My Twitter PLN

I look forward to Monday nights and the opportunity to spend up to two hours collaborating with teachers from across the United States (and sometimes even around the world). I have several people that I collaborate with as part of my PLN, professional learning network. This collaboration happens from the comfort of my own home as I log on to Twitter and participate in chats. There are two chats that I like, #sschat (social studies) and #tlap (teach like a pirate). Sometimes I lurk and just watch as people comment on questions given by the moderator, but most times I participate by sharing my lessons and ideas.

Each week, there is a different topic. We have discussed many topics including close reading, student presentation skills, using documents, lesson hooks, current issues, simulations and much more! It is extremely powerful to share ideas with educators (teachers and administrators) alike. The conversation is fast paced and a program like Tweet Deck helps. I am always inspired and find a few good ideas that I can implement the very next day. In addition, I can share some of my most successful lessons with them!

Last night, I participated in a chat about student engagement in an online environment. Seeing as my students are in the computer lab today, I took those ideas and added an Edmodo discussion component to their assignment. It is perhaps the best part of the lesson as students share their ideas. While I am not able to get online every Monday (thanks to my one year old who would rather play with the keyboard than sit still), I always go back and view the conversations. 

Every 21st century educator needs to get a Twitter account and start joining chats. There are tons of chats for every subject. And what better way to inspire your students to become life long learners, than by showing that you are also one!

Mind Mapping in US History

I participated in a Twitter chat tonight and can't believe how much I have been missing out on by not being on Twitter until now. The #sschat topic tonight was on thematic vs. chronological teaching. Many ideas were tossed around and one of them was mind mapping the curriculum so that even if it is taught chronologically, students can see connections. I think I may try this since my US history team has decided to have a singular focus for 1st semester on the conflict between federal authority and state's rights. We will be discussing issues such as the constitution, nullification crisis, slavery, national bank in the first unit so it would be cool to break them into social, political and economic ways the conflict when throughout history. By the end of the year we could even connect it to today. I have taught mind mapping to adults and think that is a skill I will share with my students this year. And then we can create a giant mind map in my classroom which will help students visualize the connecting themes. Thanks @KaelynBullock for the idea!

Here is an update that shows the mind map I created for the unit discussed above. I think it came out pretty cool!