Making Connections

I had an awesome opportunity to talk to some great English teachers the other day. We talked about digital tools and we also talked about connecting with other teachers. One teacher asked me how can they connect with other teachers. They were on Twitter, but they found it hard to reach out to teachers and engage them in conversation. I gave them some tips and tricks and I thought I would share them here so they could share them with other teachers in the school.

Step One: Establish a Social Media Presence

This can be through the creation of a blog and/or Twitter account. If people want to connect, they need something that will connect them to other people. Blogs are a great way to expand on your ideas and Twitter is a great way to share your blog with other people. It is the route that I used and it has allowed me to meet some of my best friends. By having a blog and a Twitter account allowed me to connect with so many other teachers that are active in the blogging community and Twitter. It was a slow start, but I did connect with many great educators.

Step Two: Lurk and Then Engage on Twitter Chats

Find a Twitter chat that resonates with you. There are many great chats out, so find the one that that meets your needs. Once there, take some time and see what the conversation is like and how the pacing for this chat works. After a couple of weeks, I suggest you start to engage the people in the chat. Answer a few questions, respond to others who are in the chat. Start to follow these educators and become a regular participant these chats. I became really involved in #EdChat and met so many great people through the chat. It was a great way for me to expand my PLN. #EngChat was another great chat I used to meet many amazing educators passionate about learning and sharing.

Step Three: Connect Outside of the Chat Stream

Once you have become comfortable in the chat world, it is important to start engaging educators outside that one hour a week time frame. These could be simple questions and friendly conversations. Twitter for educators is a very friendly space and many of are always looking for interesting new people to connect with and share great ideas. Also, now that you have started to connect with many different educators, feel comfortable to start sharing your blog posts with the Twitter world. If the blog posts lends itself to a specific chat, add that hashtag to your tweet. Personally, I am always looking to for new posts to read. I find most of them on Twitter and I add them to my RSS feed if I love what I see.

Avoid spamming people with your blog posts though. Time to time I think I am guilty of this, so it is important to have conversations and the sharing of other great posts and not just a one-way conversation where it is your work all of the time. If people like your post, it will be re-tweeted around the world multiple times over.

Step Four: Connect at a Conference

Once you have connected with many of these great educators, see if any of them are going to be attending any of the conferences you are interested. If they are, see if people would be interested in a Tweet-up. Tweet-ups are a great way to take the digital connection you have spent time working on and making it a personal connection. Three years ago, I went to my first ISTE in Denver and I had my first Tweet-up. It was awesome. I got to meet so many people face to face that I had only shared tweets. Many of these people are close friends now that I can go to for help, support or just a good laugh. Heck, I met my brother from another mother this way (@TGwynn). Connecting at conferences is a great way to take engagement with your educational peers to another level.

Step Five: Don't Give Up

Stick with your blogging and tweeting. Don't feel like you need to post every dar or tweet every minute, but make Social Media a part of your routine. Continue to engage more educators on twitter and write what you want. Don't let yourself get stressed over your Twitter stream. You can't see everything, so just relax and be patient. If it is really good, someone else will tweet it again. Do not get obsessed with the number of followers you have. Numbers will grow and varying speeds. Just focus on being you and let the numbers game play itself out. Lastly, be you. People will read your blog and follow you on Twitter because you are you and you are the only you out there. We have have very original ideas to share and educators need more voices, not fewer.

I hope this helps those of you out there that are on the fence when it comes to engaging on Social Media. It is not easy to put yourself out there, but we expect our students to do this to some degree, maybe it is time to practice what we teach?

If you have any questions or just want to connect with me, you can follow me on Twitter @TheNerdyTeacher or shoot me an email.

Using My iPad in the Classroom This Year (Redux) #edchat

Two years ago today, I wrote a post about how I was going to use my iPad in the classroom. It was simply titled "Using My iPad in the Classroom This Year". To my surprise, it is my most visited post of all time with over 37,000 page views. That is about 20,000 more than my second most read post. I thought it would be fun to do an updated post having used the iPad in my class for two years. Now that I have a class set of iPads, the number of apps that I use or will be using has changed and I thought I would share that with everyone.

