Teaching and Learning in a Tech Rich Environment: Twitter Chats

5/25/2015

Use this Blog Post to write about what you are "following"... You are responsible for two original posts as well as a comment about three of your classmates' comments. You can use this link to find the official Twitter Chat Schedule.

51 Comments

Emily Gunther

5/28/2015 03:16:00 am

I am currently studying to become a math high school teacher, so I decided that #precalcchat would be an interesting chat to follow. This chat takes place weekly on Thursdays at 8:30 pm.

A topic recently discussed was common student errors. One teacher expressed frustration over a "silly" algebra mistake he sees students making again and again. Other educators commented with similar experiences, as well as clever ways to allow students to realize their own mistakes in ways which help to formalize the concept more concretely.

I think that it is extremely useful to be able to share frustrations with other teachers, as this allows teachers to see the problem extends beyond their own classroom. Being able to share ideas on how to get students to understand certain concepts creates opportunities for teachers to look at things from a different point of view and present ideas in ways they previously had not thought of.

Kelsi Swenson

5/30/2015 12:47:35 am

I think it's really interesting that the teachers are finding similar problems in classrooms outside of their own especially since they have all reached a level of frustration that required them to talk about it on twitter. It's clear from your description of this chat that the teachers are expanding their resources in order to solve the problems in their classrooms. I can see how this would be extremely helpful for any teacher because not only are they realizing that it's not just their classroom with a problem, but they can read the other tweets and find a method in which another teacher was able to overcome a class continuously making "silly" mistakes.

Rachel Mathews

5/31/2015 02:58:05 am

I think it's great to see that there are not only educational chats on twitter, but there are chats specific to a teacher's content area. It helps give an even more helpful hand if you're struggling to get students to connect in your subject area. I'm studying to become a high school English teacher and am already worried about how I can get my students to be interested in reading in general. Chats like this where teachers can feed off of one another and know that they aren't the only ones struggling is great.

Briana Rubenstein

5/31/2015 06:33:03 am

Common student errors is a great thing to bring up on an educational twitter chat. Teachers from all over have access to these chats and I am sure most of them face the same issues when it comes to student errors. This is a great medium for them to discuss the errors and share their ideas on how to correct or prevent them from happening. It takes a lot of trial and error when it comes to this type of teaching but some students react well to one way and some don't. This is a place where the teachers can talk about what has worked or hasn't worked to correct the common errors so that others can try it as well. It is important too to share common errors that the students are making because it shows that you are not alone and that it may not be your style of teaching that is wrong. Teachers need a place to vent and realize that they are not always to blame.

Diana Arichabala

5/31/2015 03:10:27 pm

I think discussing common student errors with other educators is vital when it comes to reflecting on your student's progress. I can see teachers wanting to ask their coworkers about any similar experiences/difficulties that they may have had, but I can also understand them not having time to do this every single day. This is why I think being able to communicate with other educators on platforms like Twitter is very important and super useful in the world of learning. Furthermore, if teachers are able to express common errors in the classroom (online or in person) they can discuss techniques and strategies with other teachers that are seeing the same issues in their own classes. This way, teachers can share their positive experiences, as well as their experiences with activities and strategies that did not seem to be as effective. After sharing their views, I am sure teachers are able to implement the advice they found most useful in their own classrooms.

Joshua Stone

5/28/2015 05:12:50 am

I follows conversations in #BFC530 and #mschat. I can see how using Twitter as a tool for teaching can be beneficial. In #BFC530 teachers express concerns they have with curriculum as well as goals they set as the year goes on. These goals may be short term, to complete within the year, or they will be goals for the next year. Many teachers were reflecting on their teaching and in some cases their coaching, and they were setting higher expectations for the following year. Teachers were also able to communicate internationally and in fact 2 educators from different countries (one from U.S. & one from Ghana) made plans to connect. Seeing educators connect from such different parts of the world is exciting and to me shows promise for how our students can use technology to become familiar with places and faces they never would have otherwise.

#mschat is a chat dedicated to middle school educators. In this conversation I found educators providing examples of students writing, projects they used in class and many helpful links. Clearly Twitter can be used as a resource for teachers to connect with one another and to share wisdom, experiences and even work they have done with students. Twitter seems like a tool that can be used to ease the stress even a little bit of first entering the teaching world.

Jamie McAndrew

5/28/2015 09:07:40 am

I agree that twitter can be a useful tool for teachers. I never thought of twitter as a place for educational chats but I was wrong. I like how you mentioned how teachers are able to collaborate while being across the world. This can be very interesting and something that can teach both educators something and possibly connect students with cultures they may never thought to be in contact with.
I am interested in looking into the #mschat. While many people are scared of middle school students and think they are difficult, I enjoy them. They bring a good personality and energy into the classroom and I find it fun and engaging. That is something I would find useful.

Kelsi Swenson

5/30/2015 01:27:04 am

It sounds really cool the #BFC530 allowed people from different parts of the world to communicate about their teaching goals. In the chats that I looked at, it seemed to mostly be teachers from the US talking to each other. I think this chat could be relevant especially to US teachers who teach in the states that have adapted the CCLS because it gives them a place to talk about these things that they might not otherwise have. I also think it's important that the teachers are reflecting on the things that they've done because it gives them an opportunity to improve on them for the next school year.

