Part Four: Twitter for Educators...The Only Guide You'll Need

So far...in the last three parts, you have signed up on Twitter, found some people to follow, replied, retweeted and perhaps composed a message or two.

Today we are going to learn about hashtags.

Egads...I know...you have been wondering about those. Well, it's your lucky day.

• Hashtags are comprised of a pound sign (#) followed by some words, letters and/or numbers.
• Hashtags make ideas/topics/conversations easier to find.
• Hashtags are a special type of tag.

So How Does This Work?

Let's look at an example. Here is the tweet from last post.

Hey! What is up with the Oilers? Are they still rebuilding? http://goo.gl/8J2lI9

Here it is with the hashtag.

Hey! What is up with the #Oilers? Are they still rebuilding? http://goo.gl/8J2lI9

Now this tweet is more searchable for other users on Twitter.

Fun Facts about Hashtags

• There is no limit to the amount of hashtags in a tweet other than the 140 character limit.
• Major cities often use airport codes to identify themselves. Edmonton's airport code is Yeg so the hashtag for Edmonton is #Yeg. 
• Here is fun list of all the NHL team hashtags and Twitter accounts.

Let's add #Yeg to our tweet.

Hey! What is up with the #Yeg #Oilers? Are they still rebuilding? http://goo.gl/8J2lI9

On your twitter home page you find a section on the lower left side labeled "Trends" There will be a list of hastags that are currently trending. If you select one, a list of tweets will pop up. You might find some interesting information or some new people to follow.

Next post...we will look at organizing our Tweets. 

Twitter Series
Part One
Part Two
Part Three

Until Next Time,

Lit Maven Out!

Part Three: Twitter for Educators...The Only Guide You'll Need



In the last few posts, you have signed up on Twitter and you have found some followers.

If you have been extra wonderful, you have also tried to reply or retweet.

Now you are ready for the next adventure...composing your own TWEETS!

How to Compose Tweets Even John Tesh Would Love

1.  There is one rule:

A tweet can only be 140 characters or less. It includes letters, numbers, symbols, spaces, weblinks and elipses...I love elipses...

2.  Things to tweet about.
a) profession related
b) hobby related
c) life related

You do need to consider your followers and their interests otherwise write your tweets in a diary.

3.  Basic Tweet - Just Words

Hey! What is up with the Oilers? Are they still rebuilding?

Note: This tweet is straight up tweeting...no fancy smancy.

4. Adding a Link to a Tweet

The process can be as simple as...writing a tweet and copying and pasting a link on the end...but often the link is too long. See below.

Hey! What is up with the Oilers? Are they still rebuilding? http://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/2013/7/14/4521014/realignmentpalooza-edmonton-oilers

You need to get a URL shortener to fix this.

         1. Go to http://goo.gl/
         2. Paste your link into the shortener.
         3. Copy the shortened URL and  add it to your tweet....

Here is the new Tweet.

Hey! What is up with the Oilers? Are they still rebuilding? http://goo.gl/8J2lI9

Yay success!

I think that is plenty for today! Have fun adding links. Let me know if this is helping you.

Next post we will be getting into HASHTAGS...

Twitter Series
Part One
Part Two

Until Next Time,

Lit Maven Out!

Part Two: Twitter for Educators...The Only Guide You'll Need

Last post we signed up and and found some friends.

Now...what to say?

 

I thought about this a lot last night and I think before you can understand what to say, it is important to understand how to work with what other people have already said.

Twitter is about engaging with others and not just tweeting about yourself.

HOW TO RESPOND TO YOUR TWITTER FEED - BASICS

1. Understanding your home feed.
1. Your home feed, as you view it on Twitter.com is the conversation of all your followers. This is like having all your friends talking at once, in one long stream of disjointed conversation.

It looks like this

2. Reply

If you think that something is interesting. Click on the tweet messsage. The tweet will enlarge. You will see a series of symbols.

The first symbol is the reply button.

 Reply

 

When pressed you will get a reply box with the address of the person who sent the message. For example if you hit reply to the message about Kellogg's Tweet shop (above) you would see this:

@FastCoCreate

Following the tweet address you can fill in a response or comment.

