Twitter and Educators: Building Your PLN

A few years ago, I was sitting at EdCampKS learning about why I should be on Twitter. They told me all about how I could use Twitter to build my PLN (professional learning network) and follow other educators to learn about new ideas to add to my classroom. So, I signed up....and then quickly forgot all about it. Why? I didn't see the value. I had no idea who to follow and I didn't understand the hashtag business! I just seemed to be floating around Twitter-space with no sense of direction. 

About a year later, I was sitting at another conference called Podstock. Podstock is an awesome conference held by ESSDACK every year in Wichita that attracts amazing educators and presenters from all over the country. And guess what? These people were on Twitter and doing it well. Luckily for me, they had a Twitter 101 class just for teachers like me...teachers who might be on it, but had zero idea how to put it to use. That class opened my eyes to all the possibilities. I finally got it! I totally understood why I should be on Twitter connecting with others from all over the world. This was truly a game changer. 

​When I was switching roles from teacher to building principal, it was a no brainer that I needed to start connecting with other principals across the country. I started looking for hashtags related to principals and stumbled upon #PrincipalsInAction. I loved the feel of this hashtag because it was all about being positive and finding ways to connect with kids.  The mission of #principalsinaction is clear: be seen, be in the classrooms, help teach, be a voice for the students....and above all else...do what's best for kids, even if it makes adults uncomfortable. 

What's scary is that Twitter is just the beginning. There are so many other ways to connect with educators and learn. The power of social media in education is powerful and I know that I would not be the educator I am today without it.