Twitter...It's Not That Scary!

I have to say that Halloween is NOT my favorite holiday! Don't get me wrong, I love the costumes, pumpkin patches, parties and candy, of course. The scary movies and the creepy haunted forests, not so much. Another thing that scares me...social media! Eeeek!!! Sometimes I feel like the only person on Earth who didn't jump on the Facebook or Twitter bandwagon. It just didn't interest me. So when I saw that this week's assignment was going to be about social media, I was a little scared!

Turns out, Twitter is not so scary after all! I had no idea that educators have been using it as a way to connect with each other and share great ideas. It's really just a mini blog and I LOVE blogs! In fact, writing this blog has been one the best parts of my entire Master's program. When I can share ideas and get ideas, it makes me feel empowered and enlightened. One of the "tweeters" I chose to follow this week is an educator named Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher. She has awesome ideas on just about everything educational! She's an expert presenter on topics like differentiated instruction and blogging. Links to current education topics and motivational clips can also be found on her account. As a school I can see using Twitter to alert parents about upcoming events, school closings and celebrations. As a classroom teacher, I could use it to inform parents about field trips, needed supplies or class projects. It would also be a great resource to keep my grade level current on the latest technology and Common Core integration. 

Here's the "cool cat" I mentioned above! Go visit her Twitter account @coolcatteacher.

Once you've dipped your toe into blogging and Twitter, you can begin building your own Personal Learning Network, or PLN. These networks should include a collection of people you want to follow and exchange information with regularly. Other PLN's include social networking, webinars, nings and professional profiles. Getting connected to others in the field of education keeps us on the edge of the latest technology, best classroom practices and educational news. It's like going to a professional development or an inservice in the comfort of your own home!

I hope I didn't scare you this week with my new learning. I'm glad my mind was opened to the many possibilities that Twitter and other PLN's have to offer. Go ahead and check it out for yourself...there are a lot of great minds out there, including yours!

Happy Connecting!
-Sarah