@FastCoCreate I wish I could use social currency to buy groceries.

...or something more interesting.

Then press send. The message is sent back to the person who tweeted it and it is also viewed by of your followers.

3. Retweet
If you see a message in your feed that you think your followers (friends)  would like to read press "retweet".  The second symbol is the retweet button.

 

 Retweet

 

When you press retweet the entire message appears in the status box with a RT (retweet) in front of the message.

Using the above "Kellogg's" tweet as an example it would look like this:

RT @FastCoCreate Kellogg's Tweet Shop Let's You Pay for Food with Social Currency trib.al/z CSZoh

The "RT" gives credit to the person who composed the original message. It is like saying...

 "Hey everyone...guess what so and so said...it's brilliant. Listen up. Pay attention. He/she has the goods."

After you press "send" the RT message is sent to all of your followers.

4. Favorite
Sometimes you just love a tweet so much that you need to keep it for later. This is when you select the symbol:

 When you press the favorite symbol, the tweet is saved for later, to find under your twitter profile...under favorites. When you "favorite" a tweet, the person who sent the tweet is notified that you "favorite-ed" it. (Is that even a word?)

 

I think this is plenty for today. Next post I would like to continue the conversation about composing your own messages to impress even John Tesh...etc.

 

Until Next Time,

 

Lit Maven Out!

 

Twitter Series

Part One



Part One: Twitter for Educators...The Only Guide You Will Need

I work with many teachers.
They love Pinterest.
Twitter... not so much.

It got me to thinking how I could explain Twitter so that they would try it.

So here is what I came up with...when in doubt go the pop culture route! (pronounced "Rowt" in an effort to be clever and whimsical.)

SCROLL down to getting started with Twitter if you are anxious and on a timecrunch.

But for those who want the full story...here are the differences between Pinterest and Twitter...

There is a difference in effort.

Pinterest is like sitting in hot tub. (relaxing)

Twitter is like lane swimming in a pool. (invigorating with some effort)

And they look different...

Pinterest is all about the pictures.

Twitter is all about words.

And they are for different things.

Pinterest is all about Show and Tell.

Twitter is all about conversation and building a professional learning network.

 

It's not to say that they don't overlap. They do. But I think you do need both.

 

Getting Started with Twitter

1. Sign Up at Twitter.com

Think of your username as your namecard. Who are you?

Tips

• Use your real name. Why? Because it's professional and because @Tootie or @Macgyver are from the 80's and you don't want to date yourself.
• If your name is taken, add a middle initial, or two.

DO THIS NOW!

RECAP... you are now in a giant "cyber" room, with your name tag on, standing around self consciously like you are at a high school dance. 

You need to find some friends...

2. Find some friends.

Tips

• Old school ....In the search feature  (see below) look up real friends.  The ones you have met in ...the REAL world. GASP!
• New school...Check out the "who to follow" section (bottom left of picture below).  Twitter suggests friends for you. 

For both old school and new school discoveries follow these steps to add them to your list.


        1. Check out their profile first.
 
        Click on the person's name (in bold).
A profile will enlarge.

Are their profiles interesting?
Would you invite these people to dinner? ...or have a conversation with behind a locked screened door?

NOTE: Relax. This isn't lifematch or e-harmony. These are not forever friends. This is not to say that some might become really good friends in time but you can always unfollow them. There is no limit to who you follow. Eventually you will have a whole assortment of followers

 

              2.  Press the follow button.





 
After you press "Follow" the usernames are added to your followers list. 
 

.





RECAP...You are now in a giant "cyber" room, with a name tag on, with a small group of friends, wondering what to say...

Next Post:
Tweet Language!  Composing a Tweet that would even impress John Tesh!

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

Phil Collins Can't Dance and Neither Can the Lit Maven

From Rockstargames.com

It's true...the Lit Maven can't dance...

This I can do...



This I can not...



Now...here is my EDUCATIONAL point...

Oh? You have one Lit Maven....