#mschat sounds really helpful too. Successful classroom projects and good student writing samples are always good resources to share with other teachers because it can lead to a fun new classroom project or inspiration to make the students achieve better things. Because middle schoolers are really difficult to work with (I observed in a middle school and the kids were crazy), I think it's helpful that there's a whole chat dedicated to their teachers.

Diana Arichabala

5/31/2015 03:17:02 pm

Something that stood out to me from your post is the fact that in this specific chat many teachers were expressing the concerns that they had with curriculum. As of now, although I am not a teacher in a real classroom yet, one of my biggest fears is curriculum planning. This task seems like a hurdle that I will be working for a long time to overcome. However, finding out that there is a place where I can vent and share my fears and doubts with other teachers is somewhat reassuring. Knowing that there are others who are in my position, with the same worries, gives me the feeling that I am not alone. Also I am sure that the teachers on this chat share their own experiences, anecdotes, and even their advice. I find this as a very useful and precious tool that I will be sure to use in the future.

Jamie McAndrew

5/28/2015 09:03:14 am

The first educational chat that I followed this week was #ntchat (new teachers chat). I found this chat very interesting and useful for new teachers and aspiring teachers. I have never used hashtags to search for news or a certain topic so it was a new experience for me. The #ntchat offered many different articles and links to things that are useful for teachers. Some of the articles that were linked had to do with time management for the hectic end of the school year and how to foster curiosity amongst your students. I thought the time management article was interesting because for a first year teacher I can only imagine how much planning and work they have to do. The article made a comment that I found helpful when they said to not isolate yourself from your colleagues. Asking your colleagues and others for some advice and help can be very beneficial. Many of them would have more experience than you and can offer you valuable information and advice. A final thing that I found that can be useful was an end of the year round up of all the major news that went on this year in our world. On the page was information about past years as well as some links that led to questions about other events in history with questions that could lead a discussion or lesson.

Emily Gunther

5/29/2015 02:28:37 am

Jamie, I agree that this chat can be useful for new and aspiring teachers. I feel like there is a lot of pressure to be a creative and fun teacher, and I can only imagine this pressure is worse when you first start out. Like you mentioned, time management is probably going to be a major issues for most of us starting out. I like that people can share ideas and stories from their own classrooms, as well as provide advice for new teachers on how to handle the pressures of the job. I think it is helpful for people who are in the same situation to be able to communicate and support each other.

Kelsi Swenson

5/30/2015 01:08:39 am

I think this chat sounds extremely helpful and I can guarantee that I'll be following it from now on. Many of my professors have talked about journals and other resources that all new teachers should be aware of or subscribe to, but the good thing about this chat is that you don't have to pay to follow it! I believe that this could also be a useful place for new teachers to talk amongst themselves about problems in their classroom and get advice from other new teachers. I also really like the advice that you mentioned this chat offers - I personally feel like new teachers sometimes have problems connecting with their colleagues, so it could serve as a good reminder to not isolate themselves despite imperfect relationships.

Briana Rubenstein

5/31/2015 06:03:09 am

I was looking into following this chat and I actually did but it is not one of the ones I will be posting about. I think we should all follow this chat as new teachers so that we know we are not alone and can share stories of both success and failure with other teachers who are going through the same transition. It is important to read and learn about time management, as you stated, as new teachers because we will want to spend every second we can on creating a good curriculum and lessons and will probably forget to sleep. I am glad that you brought up the point that teachers cannot isolate themselves and plan/work alone in their classroom all day. Colleagues are always available for advice and help when needed. Some of them have been teaching for years and can offer the best advice because of their experiences. Some may even share lessons and worksheets with you. Once you become close with your colleagues, collaborations will start to happen which is extremely helpful in education.

Diana Arichabala

5/31/2015 03:30:45 pm

I completely agree with your statement that as a teacher you should try to make meaningful relationships with your colleagues. I could see how a new teacher would have reservations with talking to other more experienced teachers, perhaps because they are scared of coming off as "newbies." It is intimidating to start off anywhere as the "new kid." However, I do agree that asking for help and advice from other teachers would be very beneficial to any educator, especially new and aspiring teachers. Although I think it would be more beneficial to ask other colleagues for advice in person, I could see the difficulties in approaching them, perhaps because of lack of time issues. This is why I believe that the #ntchat (new teacher chat) on Twitter would be very helpful and a very important tool to teachers that are just starting out in the education field. This chat will come in handy when I have my own classroom in the future, and I will definitely be referencing to it then.

Karin Weidlein

6/1/2015 07:56:32 am

Jamie- My first year teaching at Mineola was a huge learning experience (as is my second year) and my incredible co-workers helped me through so many different obstacles that came my way. I am fortunate to belong to a department that collaborates on all aspects of Workd Language teaching, but also leaves room for individuality and new ideas. I am also lucky that my co-workers are open to my ideas and keep me working hard. I liked your comment about the #ntchat thread because it reminds all of us new teachers about the simple idea of looking for support- and that its okay! I remember feeling so relieved after asking for advice from my department in my first year of teaching, whether it was about classroom management, calling home to a parent, or how to talk and/or approach a building administrator about a problem. I like that this chat reminds new teachers of their extensive support systems right at work because in the midst of new-teacher-stress, it's easy to forget how many people have experience and wisdom to share.

