Building Community Through Twitter

Where can teachers go for support? Thanks to Twitter, new teachers looking for support and experienced teachers looking for help are utilizing Twitter as a resource and a way to connect with other educators. Twitter chats are becoming more and more popular as teachers look for inexpensive ways to connect with colleagues across the country. More and more schools are also encouraging the use of Twitter because it is a quick, easy, free way to get and give advice about everything from classroom management to the best good read books. It’s a way to get teachers engaged in ways that do not always happen during a workshop or conference because let’s face it those forms of professional development do not always hit the mark for every teacher.

What I love most about Twitter as a resource for new and experienced teachers is its ability to give teachers an opportunity to easily share content on an ongoing basis (Brenneman, 2015). In this way, Twitter has helped to create learning communities for teachers locally, regionally, and nationally. While I can sing the praises of the Twitter chat format, I also recognize this format does not work for everyone. For some teachers the thought of spending extra time keeping up with several Twitter hashtags is not appealing; however, I do think it is something to consider if you are a teacher looking for a professional place to ask relevant questions and engage in professional dialog. Here are a few Twitter chats to consider: #edchat, #ntchat (for new teachers), #blendchat, edtech, #k12, #satchat. Check out Ross Brenneman’s Education Week post here. tlb

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