Twitter Chats: PD in your PJs

The professional development opportunities available to educators on Twitter are transformative. We have all sat through professional development meetings which were neither professional nor developmental. You were likely thinking, "Why does this matter to me?!" You spot the theatre teacher and admire his ability to look sold-out, fascinated, infatuated with a graph your assistant principal is showing - but you know he is blocking the fall play's love scene in his head.

Where can you turn to find relevant and meaningful professional development that will immediately impact your teaching and your students' learning? Twitter chats! Check this resource for a listing of available chats (http://www.cybraryman.com/chats.html via @cybraryman1).

As more educators join Twitter, we are drawn into engaging dialogue with colleagues around the country. Professionals can "tag" tweets to be shared around specific interests. Did you find an awesome article about music advocacy? Tweet it and include #musedchat #mpln #OMEAchat. Music educators around the country, and their followers - if they "retweet",  will now have the opportunity to impact their world by reading the great resources you are discovering.

Chats occur throughout the week, and joining one is a great way to meet visionary leaders and thinkers in our field. Want to know what principals are talking about? Get on #cpchat (connected principals)! Professional educators are constantly connecting and collaborating to share their knowledge and expertise. Now this is educational leadership!

As I write this post, I am sitting on my couch in my pajamas and learning about the Common Core State Standards (#CCSS) from an #ohedchat discussion [Monday's at 9pm]. Twitter = PD in your PJs. Participating this evening are teachers, administrators, curriculum experts, etc. who are learning from each other on ways to navigate the upcoming changes in curriculum.

Twitter is THE most powerful tool for educators.
If you are an educator and not on Twitter, I feel sorry for you. Seriously.
You are missing a lot ... and so are your students.

Become a lead learner. Be equipped. Share resources and articles. Engage.

Be a part of a professional learning community (PLC).

For your consideration,
@kevindengel