Stu Goldberg

6/1/2015 08:24:42 am

I agree that this is a lot of useful information for new teachers. I especially think the part about not being afraid to ask your colleagues for help is particularly good advice. As teachers, we are used to having all of the answers and it can be very difficult for us to admit when we need a little “tutoring.” I think it is really important to remember that all of the teachers are part of the same team and that the more experienced members of that team will definitely have some valuable wisdom to pass down to us. Managing a classroom is something you can only really learn through experience so I’m sure any piece of advice will go a long way in that first year.

Kelsi Swenson

5/28/2015 01:33:21 pm

The first educational chat that I followed was #tlap (Teach Like a Pirate). Upon first glance, it was difficult to understand what this chat was about. After reading other tweets with the same hashtag that weren't necessarily part of the live chat, it was a lot easier to figure out what the educators were talking about. Teach Like a Pirate is actually a book with teaching methods in it designed to promote creativity in lesson planning and innovative ways to get the students involved. I think that this chat is beneficial to both new and old teachers. For new teachers, it can be helpful to get successful ideas from others educators. For old teachers, it can be helpful to see that there are fun and innovative ways to teach the material that is required by Common Core and that lesson plans don't have to suffer because they need to cover certain material.

Rachel Mathews

5/29/2015 01:42:33 am

This sounds great Kelsi! I think one of the hardest things for teachers, both old and new, is to keep their lessons fresh and interesting. Twitter not only helps teachers get ideas from other teachers, but it provides the opinions of teachers in various different countries as well. With this kind of range teachers have a variety of different strategies and ways to go about a lesson, not to mention the chance to ask for help if they are ever feeling stuck with how to go about a lesson.

Emily Gunther

5/29/2015 02:36:51 am

I think it is so interesting that this hashtag is about a teaching method. There are many different methods out there, but I imagine it would be scary to try them out on your own. I like that you can read the stories of teachers who have tried out different things in their own classrooms and see how it worked for them. A lot of times things do not always translate well from idea to execution. This allows for a group of people to try out different things and share what went well and what they would change.

Jamie McAndrew

5/31/2015 05:46:35 am

When I was looking at one of the #edchat discussions I actually came along a link that mentioned some of the best reads for teachers and Teach Like a Pirate was on there. Funny that it has its own hashtag and discussion as well. I think this book could be beneficial for teachers especially because it focuses on how to promote creativity. I like how you mentioned that in your post and how this could be helpful for us because we might be able to get ideas from other educators with experience.

Robert Ryan

6/1/2015 01:48:14 pm

This looks very interesting. When I glanced over the list of Twitter chats, this one caught my attention but I did not really know what it entailed so I didn't look into it. Bringing innovation into the classroom is one of our many goals as teachers so any help that this chat can provide is a plus. The name of this chat is undeniably deceiving!

Kelsi Swenson

5/30/2015 01:02:42 am

The second educational chat that I followed on twitter was #ICEilchat which is a once monthly chat for the Illinois Computer Educators. Each month, there is a topic posted. At the time of the chat, a more detailed picture is posted with questions about the topic posted earlier. For May, the topic was "Your Digital Toolbox" and the questions asked teachers what was in their digital toolbox, what criteria it had to meet, what their favorite tools as a teacher were, what students' favorite tools were, how their digital toolboxes enhanced or changed the way their classroom was run, and how their digital toolboxes changed or enhanced how their students learned. I felt that this chat was very relevant to what we're learning in this class and reading the answers were interesting. A lot of teachers use Google Drive and the various programs it offers, such as Google Forms and Google Draw. Many of the teachers mentioned weebly. There was one teacher that mentioned Pinterest, and I thought this was really interesting because I never considered Pinterest to be more than a DIY website, but I typed 'teaching' into the search bar, and sure enough, there are posts about classroom discipline and other helpful things. In terms of their classrooms, it seemed that many of these teachers openly embraced technology and appreciated the influence that it had on their classrooms.

Victoria Violo

5/31/2015 10:16:40 am

It really is amazing to see how rapidly technology is changing the classroom. Most of us in this class were only left high school 4 years ago. What teachers are doing now in the classroom is so different from what we did, at least from my own experiences. I remember how the SMART boards in the classrooms were catching dust but now the teachers are utilizing them to create more interactive lessons. It is important for students to use this technology as well. There seems to be a lot of good ideas in this chat. Just because it is specific to Illinois, does not mean teachers from other states cannot pick up some ideas. There are so many resources for us to use.

Stuart Goldberg

6/1/2015 08:19:54 am

It really is amazing how many different ways technology can be incorporated into the classroom. Whether it’s something organizational like Google Drive or using YouTube to show a video, there are so many ways the internet can be used to improve a lesson. I think it’s great that so many teachers are open to using the internet to enhance their lessons; the internet has become such a basic aspect of day to day life that it would almost be irresponsible to ignore it. The students today are more comfortable using something with a screen than they are working with pen and paper so I see no reason not to embrace it and use a common medium to present the lesson in a way that will be easier for the students to accept.

