When I first started teaching, in 1989(!), We were given a teacher's manual for the subjects we needed to teach and expected to move through it from lesson to lesson. What we needed was all in there. Supposedly. Those lessons were often dull, disjointed and well, just not very good. So some teachers would try to enhance those lessons with cute & creative ideas. Changing bulletin boards was a monthly requirement and could be the most creative thing we had going on in our classrooms. Many of us saved those pieces for years, all laminated and cut out in their little envelopes ready for the next time.
Times have changed since then, thank heavens! I am a techy geek and like nothing better than to peruse blogs, podcasts and anything else that may lead me to the next cool thing to try with my kids.
But by far, the best treasure trove of all is Twitter. Every day I see a link, a quote or a tweet that starts my mind spinning. Some days I pull up a picture for my students that somehow fits perfectly with my curriculum that day. Some days I send a link to a friend who I know can use the positive energy that a particular tweet seems to capture. No matter what I get from Twitter on a particular day, I know I have a globally connected personal learning network that will help me in any way they can.
Earlier this year I was trying to work out a way to administer my spelling tests through google forms. I was screen casting the spelling tests, uploading the videos to YouTube and then adding the links to the google form for the students to listen to before they typed the words into the form. It was awesome. Except for one small thing. You know how when you watch a YouTube video it brings up other 'suggested' videos for you to watch? Well let's just say it was bringing up suggestions that were *ahem* not quite appropriate for a 3rd grade audience. They were not terrible, things like cartoons of people on toilets and such. It was nothing that could have gotten me in trouble (although I had this little 'what if' in the back of my mind) but it was a concern and certainly not ideal.
One Saturday morning at around 8am I sent out a plea to two of my Twitter guys about how to avoid all this. I am a YouTube novice and was not looking forward to searching for the answer all morning long. Within 20 minutes I had my solution. 20 minutes vs. hours. That is priceless, in my humble opinion.
That is just one example. I know I can turn to my PLN if I need ideas, help or encouragement. I am also willing to provide the same to anyone who reaches out that I may have a solution for. THAT is the beauty of Twitter.
So where do the ideas come from? Twitter starts the process so often. People sharing tools and then pictures, videos and tidbits of how things are working for them and BOOM! I'm off in running with another idea. If you're not on board, your missing the boat. And probably working too hard.
Tweet on!
Julie
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