Teachers on Twitter!

I think that one of the most important ways Twitter can be used for professional development is to help solve problems. As I have come to realize, as hard as it is, teachers don’t know everything! And teachers will never knowing everything! It’s a simple concept, but sometimes the reality of such a situation can create challenges. I might find that I am teaching a curriculum full of titles I have never read. What if a student asks me a grammar question that I am unsure about? What if I am stuck on how to relate Shakespeare in 2009? I could post my frustration or my struggle or my question in a quick note to Twitter, and quite possibly have dozens of quick replies within minutes. Time is of the essence in the teaching profession, so even a saved hour here and there will add up. As a community of educators, teachers can and SHOULD build off one another’s experiences. Although teaching provides uniquely different experiences for everyone, I am sure that almost any question I have might be relatable to someone else. I plan on tailoring my practice based off of my own experiences, but I also want to build off of the knowledge of those who have already grappled with my same struggles. Twitter can offer a virtually light speed channel for communications concerning questions, struggles, ideas, advice or feedback. Sometimes I just want to hear to communicate with another human being, not a book or an article or plan book.

While I still am working on refining ways to fine-tune my new Twitter practices, I look forward to using this site for intra-teacher communication. I have learned so much from just my peers in my graduate courses; I can only imagine the possibilities of conversing with possibly infinite numbers of contacts within the profession of education.