Robert Ryan

6/1/2015 01:42:10 pm

Although I don't plan on living in Illinois anytime soon, this chat does seem very useful especially considering that was are taking this class to understand the importance of technology in the classroom. This chat also seems like it may be useful as a reference when we are considering which aps to use for our upcoming assignment and final project. The resources that we have as teachers are really endless.

Stu Goldberg

5/31/2015 01:16:13 am

The two chats I followed, #satchat and #sunchat, dealt with two topics I find incredibly important in schools today. The first revolved around the importance of collaborative teaching. As a Special Ed and Social Studies teacher, I will spend the majority of my time in an inclusion classroom which will make collaborative teaching the basis of my day to day. The chat offered numerous ideas, techniques, and stories of how the two teachers were able to merge their styles in order to create the most efficient learning environment possible. Some even offered horror stories of two teachers who could not put their differences aside and the ones who really suffered were the students. The overall message seemed to me that the most important things the teachers must do is be accepting to the fact that they have to put their ego’s aside and release some control to each other (which seems much harder for some teachers than it should be.) The best collaborative teachers recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses and play off of those to give the students the best opportunity to succeed.
The other chat I followed was about the absurd amount of testing that students are forced to take. The participants in the chat were unanimously in favor of lessening the standardized testing if not getting rid of it entirely. Two quotes from this chat that I found particularly good and summed up the general mindset of the teachers were, "I became a teacher to test students, because testing is essential to a child's education." - said no teacher ever and “What is teaching like? Teaching is like putting on 6 shows a day and you have to convince the audience why they are there.” I felt these accurately described the struggle teachers go through with teaching to standardized tests. Not only are they doing something they disagree with but they have to force the students to care even when they clearly have even less interest in the tests.

Rachel Mathews

5/31/2015 02:48:13 am

The collaborative teaching chat sounds very interesting. I just took a class in managing inclusive environments, and our professor told us that the reality of our situation is that it is very likely we will start off having a co-teacher, so it is important to learn to work together. Luckily, my observation experiences with co-teaching were great ones where both teachers got along very well, but it really is sad to know that not all situations are like that and it's the students who get the shorter end of the stick. As for the chat with standardized testing, I couldn't agree more! Many people think that students don't pay attention regardless, etc. but in fact, students are so aware that they are under this immense pressure to pass standardized testings and feel that that is the only things that matters. Also, I loved the "said no teacher ever" quote!

Joshua Stone

6/1/2015 11:15:10 am

I've always been curious about this idea of eliminating standardized testing entirely. My question in return would be, with what are we replacing it? I think the amount of tests the student needs to take is absurd and also think that the difficulty level if the tests is perhaps even more absurd. I think that testing can work if they are not the basis for which the entire year is framed. Testing to me is a useful tool to gauge students understanding, but the tests need to be carefully crafted and should be few and far between.

Rachel Mathews

5/31/2015 02:15:50 am

One of the twitter chats I decided to follow was #BFC530. One of their main and most common chats recently was about how to promote summer reading. After reading many of the posts it was clear that teachers do not blame their students for their lack of interest in having to write a book report. Many of the comments being posted had to do with making sure the student had a say in the book they were reading. Aside from looking at certain factors that can easily make or break the summer reading assignments, educators from all over were contributing fun ideas to make summer reading more exciting as well. Activities like "bikes and books" or "book bingo" were being suggested all throughout the chat. I thought this was amazing! I remember dreading summer reading and often waiting until the last minute because it never interested me, but to now have a resource like this, where all educators can help each other to try and make a mandated assignment more appealing is extremely beneficial.
Another chat I kept up with was #edbeat. This chat had many followers who would post many inspirational thoughts and useful sites. One of the sites I checked out from a follower was called "The do's and don'ts for teachers on social media". Although many of the tips were obvious ones such as, "don't become friends with your students on Facebook" there were also interesting ones such as "connect with colleagues whom you feel safe with. Don't connect with colleagues you're unsure about. Being friends with everyone isn't part of the job description." I thought this piece of advice was interesting because as new teachers, we all will simply want to feel accepted and liked by our colleagues regardless of how we may feel. From seeing the various twitter chats it is great to see that it is not only a way for teachers to find ways to better their students and their classroom, but it is also a way for them to better themselves.

Briana Rubenstein

5/31/2015 05:57:48 am

I enjoyed reading about the twitter chat #BFC530. It interested me because all throughout my educational career, I dreaded summer reading and book reports that were assigned over the summer. Students want the summer to be a time when they can relax and hang out with their friends and have fun. They stress enough about school work during the year and the summer is their time to have a break from all of that. That is why it is called a summer "vacation" because it is supposed to be fun and relaxing. If the students had a say in the book they were able to read and do an analysis of, they would enjoy the educational experience they are gaining from it. It wont be as dreadful and the students would not mind doing it. It may even be a book that they have always wanted to read and now they will have time to read it. It can serve a dual purpose: one to complete an assignment, and one to read a book that interests them for leisure.

