I've been pondering how to summarize how much Twitter has made a difference in my professional career in the past 7 months since I signed up, started following people, and joined in on RPSLead chats. The funny thing is that I was so hesitant to join Twitter until attending the TIES conference last December. I tried to stay out of social media and didn't want to engage in the politics and entertainment world I "thought" Twitter was. I signed up for Twitter in the van ride to TIES and learned more about the professional power of Twitter as it was mentioned over the next few days. WOW! I had no idea the professional collaboration taking place on Twitter! My Twitter feed contains little to no politics/entertainment, but a wealth of amazing things that are making me a better educator and person. A couple weeks ago, I just shared with a new teacher at my building that Twitter has been one of the best professional development opportunities I've been involved in throughout my 12 years of teaching.
Throughout the past two years after transferring back to middle school at Friedell and working with diverse groups of learners with such different learning needs, my philosophy of teaching and vision of where I want to guide students has evolved dramatically. Working with our instructional coach, Laura Willis, as well as amazing colleagues has challenged me to be better and push further to make a difference and truly transform what learning looks like in my classroom. I want learning to be relevant, real-life, engaging, student driven, and inspire students to become curious about the world around them. This is much different than the more traditional educational setting I've seen over my past 12 years of teaching in Rochester Public Schools. I want students to have growth mindset and believe that they can (and will) do great things as long as they keep trying and learn from experiences.
Collaboration... Twitter has allowed me to connect and collaborate with amazing people with a wealth of experience and knowledge from all over the world that are doing just what my vision involves! Reading what others share has inspired me to go further, take risks, and build my toolkit with so many ideas to inspire those that step into my classroom for years to come. It's so easy to connect and learn from others!
RPSlead Chats... In our teaching profession, we often don't get much time to share the great things we are doing in our own little worlds/classrooms. I participated in several RPSlead chats throughout the past school year (and even moderated one.) Talk about a power hour! Twitter has allowed me a glimpse into other classrooms and schools right here in Rochester! I've been inspired and feel pushed by those within our own district! We have many rock stars! This has allowed me to feel connected and motivated to continue on my mission of being innovative in order to make a difference to those (students, staff, families) I am fortunate to work with.
Reflection... Many people on Twitter share research or different perspectives that allows me to challenge my thinking, practices, and how I will change my actions to benefit students. This practice is something I also want my students to engage in, so it's a powerful personal experience I will be able to share.
Innovating... One author, Angela Maiers shares, "When you are not sharing your brilliant ideas, you are doing a disservice to others." It's not bragging but rather sharing things that may help others. I've begun to share amazing things that are happening in my classroom and school. Although they may seem small and not profound to me (I always want everything to be amazing!), they may spark something and inspire someone else to make it their own and do something great in turn impacting even more learners! I'm not on Twitter all the time, but within a short 30 minutes a day, I'm saving at least 5-20+ ideas that have sparked something in me whether it be education research, best practices, relevant ideas, or something that may transpire into an amazing learning experience for my students. Our world is filled with amazing things to learn and explore; it's our job as educators to help students learn how to navigate it and spark the curiosity that will inspire them to be life long learners.
It's so hard to summarize, but these are a few of the benefits I've personal experienced with Twitter. I encourage others to jump on in and join Twitter. Join an RPSlead chat or come see me, and I'll help you get started!
Follow me or check out ideas I've shared... @KellyStroeing
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