Safari - FREE

This is still a go to app. My students are always encouraged to look up things on the internet when they have questions or need to do research. It is fast and simple to use. There are very few problems I have encountered with using Safari and will continue to use it happily.


Evernote - FREE (or Premium Account)

This should not come to much of surprise for those that read my blog on a regular basis. I've had decided to embark on an Epic Evernote Experiment that will use Evernote in many different ways with many different pieces of hardware. I will be sharing all of the reading material for the entire school year on Evernote as well as having students use it to take notes in class and create e-portfolios. I will be using it for all of my lesson planning and storing of different bits of information I think I will need later using the web clipper tool. This app will allow me to move away from the word od space eating filing cabinets and allow me to focus more time on instruction and innovation and not copy making. I upgraded to the premium account because of the added benefits of sharing, editing and space and I couldn't be happier. 

PS Touch - $9.99

I'm not much of an artist or a big whiz with Photoshop, but I have used this app multiple times on the go to create and or edit photos for presentations. It is easy to use and provides an tutorial on how to use all of the different aspects of the app. I would love to see all of the amazing things a real photo-editing pro could do with this app. I cannot afford to put this app on all of the student iPads, but I do let students use it when they really want to get their hands dirty with some photo-editing magic. If you love to tinker with photos, then this is the app for you. 

Blogger - Free (iPhone/iTouch Only)

This app is only available as an iPhone/iTouch app, but it works just fine on the iPad. Students will be using their blogs to respond to different visual prompts throughout the year and this is a great app to do that. It's free and easy to use. Students can log in and work on their post or just copy and past it over from their Evernote account. I really want them to create an iPad specific app, but I also want Google to create a Google Drive editing app, but that doesn't seem like it is going to happen any time. Anyway, Blogger is a nice addition to the iPad and I use for some of my posts when I'm on the go. 

Nearpod Teacher and Nearpod Student - App is FREE - Subscription Based Access

I will be working this new app and web-based program into my classroom this year. The apps are free, but there are different levels of subscriptions you can purchase to use the service. It allows the teachers to have guide students in lessons while they follow along on their device. My class is a class of iPads, but it could work for BYOD where students have iDevices and Android devices. It looks like a great way to have students follow along in class, participate in the polls and questions on the tablet and increase engagement in lessons. I think Nearpod is going to be a really cool addition to my classroom. 

Skype - FREE

Skype is a wonderful app if you want your students to communicate with students across the country or one county over. Many students have their own Skype accounts and use it to chat with their friends. As a teacher, I have use Skype to bring experts in to speak to my teachers and administrators as well as connecting my classes to other students. It is a wonderful tool to use in class and one that more teachers need to consider looking at including in their lesson plans. 

iMovie - $4.99

I really encourage my students to make videos because they can be fun and educational. This is a great app that students have loved to use in class. I love that it can allow the user to quickly upload to YouTube when the video is completed. It does take some time to get used to the editing features, but it is worth it when the students create some fun and different projects. The iPads allow the student to be mobile and record in different locations, so iMovie allows them the freedom to edit where they are comfortable. For the video minded students, iMovie is a must for the classroom. 

Twitter - FREE

I use Twitter on a regular basis in both my professional life (@TheNerdyTeacher) and my school life with students (@MrProvenzano). I encourage my students to use Twitter to create a backchannel during class discussions using specific hashtags. The biggest question I get is about students who might be off task and I can only say that if my students are off task, it's because my lesson is boring. A student will not pay attention using any means necessary if they are bored, it's not the app, it's the lesson. Twitter has been used well by my students and I encourage teachers to see how they might use it in their class. 

There are some of the apps I will be using and have used the past couple of years. Feel free to share your favorite apps in the comment section and we can all learn some new things. Thanks for stopping by!