Briana Rubenstein

5/31/2015 05:34:50 am

The first educational chat that I followed is #msmathchat on Monday nights at 9pm. When I searched the hashtag and got to the page on Twitter, the first thing I noticed were a bunch of photos at the top of the page. This is what guided my learning and discovery of the chat. When you click on one of the photos, it opens up a separate box which has a comment underneath from the person/teacher who posted it. It describes the activity the students are doing or what the lesson is focusing on. Some photos have a link attached to it that pull up another tab which goes further into detail about the activity or fun math problem.

One photo that caught my attention was a picture of the gas mileage and miles till empty reader in a teacher's car. I was interested in what his purpose of this photo was and how it would apply to math. The comment that went along with the picture read, "Got a new one for you! http://wp.me/P5MQ7B-2H". I clicked on the link and it brought me to a new page with tons of pictures that decreased in milage and miles until empty. On this page, there were critical thinking questions that went along with the pictures and more pictures following to help others understand and discover the answer. What I liked about this post is that there was not just one picture and one question; it was sort of a progression that furthered the readers understanding of the question and helped them see the ultimate solution. The pictures were then used as data points and were plotted on a graph to see the relationship (average gas mileage). What initially caught my attention to this activity was the first two photos. The difference in miles until empty was 7 and the miles traveled was 4. These numbers should be the same so it interested me enough to read and discovery further.

Most of the posts on this chat are about student work and activities that the teachers do with their students. The teachers post pictures of the progression and finished products so that other teachers can use the same materials in their class and have a good visual of what it is supposed to look like and how it relates to the content. I never realized that you could search hashtags on twitter do find chats and people who are interested in the same things as you. It is very helpful for us as new teachers because there are so many resources out there and people who are willing to share their ideas so that the students can get the most out of their educational opportunities as possible. It is like a little family of teachers who are looking out for each other and helping each other succeed.

Jamie McAndrew

5/31/2015 05:53:01 am

It sounds like the chat you followed had a lot of information and links that are interesting. It seems like there was a lot of creative things going on which can be good for gaining ideas for your classroom. I like how this chat gave teachers updates and that they basically shared their projects and information with each other so others could use them in their classes. I agree that these chats can be very useful for us as new teachers to learn and gather ideas.

Briana Rubenstein

5/31/2015 06:52:28 am

Another educational chat that interested me was #TeacherFriends at 9pm on Tuesday nights. I want to get involved in this chat because it is important for teachers to have a place to share fun stories about class that day or something exciting that happened to them. Teachers go home to their families and want to tell them all about a student who finally got a good grade on a test or another student who is starting to do his homework more often. Our families will listen and care about our stories because they care about us, but deep down, they don't understand the feeling and the joy that can come out of an experience like those I mentioned. In this chat, teachers from all over can share their stories and experiences with others who will appreciate and empathize with you. I am not saying it is not important to talk about your day at home, but this is a place where you can express your feelings in a different way; in a way that you know others get the same exciting or sometimes frustrating feelings too.

I noticed in the chat, the teachers share a lot of photos of classroom setups, organizational tools, and other fun spaces they have around their classroom. This is something very important to teachers that they are proud of and in #TeacherFriends, they know everyone will appreciate and love their creativity too. Another thing that is posted a lot is pictures of students working on an activity or just simply smiling. When a student smiles, it is the best feeling in the world to a teacher and is something you wish you could share with others.

This chat is a place where teachers can relate, share their emotions, feel each others emotions, and sometimes brag but thats okay! We want to see each others hard work and be able to tell someone that they are making a difference. Teachers deserve to be recognized for their dedication and love for teaching and this is the best way to do just that.

Victoria Violo

5/31/2015 10:10:26 am

This chat is very different from the two that I looked into. This one is a lot more personal. Those who are not teachers do not understand the joys and the hardships that teachers go through. To have an environment where teachers can express themselves and relate to each other is probably a relief for those who use this chat. I can see myself using this in the future to talk about my own experiences. #TeacherFriends seems like a great place to get new ideas from other teachers as well.

Karin Weidlein

6/1/2015 08:15:03 am

I LOVE the concept of this chat! Teachers are individuals that bring their work home with them every single day- literally and emotionally. Especially as a new teacher, I am constantly being challenged my work and my students, in good ways that make me excited and happy, and ways that make me stressed, anxious, and sad. This chat seems like a great support system for teachers coming from all different types of schools and teaching experiences. I love the idea of simply uploading pictures of students having fun in the classroom- because we all know how special that makes us feel to see that happening. It's also a great way to express your feelings to individuals familiar with teacher jargon; my parents are extremely patient with me when I vent to them about work and tell them about a specific student and his or her performance in class or on a test. My dad was also an educator and can keep up fairly easy, but this chat seems like it would offer support from individuals who are first-hand experiencing current education issues in their daily lives (I.e. Using technology efficiently in the classrroom). I'm excited to check this chat out and contribute photos of my students in action :).

