Great Teachers are Lifelong Learners

Over the years, I have had a hunger for trying new things and pushing myself with technology professional development.  Early on, I thought that attending technology summits and conferences would be the difference maker, allowing me to spend time learning many new things and immediately being able to implement them into the classroom.  I was quickly disappointed as every summit I attended, except for my first, had little to offer my classroom as they cover the basics that we already do here. What I learned to value, instead, was my time to sit and tinker with the optimistic people that were there, opening conversation about what we all do and how it can be used in many ways.  As I attended numerous conferences, I found myself asking everyone the same question, "What is your Twitter handle?"  

I saw that Bethany Mager and Szczep have Twitter, but many teachers at Nazareth are not tapping into the amazing PLC and professional growth opportunities that it provides.  Is it a fear of social media? Are you worried that students will see you using it and want to "follow" you? Regardless of your hesitations, the purpose of this blog is to inform you on the perks of joining Twitter and to encourage you to seek out what it has to offer.  You can always keep students from following you and if it's a professional account, who cares if they see that you are proficient with technology? Feel free to follow me @GonzalezNaz.

So why join? The hashtags of course! Although hashtags are used poorly by the general population as a pop culture socialization tool, Twitter offers amazing hashtags that allow you to participate in weekly chats or see what other teachers are doing in the classroom. They label conversations and topics, allowing teachers the opportunity to dive into great learning experiences and do some amazing live Q&A.  Two of my favorite general conversations to follow are  #EdChat and #EdTech that host a wide range of conversations and connect teachers from across the globe.  

Another nice feature is following hashtags that help you better understand how teachers are implementing technologies you are like #googleclassroom, #Kahoot, #PBL, #edpuzzle, or #minecraft.  Then, see what hashtags are out there for your subject.  I spend 20 minutes a week on #sschat and can guarantee at least one lesson a week.  For a list of hashtags by subject, please CLICK HERE.

This, paired with following great twitter handles, is a great way of seeing classroom implementation on the fly.  If you aren't ready for hashtag research the least you can do is sign up and follow some of the best.  Here are my personal favorites: @alicekeeler, @theweirdteacher, @coolcatteacher, @DavidGuerin, @rmbyrne, and @TomWhitby.  Start there and figure out whose perspectives inspire you to continue learning. Just do not participate in any chats until you change your profile picture to an actual picture, not the egg that comes as a default.  A little effort goes a long way.

So you have read this far and you are wondering if Twitter actually has anything to offer you.  People can say anything has value, but if it is not applicable, why would you care? I know there are a lot of people who are anti-social media so I figured I would also include a big change that I am going through in my teaching style that has been inspired by Twitter. 

For years, I have advocated on behalf of the SAMR model in education.  I have campaigned for it in Technology Committee and when giving presentations but so few buy into the depth it has provided my teaching career.  If you have never experienced the SAMR model, check it out:

It is a system that allows teachers to use technology to take their lesson plans from substitution and move forward until they redefine the education of their students.  This is the one that I use during Open House to show incoming parents.  

While perusing Twitter though, I have stumbled upon a new version that has been a game changer in my classroom and it is called the TECH model.  The SAMR model is great, but it has holes.  One of the issues that @jenroberts1 discusses is how that even in a 1-1 classroom, some lessons just work better on paper and that goes unrewarded by the SAMR model.  She goes on to discuss how it can seem daunting to the beginning tech educator and it is also completely focused on the teacher, which it shouldn't be. So instead,  let's focus on TECH.

In this scenario, the lesson creation rests on the shoulders of teachers and students combined, it pushes for technology integration yet still rewards the traditional style and allows teachers to see it as a way to change the way their classroom is run.  I like that it allows you to climb just like the SAMR model does but is so much more student centered.  Technology should not be the way you teach, it should be used to complement great teaching and provide teachers and students with the ability to redefine the way education happens during the school day.

In conclusion, I hope you give one of these two options a chance.  Show the power that social media can have in the classroom.  Connect with PLCs around the world to continue to be a lifelong learner.  Reflect on the TECH or SAMR models after teaching and see where each lesson falls and brainstorm ways you can hit redefinition or handoff. Lastly, and most importantly, play and have fun.  What good is any of this is we aren't inspired or having fun?

Anthony