140 Twitter Tips for Educators

October 19, 2016

140 Twitter Tips for Educators

Help for skeptical or curious teachers

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis

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The curious teacher opened up Twitter. In the teacher’s lounge this morning, an excited teacher was talking about a new tool she’d found on Twitter that had her students raving. Rather than ask anyone, the curious teacher opened up Twitter (there was less pressure that way.) Oh, my! She thought Twitter made no sense. She saw these #’s going by and didn’t know what they were. And she saw some things she didn’t like, too. As a result, she wondered if she could filter that stuff out. What was that teacher so excited about this morning? If you’re that curious teacher, let’s give you tips to make sense of Twitter.

This example with “curious teacher” is a common one. In fact, many teachers look at Twitter and just don’t get what they’re seeing. I would say it is because they don’t have a Twitter account. While lurking on the site is OK, creating a Twitter account lets you FILTER tweets in powerful ways (even if you never tweet yourself.)

First, when you set up your Twitter account, you can follow just those people you want to see. Second, it also even makes following the hashtags (those things that start with the #) make a little bit more sense. Third, you can even message people privately when you have an account. All without having to post even one tweet.

But, as today’s guests show us, Twitter can do so much more for you and your classroom.

Listen to this show on BAM Radio Network | iTunes

In today’s episode, we make Twitter simple with some cool Twitter tips. Brad Currie and Billy Krakower, two of the three authors of 140 Twitter Tips for Educators, share with us the basics of Twitter. Specifically, they talk about how to get started and how Twitter is used in schools.

I know people who refuse to try anything new.

But as a 92-year-old precious “Miss Alice” said this past week in my Sunday school class,

“I’m so glad I haven’t learned yet. I’m still learning. Learning means you’ve got something new to learn, and you’re not done. Because when you’re done learning and you’ve learned it all, you’re done with living.”

In that case, Mrs. Alice gives the best introduction for why we should all try something new. Share today’s show with skeptics and curious teachers as a low-pressure way to see if Twitter might help them be better teachers.

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Show Notes:

Why should educators get on Twitter?
How do class in school and district Twitter accounts work?
How should you get started when you get on Twitter?
Is Twitter for every educator?
Are there some drawbacks and worries about being on Twitter?
How do you find the right Twitter chat for you?
Is it okay just to be a lurker on Twitter? And what is a lurker?
For some other resources for getting started with Twitter?
140 Twitter Tips for Educators by Brad Currie, Billy Krakower, and Scott Rocco

Who are Brad Currie and Billy Krakower?

Brad Currie @bradmcurrie is the co-founder of #satchat, a weekly Twitter discussion for current and emerging school leaders. Brad is a Vice Principal and Supervisor of Instruction for the Chester School District in Chester, N.J. Billy Krakower is a co-moderator of a weekly Twitter discussion for current and emerging school leaders called #Satchat. He is one of the Lead Organizers of edcampNJ.

Billy Krakower@wkrakower is currently a Computer & Resource Reading Room Teacher in Woodland Park, New Jersey.

You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above. Oh and if this show meant something to you, will you leave a review?