Joshua Stone

6/1/2015 11:19:49 am

This seems like a useful chat for getting through the early years of teaching. I can see myself getting stressed out and using a chat like this to reign me in. The sharing of students smiling is a good way of seeing that even if your day did not go as planned, being a teacher provides you an opportunity the next day, and the next, etc to reach these students in a positive manner. Using other teachers classroom setups or creativity may seem like a cop out but a good lesson is a good lesson and the same can be said about a good classroom setup.

Jamie McAndrew

5/31/2015 08:49:30 am

Another hashtag I followed was #SpEdchat. This chat focused primarily on special education topics and links. I'm really interested in becoming a special education teacher in the future but just need to take the necessary classes to get certified. The chat had many links to articles about inclusion and advice for teachers. Another thing that I saw in many of the chats including this one was how often the links were to pinterest. I decided to make a pinterest account and follow all educational accounts which maybe will give me some advice and ideas for the future. I don't know what pinterest is all about but it seems that many people use it for educational reasons. I saw on the pinterest pages I followed that there were many links and things that spoke about useful topics. I think this could be a good site for teachers and others to follow.

Victoria Violo

5/31/2015 10:26:31 am

I took interest in this chat as well but decided not to write about it. Special education is something that I am still not confident with. Just because I am not studying to become a special education teacher does not mean that I will have these students in my classes. I can see this chat being a great resource to new teachers who have questions about special education. It can also be helpful for those who have been teachers for years.
Making your own account was a good idea in order to keep up with educational resources. I have considered making separate accounts for these resources as well.

Victoria Violo

5/31/2015 09:20:52 am

The first of the two Twitter chats I researched was #csk8, Computer Science Kindergarten – 8th grade. I do not have any experience with coding expect for very basic HTML codes. I have friends who studied computer science in college and they have spoken to me multiple times about how they believe coding should be taught in schools. What they have spoken to me about lead to follow this chat. In general, the chat includes information about how to include coding in the curriculum, whether it is a separate class or supplementary to mandated classes. For example, math teachers are finding ways to incorporate coding in their geometry units. Students get a different experience plotting points, rotating, and moving figures across a plane. An article was discussed in the chat was titled, “An education for the 21st century means teaching coding in schools” by Leon Sterling. The article stated that some countries are finally starting to incorporate coding in their school curriculum. Teachers see the importance of coding because it allows students to create something while learning a new language. When coding, it is likely that the students will fail the first time but they are able to correct their mistakes. Teachers see how this will help their students gain confidence and enhance their critical thinking skills. When the students fail they are given the opportunity to think about it and correct their mistakes. Technology is not going anywhere; it is only expanding and changing rapidly. Teaching students how to code will help them understand the technology they are using and how it works.

Emily Gunther

6/1/2015 02:38:57 am

This seems like a very interesting chat. I took a coding class as a requirement in my undergrad, but I still don't feel like I have a very good grasp on the subject. I think that a lot of people our age have a similar experience, but I am sure kids now will have a better understanding. I like that teachers can share ways to include coding into their lessons. Twitter creates a space where teachers can learn about something they don't really understand in an informal environment.
I also like how you mentioned that students will likely fail the first time but they are able to correct their mistakes. This gives teachers who are new to teaching coding lessons accurate expectations for how their students will likely respond. This way, teachers can prepare themselves for classroom and will be better prepared to help their students.

Victoria Violo

5/31/2015 10:01:50 am

The second Twitter chat I looked into was #STEMHQ, STEM chat. #STEMHQ goes live the first Monday of every month. In this chat, educators discuss ways to get students interested in science. For many students, science and math are the “scary” subjects. Educators want to find ways to get students interested in science, especially at a young age. The quality of a student’s math/ science education when they are younger strongly influences how they will feel about it in the future. Educators are finding ways to spark their student’s interests using simple projects that include math and science concepts. For example, one experiment introduced students to physics and biology by using mud to generate electricity. Bacteria in soil generate electricity when they break down sugar in the soil. MudWatt is a Kickstarter project that will provide students with the materials necessary to experiment with mud and electricity. The person who developed the technology was not a teacher but a research student who then wanted to make science readily available to kids. This is only one of the many projects that I found while looking through #STEMHQ. The main idea is to get students engaged in the lesson. From experience, I know that math and science is disliked by many students. I was terrified to take chemistry in high school but now I am currently students to be a chemistry teacher. I can see myself using this chat in the future to get ideas for how to make STEM topics more engaging and less “scary.”

Stu Goldberg

6/1/2015 08:46:15 am

As a former student who found science extremely “scary,” I’m really glad to see teachers working together to make these subjects more accessible for the students. Science can be so fascinating for the students if the teachers can find ways to use the experiments to captivate their attention and pique their curiosity. These subjects are very off putting for a lot of students so any kind of attempt to get the students physically engaged would probably make a world of difference. I remember doing a few experiments in high school but not enough to ever really keep me interested in the subject. Keeping the students active and engaged is definitely the best way to eliminate the stigma that comes with science.

Emily Gunther

6/1/2015 02:28:05 am

Another chat i followed was #msmathchat. This chat takes place Monday nights at 9 pm.

