Classroom Tweets on Twitter

I had big ideas.  I could have the students tweet their responses and questions in class during a lesson.  Instant feedback! We could experiment with hash tags using ideas from http://www.mrstevewilliams.com.au/2011/07/top12-teacher-hashtags/ They could use the Twitter search engine to look for articles related to research.   There was so much to explore.

I walked into class on Monday morning and announced, "We have a Twitter account!" The students gasped.  Their mouths dropped.  Smiles spread.  The room buzzed with excitement.

Within fifteen minutes of announcing our new Twitter account, I began to realize how complicated this might be.  First of all, the students would all need email accounts, and some parents had were not comfortable with this.  In addition, if they allowed their child to have an email, they were not quite ready for their preteen to be experimenting with social media on the Internet, even though Twitter enables users to have a secure and private profile. 

Quickly, I scaled back my plans.  The Twitter account would have to serve a different function. It would  have to be voluntary and parent approved. 

"Twitter.  Really?" began an email from one of my sixth-grader's parents when I began my classroom Twitter account. In response, I quickly sent her a link to 50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom (http://www.teachhub.com/50-ways-use-twitter-classroom) to assure her that we weren't going to be monitoring Justin Bieber or Ashton Kutcher.  I let her know that we would in fact be using it to better connect with our parents.  I immediately sent out an email to all the parents, explaining Twitter's purpose in the classroom.

Every day I leave the Twitter site open on Chrome, and I post tweets randomly a couple of times a day. I often tweet about a project or homework assignment.  But mostly, I like to capture a moment in time in our day. I am able to give the parents a glimpse into our activities, like the students reading in the shade of an oak tree in the school garden with their book clubs. 

These tweets enable them to see another side to their children.  I was able to share a touching moment when a sixth-grader designed a monkey end- of-year card with his kindergarten buddy.  These snapshots enhance their connections with their children and their school lives.  At the dinner table, they won't ask "What did you do at school today?"  They can share specific experiences.

Twitter has not only improved my classroom and home connections, but it has also created professional connections and opportunities.  Next blog: Twitter and professional development.
Visit the classroom blog at https://twitter.com/MsBosworthClass