Twitter Tidbits - You've jumped in, so it's time to go deeper.
by Laura Komos
Now that you're on Twitter, it's time to start diving in a little deeper! Before we talk about what to do next, I cannot stress enough the importance of adding a profile picture, filling in the bio section, and not setting your tweets to private ("protected.") I'm sure I speak for a lot of folks when I say I'm hesitant to follow anyone who hasn't filled in these puzzle pieces. Keep in mind that anything you share on Twitter should also be professional enough that you wouldn't be embarassed if a parent or administrator read it. Knowing that should help you break free of the "protected" tweets! Twitter is all about sharing and making connections. Protecting your tweets makes it difficult to do that. If you haven't already done so, try retweeting (RT - Twitter's version of forwarding) a tweet that you like. This lets people know your interests, too. I know it can be intimidating, but you should also try to jump in to a conversation on Twitter. Remember to use the @ symbol before the person's handle and say something! It's very common for people to jump in to others' conversations. It's how we build our community and our connections. Now is a really good time to start following more people! Snoop around and see who others are following. This will help you create your PLN, tailored specifically to your interests and passions. For me, I'm drawn to primary grade teachers, book lovers, Daily 5/Cafe believers, literacy leaders, authors, and more! Oh, and I love people who can make me laugh. We all need more laughter, don't we? Keep an eye out for #FF! This hashtag stands for Follow Friday and is the Twitter way of suggesting new people for you to follow. Of course, it has to be said that I would recommend every person on my list. They challenge my thinking, expand my knowledge, make me laugh, and add to my learning daily. So, In addition to people I've mentioned in previous articles, here are a few more #FFs from me! Kindergarten Tweeps @OhioNicole - Nicole is a fantastic book-loving Kindergarten teacher from Ohio! @Bluskyz - Katie is a Kindergarten teacher and co-author of Catching Readers Before They Fall. @KassiaOWedekind - Kassia is a Kindergarten teacher and author of Math Exchanges. @Matt_Gomez - Matt is a hilarious and techno-savvy Kindergarten teacher from Texas. @Mr_Fines - Jon is a tech-savvy Kindergarten teacher from Montana. Primary Grade Tweeps @S_Getting - Sara is a techie first grade teacher in Minnesota. @LirenmanLearns - Karen is a Canadian first grade teacher who will push your thinking! @KarynTeaches - Karyn is a second grade teacher from Chicago who is also sharing her Daily 5 journey and her technology knowledge. @Grade1 - Aviva can help with all things technology-related while she teaches first grade in Canada. Daily Five/Cafe Tweeps @qldteacher - Louise is a grade 1/2 teacher from Australia who loves a new challenge! @KRiceSD57 - Kathy is a thought-provoking grade 1 teacher from Canada. @JudyKMCK - Judy has been teaching in New Zealand since 1979, currently grades 1, 2, and 3. Book-Loving Tweeps @LoriLovesBooks - Lori is a hilarious, knowledgeable teacher from Washington who shares her love of books and reading. @MrSchuReads - John is an extraordinary librarian from Illinois who will amaze you with his knowledge of books. @LouiseBorden - Louise is an author who enjoys talking about books, books, and more books! Administrator Tweeps @PrincipalJ - Jessica is a Wisconsin administrator who shares and inspires her staff, as well as her Twitter followers. @HowePrincipal - Principal Matt shares his learning and ponderings from Wisconsin. Feel free to find me (@Komos72) and peruse through my list of followers as well as who I'm following on Twitter! While I've only met a few of my tweeps in real life, I feel like I work with these fabulous people every day. How lucky I am!
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