- The Nerdy Teacher

Students showed the power of Twitter to me last night #EdChat

Last night was just another night of the school year for me. I worked all day and did some prep for Final Exams next week. Students were supporting their basketball teams at home and having a good time. Before I went to bed last night, I check my Twitter feed of the school account to see if anyone had tweeted me. My feed was filled with the hash tag #IversInOurPrayers. I was very worried because I had taught an Ivers in class a few years ago. I clicked the tag and read hundreds of tweets showing love and support for the Ivers family. I finally found the source of the tweets and was devastated. Two students at my high school lost their father.

It is a tragedy for anyone to lose a parent. It has to be one of the most difficult things to deal with. What made me feel good was seeing the tweets from all of the different students showing their support for this family. Some even said they didn’t know the family personally, but they were in their prayers. So many students were tweeting the tag that #IversInOurPrayers trended in the Detroit area for a short time.  The students also managed to get kids to wear blue in support of the family today as well. Tweets and retweets filled the night as kids worked hard to show their support for this family. It was amazing.

I bring this up to show the power of Twitter to people out there that are skeptical of its use or impact on students. There are school board members, teachers, administrators and others involved in the educational field around the country that feel that social media has no place in education and it should be kept out of schools. This show of love, support and compassion for fellow students is proof that Twitter can be used to great things in the educational environment. Every tool has its downside, but the upside should be looked at and embraced when it can help bring learning to a different level.

For those of you out there still unsure of the value of Twitter, take a minute and scroll though the #IversInOurPrayers feed and then tell me it’s a passing fad. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to put on my blue sweatshirt and get to class.

OSU Football smartly bans Twitter use by players #Edchat

I recently read this article after hearing the news on the radio that new Ohio State Football coach, Urban Meyer, has banned players from using Twitter. Here is a link to the USA Today article.

I would like to applaud Coach Meyer for making this important decision one day after he officially became coach. With all of the issues the current team is facing, I'm glad he made Social Media his number one priority. I would like to also applaud a former student of mine and current Buckeye, Reid Fragel*, for using the irony I taught him in class to announce the ban on his Twitter account.

In this day and age, student athletes should not be concerned with the concepts of Twitter. They should be concerned about their new offensive or defensive packages. They should be focused on tackles, not tweets. Twitter is only a passing trend that these kids are not going to use when they leave OSU and become big time professional athletes. Can you even name a single professional athlete that even uses Twitter. I didn't think so. Twitter is not used in any professional realms either, so it would be a waste of time to allow students to even look into the site.

I actually think that Coach Meyer muffed this kick on this important edict though. Why not ban all social media? What about all of his athletes that are using Facebook? I understand that only a few thousand use Facebook and that the privacy settings are easy to understand, but why do they get a free pass? How about those weird kids that still use MySpace? Should they be allowed to post thoughts and feelings on their site? These kids are getting a free ride to a top university to toss the pig skin around, not use hash tags.

Banning all social media use is probably the best way to go. It will actually save time. Think about all of the hours that could have been wasted on teaching proper social media use. Fruitless attempts to teach social media etiquette can now be focused on the play action pass. The last think anyone wants to teach college athletes. The NCAA attempts at banning everything else has gone smoothly, I cannot see this being a problem for Coach Meyer.

Kudos to Coach Meyer for stamping out a student-athlete's First Amendment right to free speech. The University is not paying these kids to tweet, they're paying them to play! Oh, ummmmmm...scratch that last bit. Go Buckeyes!

*I taught Reid in Civics and American Lit. :-)

-@TheNerdyTeacher

Social Media in Schools #EdChat

Today, an article was published by the New York Times about the use of Social Media in schools and how some districts are imposing very restrictive guidelines for their staff. I was interviewed for this article a couple of months ago. I talked with the reporter for close to an hour and this is what was published.

