Twitter - Speech and Ideas for Workshop

Aims:

• Educate colleagues and share my experiences with using Twitter as a teacher
• Be aware that of course not everyone will get on the bandwagon
• Use knowledge from the room to help push others to thinking it's a good idea? Or at the very least gauge audiences experiences with Twitter - whether they've ever used it or whether they've been asked to join - possibly reasons why they don't want to get involved...?
• Explain the benefits of using Twitter and how powerful it is as a professional learning tool
• Talk about upcoming #edchatnz conference
• Suggest people they can follow
• Suggest reasons I was initially not keen on Twitter
• Entice them enough to have a go themselves

Why is Twitter Fantastic?

1. Great source of professional development
2. Connect with awesome educators within NZ and around the world
3. Breaks down hierarchical barriers usually precedent in school settings
4. Your voice is valued and listened to (particularly good for new teachers feeling isolated)
5. Questions and help is answered and found very quickly
6. Advice and Support is freely given - no strings attached
7. 
   

Activities:

• Professional Learning Network (PLN) Empowerment (created by me)
• Draw yourself as a stick figure - put your name at the top. 
• Now draw a circle around you - and inside the circle, write all the names of the people you can think of that you talk to on a given day about teaching, reflecting, issues you have with kids - These names will be the ones that give you the most support and keep you going
• Do the same again - this time write down all the names of the people you wished gave you more support in school and possibly at home- This circle will most likely be fuller than the previous one. 
• The next circle - write down the names of those who you don't talk to often, but you know they do support you, give advice when needed and overall have your back in some way - this circle will most likely be filled with family members, best friends/close friends, old teaching colleagues, old students etc
• Imagine if all of these people were multiplied by at least ten. Preferably the first circle. Imagine that you had them around you 24/7 and they pepped you up and gave you support and advice, answered your questions whenever you needed, appreciated your sharing and collaborative nature and respected you for your thoughts and ideas
• You will always have that second circle that won't be there as much as they should be - and the third circle you can count on as your support crew to always be there. 
• This first circle can be increased as much as you wish it to be - it's up to you to start the discussion and open your mind to the possibility of having a PLN that works for you.
• Paper Tweet
• Write a tweet using 140 characters or less about today's topic
• Dr Seuss as Twitter 
A Dr. Seuss-Inspired Guide to Twitter from Hootsuite


• Have one or more attendees create a Twitter account
• Do a few paper tweets
• Have attendees who have a twitter account give their own experiences
• Set up a hashtag for the event? Though I'd assume that most would be using #MythandMagic14
• Have attendees discuss what they would like from their PLN when they create it: interests, like-minded individuals, areas where they'd like support or advice on, areas in which they want to learn more about
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Twitter
• How to use it in class
• How to use it to locate relevant PERSONAL professional learning development
• How to use it to create a PLN that works for you

Videos:

• Twitter in 60 Seconds








Still in progress. More ideas to come.... Got any? Send them my way :)