One recent topic was plans for the next school year. Many people commented with classroom decorating ideas, and I liked all the pictures and links to creative and different decorating ideas. I like that you can incorporate other teachers ideas into the layout of your own classroom. A lot of teachers also commented with plans for how to incorporate technology into their classrooms. It seems that more and more schools are doing things like adding wifi to classrooms, giving students iPads, adding smart boards, etc.

I think that this is a great conversation for teachers to have on twitter. It allows for the opportunity for teachers to ask questions about technology they might not know about or how to use correctly. Instead of having to research new technology and then find someone to explain it to them, they are already in direct contact with someone who can answer their questions and share ideas on how to utilize the technology for their own classrooms.

Diana Arichabala

6/1/2015 03:22:56 am

The first chat I decided to follow was the #ntchat (new teacher chat). Seeing as how all of us are aspiring educators, I thought this chat would be the most useful one to follow as of now. A topic that was being discussed on the new teacher chat was that of depression in education. In this trending topic, educators were sharing their own stories of fears, worries and even depression in their careers. A quote that stood out to me was "Educators, there is no shame in depression." During this chat, many educators were sharing their views on the fact that no one should be ashamed of being depressed, and one person even compared depression to having a heart attack: "why would you be ashamed of something that is out of your control?" I think discussing your fears and even depression is very therapeutic. Being able to talk about your worries with others can give you new perspectives, and can give you the sense that you are not alone. The fears and worries that new teachers are feeling are probably very common, and knowing that there are others that are in your same situation could be reassuring. One woman put up a quote by the famous writer J.K. Rowling: "I have never been remotely ashamed of having been depressed. Never. What's to be ashamed of? I went through a really tough time and I am quite proud that I got out of that." I think that being able to see that very successful individuals also face the same trials and tribulations that we as teachers do is reassuring and shows us that there is hope, and that we can overcome the obstacles that many of us as new and aspiring educators are facing.

Robert Ryan

6/1/2015 01:36:22 pm

I also felt that #ntchat would be a valuable one to observe and follow due to the fact that we are new teachers here. This chat is valuable to us because they are going to be discussing topics and things that new teachers go through, such as the potential for worries and fears that could even lead to depression like you mentioned. I also value the access thar this chat provides to numerous articles on a wide variety of issues that we will face as new teachers.

Diana Arichabala

6/1/2015 03:57:38 am

The second chat I followed was #mexedchat, a chat focused on Spanish language education. As a future Spanish & ESL teacher, I have noticed that the other core subjects (math, science, english, & social studies) often have more resources available to their teachers. I was happy when I saw this chat on the Twitter Chat Schedule. A topic that was being discussed was actually using technology in the classroom. Teachers were giving their own ideas on great ways to start using these technological platforms, one of which was "Google Classroom." One way that teachers suggested using this platform was to set a class theme. One teacher discussed that after creating his class the first thing that he did was make a "classroom theme." He explained that he found photos, videos, and even color schemes that went with his overall theme. I could see this being very useful and my own class, because as a future Spanish teacher, I have loved creating thematic units. If I wanted to teach a unit on travel, this platform would be very useful to me: I could find pictures on different countries, such as Ecuador, Honduras and even Spain. I could tie all these photos together with the color schemes and videos available through Google Classroom. Another way that was suggested to use Google Classroom was to create an "about" page to provide info and important links for the class. This is very important because with hectic schedules, teachers sometimes realize important information that they forgot to give out during the class. With Google Classroom, the teacher could add any information and links that they need to share with the students online. This information would be accessible to the students any hour of the day or night. I could see this being especially helpful during a break where students might have a project to do. If there are any issues, the teacher could post advice and helpful tools on Google Classroom, and the students would have access to it during their entire break. Going off on this idea, another useful way to use Google Classroom that was mentioned on this chat is to attach YouTube videos, Google Drive files and links to the page. If the teacher want to explain something to the students outside of the classroom, he or she could film themselves demonstrating the concept. They explained: "The teacher could create a video to teach a new concept, to excite students about a new project or to provide answers to frequently asked questions. Or choose a video available on YouTube. Attach photos from the classroom from your Google Drive in an announcement. There's a lot you can do with this feature!" This tool seems very useful and handy to all educators. There were many other advantages to using Google Classroom that were discussed in this chat, such as: starting a classroom blog, emailing students in the classroom, providing an example of the work you'd like them to do, providing a collaborative space for students to work, tracking student progress with their submission history, and even revisiting students previous work in the classroom folder. I could definitely see myself using Google Classroom during my own career as an educator, and am grateful that Twitter chats like #mexedchat exist, because it serves as a platform to connecting with hundreds of other educators who have advice and experience to share.

Karin Weidlein

6/1/2015 08:04:28 am

Diana- I enjoyed reading this post! Google Classroom seems like a great tool to serve as a source of reference for students. It always helps my students to have a designated spot to look for extra support with class work, homework, projects, or studying for tests. Currently I use a site called eBackPack for providing my students with online notes and assignments. Does Google Classroom act like iTunesU at all? Can we provide our information in an organized and personalized individual format for the unit and how we want to teach it? Or is it more of a reference tool than anything else?