Yes!

In yoga...we have something called Child's Pose. This is a pose that you can go into if you feel overwhelmed and to restore breathing or even your mind.

Well...I think we need a "Child's Pose" for learning in schools. When a student struggles are they allowed to "regroup" and go into a pose?  I would think may times they end up asking to go to the bathroom or sharpen a pencil.

I was faced with a dance activity at work. The Lit Maven was asked to learn "Gumboot Dancing" in 10 minutes!



Oh my goodness Lit Maven!!!

I know...right!

I almost died a slow death. The Lit Maven does not dance....or slap legs in rhythm...or anything sychronized.  Especially that fast!  I guess the activity was fast paced...cause adults learn fast...nope...not in this case...not this one.

Needless to say...I left to get migraine pills and never returned.

Had I had an optional pose or ever a slower-scaffolded learning sequence I might have stayed.

Needless to say...adults are people too, students are definitely people too...so please let your students in on all the variations to learning and how they can be together with the group, either with more support, slower pace or even a child's pose if necessary.

Cause Phil Collin's can't dance...and no one said he had too! This comforts the Lit Maven greatly :)



Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

Nonfiction...Paul Rudd says yes...kind of....

Sometimes it is hard to put in the effort!

It's that time of year when you start thinking about September...

"Next year I will...."

But the Lit Maven is not going to do that.

Nope...

I am pursuing my Nonfiction territory like...an animal control agent...with vigilance!

Here are some fantastic Nonfiction sites to inspire you!

1. I.N.K. (Interesting Nonfiction for Kids)
"Here we will meet the writers whose words are presenting nonfiction in a whole new way. Discover books that show how nonfiction writers are some of the best storytellers around."

2. Awesome Stories
"AwesomeStories chooses age-old stories, current events, and 21^st century media; researches context and presents organized relevant primary sources to fuel lessons supporting teachers in engaging students in active learning, developing critical thinking skills, and constructing knowledge"
Check out 42 - Jackie Robinson

3. Wonderopolis
"Learning is happening everywhere, all the time! We have bottled a little bit of that learning in each Wonder of the Day®. Experience a daily dose of time with your child to make the most of each and every moment together — learn something new, try out an idea, create a masterpiece, imagine possibilities. It’s easy. It’s fun. But the learning is big!"

See...aren't you excited!!!

I know....right!

Enjoy

Until Next Time,

The Lit Maven

The Stars at Night...Bieber, Pigeons and Fletcher.. a Recap of IRA 2013

Thanks Texas!

The Lit Maven had a great time.

Here are some highlights from the International Reading Association Conference.

1. Session 11-12, April 21, 2013: Not Just the Books They Read, But Lives They Lead: Rethink Close Reading as More Than Just Analyzing Words and See it as a Student's Tool For Leading a More Engaged Life

So...they had us do a  Close reading of  "Boyfriend" by Justin Bieber.

Lit Maven....seriously!!!!

True story!  Kate Roberts and Chris Lehman presented a structure for close reading.  To further entrench the strategy...we close read the lyrics to....

Boyfriend!

Of course I appologized to the Wisconsin teacher next to me ..."I am sorry...for that {Bieber} oh and Celine Dion too."

2. Presenting! 
I presented on Getting to the "Core" Using Mentor Texts and Authentic Experiences Persuasive Writing

Pigeon Books! Yes!

We pigeon-ed like it was no ones business.  If interested...check out my handout! The powerpoint should be posted shortly. The crowd was amazing! Ready and eager to share their writing talents and laugh all at the same time!

My first experience presenting internationally was truly amazing!

3.  Ralph Fletcher!
He presented on Boy Writers.  He left us laughing and rethinking the way we approach boys and all writers in the classroom.  Here are the key ideas he left with us.

How to Engage Boy Writers!

• widen the circle
• give them real choice (choice and voice)
• build on strengths
• look for humor
• take the long view (creating life long writers)
• enjoy their writing!

Here is a link to his teacher beliefs!

So...I do have more to say...but hey the Stars at Night....

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!