"Nicholas Provenzano, 32, who has been teaching English for 10 years at Grosse Point High School in Michigan, acknowledged that “all of us using social media in a positive way with kids have to take 15 steps back whenever there is an incident.” But he said the benefits were many and that he communicated regularly with his students in an open forum, mostly through Twitter, responding to their questions about assignments. He has even shared a photo of his 6-month-old son. On occasion, he said, he will exchange private messages about an assignment or school-related task. He said that in addition to modeling best practices on social media use, he has been able to engage some students on Twitter who would not raise their hand in class. 

He also said social media networks allowed him to collaborate on projects in other parts of the country."

There are a couple of things I want to point out before I go into more detail on Social Media in Schools.

1. I teach at Grosse Pointe South High School in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
2. I'm not sure why my age was really important to the article, but I am 32.
3. When I talked about exchanging private messages, I was referring to DMs of Twitter. Some students feel more comfortable asking, what they deem dumb, questions through a DM. They feel more comfortable asking those in private. No different than staying after class to ask the question once everyone leaves.
4. Yes, I have shared a photo of my beautiful 6 month old son (now 7 months old). I'm not sure exactly how that point fits in the paragraph, but I think I was trying to show that while Twitter can be a great place to connect and discuss school related issues, it is also nice to be able to show students you are a person too.

These are just a few of the things I wanted to clear up regarding the article that I was quoted. For the full article, you can find it here.

As for Social Media use in schools, here is what I think.

When it comes to Social Media, like any tool, there needs to be a clear goal in mind. Using Facebook or Twitter because the kids do is an awful reason if it is the only one. I chose to use Twitter with my students because I saw it as a way to connect with my students outside of the classroom. It is also an avenue for me to connect with parents. I created an account that is for my school only. @MrProvenzano is an account I openly use with my students, parents and other teachers in the district. My twitter account is on my syllabus and my school web page. I embed the feed onto my site as well so anyone can see the tweets that go out. I also use the hash tag, #MrPAmLit to specify class content. Over the past couple of years, it has been a great communication tool. My students have used Twitter as a back channel for class discussions and to ask me questions after school hours. It has been a great experience for me and my students. It is only possible because I put some strict guidelines in place.

I told students that I would follow them back on Twitter, but may choose to un-follow them if they use language or discuss topics I deem inappropriate. I have a discussion about digital footprints and the words they use could come back and haunt them no matter how well they think they are covering their tracks. I've only had to un-follow a couple of students because their language was just too foul. Sometimes I will say something to a student about an errant F-Bomb in a tweet and they are always apologetic and promise to be more mindful. I support their first amendment right to tweet what they want, but I always tell them people are allowed to think what they want based on their tweets. It's all about the modeling.

I know it is easier to block everything and punish harshly. I feel that is the response of lazy administrators. I say sit down and get your hands dirty and create a policy that works for parents, teachers, students and the district. Social Media is a new territory that needs to be explored in education, but like all new territories, it must be explored with caution and open mind.

Please feel free to share your thoughts below. 

- @TheNerdyTeacher

Yes I tweet my students, don't you?

I was talking to a teacher the other day and a student walked by and thanked me for the help on their college essay last night and said they would tweet me later. The other teacher looked at me funny. I explained that I follow and exchange tweets with my students. They were skeptical.

I love tweeting with my students. Most of the time it is school related, but sometimes I chime in on their random thoughts. It's a way to connect with students in an open environment. It's meeting students where they are and giving them access to me outside traditional means. I have my school account, @MrProvenzano, and that is what I use to communicate with students, parents and other district admins. This connection has had a positive impact on my teaching relationship with my students.

Do you tweet your students? What have you noticed since you started?

Let's Go Exploring

I took another day off from Twitter the other day to catch up on work. I had an awesome time at #EduCon, but found myself behind in many different parts of my Nerdy life.