I also like the concept of teachers making instructional videos. Students would love to see their own teachers on screen because it would create a sense of familiarity- and they'd also get a kick out of it :). I look forward to asking you about this !!

Karin Weidlein

6/1/2015 08:50:00 am

One of the chats I followed was #edchat. This chat offers a lot of different articles posted and shared. By a varsity of individuals. I found one article shared by a man named Steve Anderson (whom I started to follow as well). The article, by Larry Cuban, is called "Schools as Factories: Metaphors That Stick." I was drawn to this post because the title somewhat surprised me; the term "factory" seems like a negative way to describe schools, or at least an undesirable term. Education today has become so innovative, technologically proactive, and truly individualized to students and their needs. Therefore, when I saw the title of this piece, I was interested in what it had to say.

The article starts off with a quote by Professor Ellwood P. Cubberly from Standford University in the early 20th century; "Our schools are, in a sense, favorites, in which raw products (children) are to be shaped and fashioned into products that meet the various demands of life."

The quote offers the early 20th century view on how to efficiently run schools in order to accomplish the desired product- graduates who are fit and able to enter the real world and seek employment. This concept still holds true today. Schools still focus on efficiency, excelled performance on tests scores, competition with other educational powerhouses like China and Germany, and cranking out graduates who are ready to enter colleges and universities of their choice and achieve employment directly after their undergraduate degrees. The system has not changed all that much. However, what has changed is the terminology to describe the system. In the world of modern day education, referring to schools as factories demeans all of the creativity and improvements in the art of teaching. Vocabulary such as "factories" and "assembly line" will be avoided because hey have negative connotation and make education look like a dry, robotic system in which children are drones passing through.

I think this article provides an interesting conversation for educators. It also provides insight to our current system and how our goals may not be as different as we think they are from those of educators and schools in past centuries.

I liked looking through #edchat because it offers an abundant variety in educational topics. It's very fun to surf through!

Karin Weidlein

6/1/2015 09:11:38 am

Another chat I looked into was #nt2t (new teachers to Twitter). This chat runs on Saturday mornings at 8am.

I am completely new to Twitter. I never had a personal account and to be honest, I am a little overwhelmed by how extensive these chats are and the overload of information that be linked to different education chats. I am so happy I found this chat! Questions about individual experience with Twitter are posted for educators to respond to. For example, this past Saturday question one (Q1) read "when first joining Twitter some may feel hesitant about sharing. What is/was your greatest fear when you started tweeting? "

One individual commented back saying "my biggest fear was that I would put my 'foot in my mouth' and it would haunt me for years." Another woman mentioned she was uncomfortable for a whiles do remained a "lurker" until she felt confident to share ideas.

Other questions asked for advice for new Twitter users, key concepts beginners need to understand in order to become more comfortable tweeting, and how teachers can find followers who contribute to their Twitter experience.

I am excited to follow this chat until I personally feel like I am ready to post. It offers great support and information for new users- baby steps! :)

Robert Ryan

6/1/2015 01:02:55 pm

The first chat that I have decided to follow is New Teachers Chat, #ntchat. I figured that this would be the most logical hashtag to follow seeing that I am new to Twitter and also new to teaching. When looking through the dozens of Twitter chats that we had to choose from, I realized that there really is so much information that can be gained through these chats for specific subjects and topics. Although I am new to Twitter, I clearly see and understand the importance of having access to media sharing that is available through Twitter.

The #ntchat runs on Wednesdays from 8-9 pm and I will certainly check out this chat each week. Many people in this chat post questions and thoughts on common issues or topics that may arise in any teaching environment, and most of the time they leave a link to an article or webpage that provides information on the topic. For example, one user posted a link to an article entitled "10 stress busting tips for teachers," which could be a great resource for any teacher going through the stresses that may come with the job. There is even a link from a post from a couple of weeks back regarding strategies to keep students awake in class. And specifically relating to this class, there is a post with a link to an article about technology integration basics for teachers. I never realized how important that technology training was for teachers until taking this class and hearing what Dr. Smith has had to say.

Overall, I feel that #ntchat is a very useful jumping off point as a new teacher and I will come back and continue to check it out.

Robert Ryan

6/1/2015 01:27:41 pm

The second chat that I decided to follow is the Social Studies Chat, #sschat. I am hoping to be a high school history teacher and so this chat is specific to my area of interest as a teacher. I am also a history nerd and I appreciate the images, quotes, and maps that are posted throughout the chat.

The #sschat is extremely interesting and full of fun facts and information. For example, one link to a big history project details the consequences of the great depression and uses graphs and charts to explain. Another post provides an interactive map of the worlds religions. The stream of information is boundless and this is a viable resource as a history teacher.

I think that it's important for myself to follow a general chat such as #ntchat and then one more specific to my field, such as #sschat. Now that I am discovering the power and scope of Twitter, I am excited and intrigued by the potential to absorb valuable information. The ease of sharing information through social media in the 21st century is a valuable asset that all of us young teachers should take advantage of.

Lessons Learned

Teaching and Learning in a Tech Rich Environment: Twitter Chats

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Whittney Smith, Ed.D.