, townspeople, and others can see it. We are part of one of the most rewarding and impactful professions on this planet; we have a vehicle to share what happens here. Use it. That might mean celebrating students when they create something amazing or go above and beyond the norm. It might mean simply sharing information through a medium that functions as quickly as the real world does. It might mean being a positive model not just in the traditional classroom but in the virtual one as well. Every minute is a learning and teaching opportunity.
- Finally, a Connection Tool. I could not really think of a better way to phrase that. Many teachers will tell you that student success begins with relationships, and often, so does student failure. Today, many relationships are developed virtually. While that is scary for some people, and understandably so, it is also what our students know. A former student and I were discussing Twitter, among other things, last spring. She told me, "It is important that you connect with kids that way. It is another chance for them to see who you are and for you to see who they are, and in a different way. It matters." She is a pretty bright young lady, and I trust her. And she was a student of mine, so I think she knows what she is talking about. If I can encourage students with @s, connect with them, or understand them a little better, all in a mere 140 keystrokes, why wouldn’t I? As my student said, “It matters.” It matters to them; therefore, it matters to me.
So, there it is: my idea of what Twitter, or being connected as an educator, is. Hopefully, it makes sense. Does every teacher have to use Twitter to be effective? No. However, every teach does need to find a way to learn, grow, and improve in order to best serve our kids. Twitter can help us do just that. I am not going to stop using it, nor will I stop pushing it as a learning tool and resource. And I will continue to fill my feed with those voices who challenge, drive, and inspire me. I can do that.
@JasonKohls
PS. Have you taken the Non-Negotiables Blog Challenge? It was great reflection activity. Here is the challenge issued by @SJNeill13 "My Non-Negotiables", as well as my response, "Answering the Challenge".