I dusted off my old resume the other day and noticed it needed a touch up. I needed to add all of the wonderful tech stuff I've been involved with over the past couple of years, my extra certifications, etc.  I was shocked to see everything I had my hand in at the moment. Edcamp, ISTE, MACUL, ProjectPLN and a new baby are just a few. Notice I didn't have my paying job on that list. I'm crazy busy and I didn't realize the impact it was having on the day to day me.

I have a serious problem. I can't say no to people. I want to help people. It's selfish. I like helping because it feels good. Maybe it's because I was kind of a turd growing up. I'm not really sure, but I am an eternal giver and have a hard time turning away from people who need help. It's obvious why I became a teacher. However, I'm learning that it is possible to be too helpful.

I've realized that Twitter has helped me establish an amazing PLN I can turn to when I need help. However, Twitter is starting to take up too much of my time. I find myself sitting and cruising my feed when I could be doing other things for other projects. I've always been a master procrastinator, but now I find myself putting too many things off until the last minute. I want people to be happy they asked me for help and I need to be able to give everyone my best. To do that, I need to make time budget cuts. Twitter is the spot where I feel I can make a cut. I'm not happy about it, but I feel I need to take a small break.

Now, I'm not suggesting that I'm going to sign off and walk into the digital sunset. I'm rededicating myself to my big projects and my future mini-nerd. I'm still going to be around. I'll be posting regularly on my blog, working tirelessly on #edcampDetroit, sharing Van Meter's and Grosse Pointe's Epic Romeo and Juliet project, and gearing up for ISTE. I will still stop in on #edchat, #ptchat, #engchat and other chats. These parts of of teaching life have grown out of my connection with all of you. I would not be The Nerdy Teacher without all your support. I want these projects to be amazing and I need to cut back in other areas so the stress doesn't get to me.

I posted the Calvin and Hobbes comic because he has always been sort of a role model for me. His creativity and passion for knowledge have always inspired me. The last comic in the series is one of my favorite. Calvin looks at fresh snow and sees a chance to explore a new world. Every new project and person I have met has opened up a new world to explore. I'm going to use some of my extra time to do some exploring.

- See ya later alligator

- Nick

48 Hours Off Twitter

I decided to take the weekend off Twitter to hang out with the wife and get caught up on some work. I hope nobody felt left out during this long weekend. Now, I did not completely unplug. I stil checked the stream from time to time and was still connected to my email. I thought about the complete unplug, but with #edcampDetroit starting and various other ventures starting, I needed to stay connected to email at the minimum. I also have my grad classes to think about as well (see previous post). I wasn't sure what was going to happen over the weekend, but I wasn't really shocked by the end result.

Nothing happened. Essentially, the Twitterverse kept going and the Internet, as far as I can tell, did not collapse. There were times when I wanted to bounce some ideas of friends, but I waited and thought on them some more. It really forced me to go back to the way things were a little over a year ago when I was not connected to a PLN. That was a lonely time. I love having people to share my ideas with outside of my house. I'm sure my wonderful wife loves hearing about all of my tech and teacher related ideas, but the need for more than one sounding board becomes apparent after a day.

I know others have done similar experiments and have had similar experiences. I think it is good for me to unplug from time to time to really focus on my work. The one thing Twitter can do is get me thinking about other projects I would love to start even though I have a few in the works already. The biggest downside of unplugging from Twitter is missing all of @tgwynn's jokes. Bear Down buddy!

When was the last time you unplugged from Twitter?

New Teacher Tech Survival List

This post was orignially posted on my school blog, but I thought I would share it here as well. Enjoy.

We have many new teachers in the district this year and I thought it would be helpful to compile a list of great tools that every new teacher should consider when starting their teaching career. Do not feel pressured to use every one of these tools right away. These are just suggestions based on my experience and the experience of many other veteran tech teachers when asked. If you have any questions about any of the tools listed here, please do not hesitate to contact me.

