Kansas Stories, YOUR Stories
Implementing Professional Learning
Book Study via Twitter
in Dodge City USD 443
–from Judy Beedles-Miller, Assistant Superintendent For Elementary Education
Have you ever tried scheduling a book study? Selecting and providing a book is easy; finding a time for everyone to meet is difficult.
A group of teachers from Dodge City Public Schools voiced an interest in conducting a book study during the summer using Teach Like a Pirate, by Dave Burgess. This idea was immediately encouraged with the district purchasing the books for teachers. The planning was abruptly halted when selecting dates and times for the book study interfered with summer activities. However, teachers planning together suggested book studies via Twitter would make it possible to “be” in two places at once.
Staff members were invited to join the summer professional learning opportunity by emailing a flyer developed on the Smore website for online flyers containing the following information.
Jump on the #TLAP443 Ship—Setting Sail Summer 2015!
Hey, Mateys! Dave Burgess, author of Teach Like a Pirate, will be docking in Dodge City on October 12, 2015!
We want to swab the decks and raise the sails, so plan on reading TLAP and joining in our book study via Twitter on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. (June2-July 21, 2015).
You can smuggle in your own copy of TLAP here, or you can check with TLC or your building captain regarding extra copies they may have for hijacking.
Prisoners are already signing up to moderate each of the 8 chats. Even if you’ve never participated in a Twitter chat, don’t be afraid to walk the plank! Our chats will be informal and we’ll only hold you hostage for 45 minutes to an hour.
PDC points are available for the 2015-16 school year.
The basic highlights of Twitter use were provided for the novice Twitter users with the veteran users serving as moderators following the Q1, A1 format to answer the questions. The sessions were archived in “Storify” allowing the ability to scroll back through the tweets.
This book study experience provided the awesome power of personalized professional learning on Twitter. Conversations from others outside the district, including the author, Dave Burgess, provided a base for teachers to connect with great educators and build their own professional learning network.
As Robert John Meehan stated, “The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other. Without collaboration our growth is limited to our own perspectives.”
Now we solicit YOUR Kansas Stories as well as photos related to how your district has implemented professional learning!
To share a photo, please email Sonya Schifferdecker at sschifferdecker@usd263.org.
To share a story, please complete the form below.
[wpgform id=’1889′]Submission of stories or photos allows LFKS the right to publish the material in any LFKS publication or on the LFKS website. For more information on how to submit stories or shots, contact Communications Coordinator Sonya Schifferdecker.