Writer's Shoes

Last summer, I wrote more than I've ever written in my entire life...I walked a mile in my writer's shoes while I participated in the Teacher's Write virtual summer writing camp for teachers hosted by Kate Messner, Gae Polisner, Jen Vincent and Jo Knowles (each with their blogs if you click the links).  They were gracious hostesses with their time and talent...Oh, happy day, they've all volunteered to host the camp again this summer and I think about how lucky I am to have them offering their thinking and expertise to help me become a better writer.

This past year, I walked more steps in my writer's shoes as I continued to blog and slice on most Tuesdays, and took the 2013 Slice of Life Challenge in March-writing and posting each day of the month.  I felt connected to the writing community.

Another step I took in being a writer this year is through micro-blogging on Twitter.  You can read about my connection to Twitter being a professional growth playground here.  I haven't been as much of a writer here as I've been an information sharer.  I am hoping to make the transition to more authentic tweets as time moves forward.

I am looking forward to writing more this summer...here we go, stepping out in my writer's shoes and I'm not sure where this year's trail will lead me but I'm ready!

Professional Development Playground

Thanks to Stacey and Ruth for hosting the Tuesday Slice of Life at Two Writing Teachers!

Recently being on Twitter, I reflected on how much fun I have reading and learning...I now know that Twitter is my professional development playground.  I am making it work for me!

It all began with me just watching others choose their rides-seeing how they began to build their playgrounds...a merry-go-round here, a slide there, adventure, adventure everywhere!  Playgrounds are built for different reasons-some are wooden, some are more metal and plastic-meeting the needs of the players involved.  Some have benches, some have pavilions, and some have bike-paths.  Some have restrooms, some have water fountains, some have large grassy areas, some have stones-but all have places where you choose to play--going to the equipment that is going to tickle your fancy most.

This is how I see twitter-now that I've been on it for almost (UPDATE 2015)-3 years!  I have built this professional development playground from the bottom up!  I have chosen who or what to follow to tickle my professional development fancy!  I can choose the simple rides and climbs (just the tweets) or more complicated climbers and jumpers that are more involved and require more deliberate footing (the links to more within the tweets). 

photo credit: Profound">http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoyvinmayvin/4895231158/">Profound Whatever



I can choose who comes to the playground with me by including them in my tweets with "@" and their twitter handles!  I have learned so much by playing and reading what my friends share at the playground!  There is such great connecting going on with my friends there all the time.

I decide which playground toy we all meet at now by listing a "#" in front of it...then we all know where to go.  Friends that meet up and tweet up at the same piece of equipment together!  All the while we are there, learning from each other.

The size of my playground has grown by learning from the other kids there too!  I have watched how they built their playgrounds, seeing which friends they invite there as well as having more friends join me on my playground too!  So much fun to be had learning and growing professionally all the time!

I have also learned that sometimes, I just want a single friend to play with me...I can "dm" them and we can tweet up together through specific messages that only we know.  And sometimes, friends come to the playground who really aren't friends they are "spammers" and you have to block them from returning!

I hope more and more people catch on to building their p.d. playgrounds on Twitter...it's such a great place to be-just don't go to the playground too often-or your work will never get done!

Come to the #slice2013 climber today!  Have fun!

To tweet or not to tweet?

Slice 18 of 31

I am waking up early-of course...
The window is open...
I hear tweeting-lots of tweeting.
So this makes me wonder, should I tweet?
Birds do tweet for lots of different reasons...just to sing their song, to find a friend or a mate, to keep track of their babies...hmmmm.
Should I tweet?

During a discussion about technology and learning at my professional development training on Wednesday last week (3/14) the subject of twitter came up. I am currently not a tweeter, but should I be? What would the advantages of tweeting be for me? I am thinking I would be more of a follower on the whole pyramid scheme...I doubt if anyone would want to follow a lowly literacy coach...

So, should I get a twitter account? Should I join in on all of this tweeting? The window is open and I hear lots of it, but should I be a tweetee too? Or will tweeting just be one more thing to check, one more distraction?
Thinking...