RSS Readers

There is a ton of information on the Internet, it is tough to keep up with your favorite sites. Often you find yourself wasting time to check websites that have not been updated or you miss other sites that are are updated constantly. By creating an RSS Feed, updates to your favorite website can be sent to one spot for you to read. I prefer to use Google Reader. It's easy to use and you can access it from mobile devices. Here is a cool little video that will explain the process of RSS Feeds.



Tube Chop

Here is a great site for teachers that want to show some YouTube videos but might only want to show certain selections. Tubechop is a website that lets you take any YouTube clip and chop it down to size. It is very simple to use and does not take very long. Just select the video you want, select the portion you want to watch and click the chop button. You will be given a link or a code to embed into a website. This site can come in very handy if there is a specific part of a clip you want to show your kids without constantly resetting the video player. This can save you time in the long run. Check this site out.

Livebinders

Livebinders is a great site. It is a great way to keep any or all of the documents you have for a unit or an entire class. I have created a binder for my Graphic Novel Class. It's labeled as Pictorial Literature and it was a way from me to keep an organized binder of all of my new materials I wanted students to have access to. I was able to create individual units on each tab of the virtual binder and cut and paste my documents. Each assignment was clearly labeled and easily accessible for my students. As the Semester went on, I uploaded and linked more work to the binder. Each Binder has a 100MB capacity. I find it hard to believe that people are going to cross the 100MB mark, but you can always create another Binder. The Binders do not have to be teachers only though.

Students can use binders for projects. I hate having to carry around a bunch of different projects that students have created. They were frustrating in paper form and are a different type of frustrating if they are sent to my email or are burned to a disc. I use a Mac (Love it!) and might not be able to check the assignment at home if they used some weird program I don't have. Also, I just don't trust what kids put on their flash drives or email to open it at home. Livebinders allows anyone to create the binder and store on their website. With the ability to upload PDFs, Pictures, videos, etc, the students will be able to create a full presentation that a teacher can check from the comfort of home. For Social Studies teachers, I know you like to use binders for current events and other projects. A virtual binder would be a great way for students to link to current events and other important Social Studies materials that you can check at your leisure. Also, this is a free service, so it will not cost your students, or you, a dime.

I find it is a great way to store all of my documents in a easy to use location without taxing the school's servers. It also allows you to access handouts from the Livebinder that might have been previously saved at school. The Internet provides teachers and students with options, so it's important to try them out.

Drop Box

Drop Box is a service I use and love. I wrote a post about it last year. You should check out this post and see how you can use Cloud Computing in your life. Drop Box Post. If you are not sure what cloud computing is, watch this video to see if Drop Box is for you.




Social Bookmarking

In the old days, when you found an interesting website but did not have the time to read it, you would create a bookmark in your browser and read it later. That worked fine unless you wanted to read that page from a different computer. Social Bookmarking sites, Diigo or Del.icio.us, allow you to bookmark sites to be read at a different time and place wherever you have computer access. The title link will take you to a post I did on using Diigo with students. It has made my life a little more organized, which is a huge help as a teacher. Below you see a video explaining Social Bookmarking and using Del.icio.us. Diigo and Del.icio.us are both great bookmarking sites. Try both out and see which you prefer.



Twitter

I have written multiple posts in the past about the benefits of using Twitter as a teacher. For some reason, it has been slow to catch on with others. I can honestly say that I have learned more from the connections I have made through Twitter than any PD or grad class I have taken. When I have questions, my Twitter teacher buddies will have answers in minutes. You can follow me @TheNerdyTeacher and I would be more than happy to connect you to the teachers I chat with daily.

Why You Should Tweet!
Twitter in the Classroom
Hello Twitter World

There are many more articles and posts out there about Twitter and how it has helped connect teachers from around the world. It is an amazing tool and you should seriously consider using it.

Wallwisher

I love using Wallwisher! I wrote a post on using it last year. It is great for peer feedback for projects. Check it out.

Using Wallwisher in class.

