Anyone who knows me knows how I really hate Twitter, and how up until this point I have refused to join and have my own account. Really, all of my stalking/updating/following needs have been met by Facebook and now through Google Reader RSS Feeds, which I like because they are both through accounts I already have, so I don't really have to go out of my way to check up on what's new. BUT, with that said, I may...SOMEDAY, in the FAR AWAY future, come around. By fulfilling the requirements of this assignment on "following" and "Subscribing," I can easily see why this kind of stuff is attractive to people and how you could become addicted. Also, when it comes to continuing education and professional development, I think that having so much information at our fingertips is definitely a good thing, if you put the time and energy into finding the right blogs to follow and the right information that applies to the students you work with, your content area, etc.
That being said, here's who I'M following:
Twitter:
USNewsEducation
UrbanEducation
asdhelp
theautismnews
NationalAutism
RSS Feed/Google Reader:
PBS Teachers Learning.now
Free Technology for Teachers
Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs
Developments in Special Education Law
Thrive on the Autism Spectrum
Why? By looking at what I've chosen to follow, you can see that I'm trying to cover all of my bases in both my "need to know" in general education news and also professional development in my specific area of teaching (Special Education) with the specific types of students in my class.
If you look up any of the accounts above, you'll find that they are all current and up to date and aren't accounts that have been abandoned long ago, so I knew that I would be recieving the most current information out there. They also come from a variety of professional, well reputed sources (like PBS) and smaller personal blogs that may have creative takes or original ideas for lessons, etc. I focused on what I saw as my responsiblity to keep up on as a teacher, as well as practically, what I think would have the best resources to suit my needs and solve my everyday problems in being the best, most knowledgable, most effecient, helpful and caring teacher I can be.
Am I completely won over? Not yet. But I might get there.
http://www.twitter.com
I wonder why you and your classmates are reluctant to follow individual people on Twitter. You might want to look at who is following these institutions, look at their bio's and you might find some peers worth following.
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