Here is a screen cast I had to create for a grad class. Embarrassing, but helpful.



A collection of sites:

Below are a list of sites that I cannot live without. They are blogs and sites written by some very amazing people that will go out of their way to help you. I don't have the space to really list all of the sites I follow, but here are just a few to get your RSS feed going.

http://cybraryman.com/index.html

http://upsidedown.edublogs.org/

http://slav.globalteacher.org.au/

http://edutechintegration.blogspot.com/ (New post on using the SMART airliner)

http://www.ilearntechnology.com/

http://web20classroom.blogspot.com/

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/

http://www.thenerdyteacher.com/ (Yup, self promotion)

http://philly-teacher.blogspot.com/

http://www.kylepace.com/

http://teacherbootcamp.edublogs.org/


I hope these sites are just a jumping off point as you continue to explore the wonders of Social Media and how it can make you a better teacher. Give it a Try!

- @TheNerdyTeacher

#Edcamp Detroit?

- Update - I had a hard time getting enough Michigan Tweeps, so I decided to open it up to anyone in the MidWest that is interested in putting on an unconference together in our neck of the woods. If you want to help, check out the wiki and sign up. Ignore the Michigan Title as I will change that in the future. I would love to do something like EdcampPhilly. Spread the word and we could create something amazing in our neighborhood.


First, I want to say I'm sorry to @jenniferpro, my wife, for starting a new project when there are so many other things on the burner. I promise this will not get in the way of my chores. :-)

I was watching the Twitter feed the last two days and was more and more bummed that I was not able to attend #edcamp Philly. My schedule was jammed packed and it was not feasible to get down there. I really want to meet some of these great people I've formed friendships with and maybe even present my Nerdiness to the group. I watched as another group of teachers started talking about an #edcamp in KC. Another great idea that is too far away from me. Ugghhhhhhh. I joked about an #edcamp Detroit and there was some positive feedback. However, this is not something that one man can do alone.

I started to think about the Whats and the Wheres of an #edcamp Detroit. Seems like a feasible deal. Then I started to think of the Whos and I realized that I do not Tweet with very many Michigan educators. I'm not sure why, but most of my Tweeps are all over the world and not in my backyard. I tried to rally the Michigan troops back in February, but I had little luck. I think it would be great to create a network of Michigan Teachers who blog, tweet, wiki and use other tech in the classroom. We can share this with other teachers from all over and maybe this could be the foundation for an #edcamp in the future. Sometimes it is nice to talk and connect with local educators because they are dealing with the same local problems.

I've created an open Wiki that allows people to put their name, Twitter ID, etc in one place. Please add to the list and pass it along to others. Feel free to add to the wiki in any way. If you have an idea to improve the wiki, go for it. I want everyone from Michigan to have ownership of this as we move forward. Don't hesitate to contact me with ideas or questions.

Twitter for Teachers

Here is a great document on using Twitter for teachers. Take a look around and consider sharing with others. Thanks to Tech 221 for sharing this link.


Twitter handbook for Teachers

Michigan Tweeps Unite!

I love my PLN! The Blogging Alliance organized by Kelly Tenkely is awesome. I've learned so much from these wonderful teachers and their blogs. I would love to reach out and try to grab more of my fellow Michiganders and share some ideas with you. There are many issues that are facing the world of education right now, but there are some that are unique to Michigan as well. We are all "Racing to the Top" and trying to get our students ready for the MME and ACT. I'm sure many of us have wonderful ideas that we are using in our classroom to get are students ready for these tests. There are great grants out there that we should share with one another as we all feel the budget crunch. Twitter and our logs are a great way to reach out to the world, but we shouldn't forget about our Mitten Shaped Backyard.

If you are a Michigan Tweeter and/or Blogger, please leave a comment with your Twitter id and/or blog. If you do not want it that public, drop me an email at npro6979@gmail.com

Feel free offer any suggestions or tell me that someone has already organized the Michigan Tweeters. Thanks again.