An important part in the world of twitter is the # symbol. It is formally known as a hash tag and is followed by a short word or phase. (example: #waterloo, #teaching #giraffes)
The hashtag is used as a way to navigate through the world of twitter as a way to group messages according to subject AND to find specialized content on twitter. There is a hashtag for just about any subject and following a hashtag is a great way to build a PLN. To seach for a hashtag just type what you are looking for in the search bar of the twitter home page.
We have started a hashtag for WCUSD5 community at #teachwaterloo. On the right hand side of this blog is a stream of the five latest tweets that have been hashtaged #teachwaterloo. As we discover new websites, resources or innovative ideas we will share them in twitter with the #teachwaterloo hashtag. Feel free to take a look at the links and use what you find beneficial. You do not need to have a twitter account to click on the links. We also invite those of you who are on twitter to contribute to the professional learning by adding the #teachwaterloo hashtag.
Here are some other popular grade/subject level hashtags to follow
#kinderchat
#1stchat
#2ndchat
#3rdchat
#4thchat
#5thchat
#6thchat
#arted art education
#Agruculture
#cpchat - Connected Principals
#preschool
#cpd - continuous/continuing professional/personal development
#earlyed - early education
#strugglingreaders
#ece -mearly childhood education.
#engchat - English teachers
#studentathlete
#esol - English as a second or other language
#GeniusHour - Students are given a time period where they can choose what they want to learn–being productive and creative as they learn what they love
#middlesci - Middle School Science
#gifted - Gifted Education
#languagearts
#mathchat
#mathed
#middleschool
#musictech
#PhysicsEd
#readaloud
#reading
#RTI - Response To Intervention
#schoolcounselor
#socialstudies
#spanishchat
#sschat - Social Studies
#scichat - Science
#science
#TeachingEnglish
#teachpreschol
#writing
#tlap - Teach Like a Pirate
#mfl - Modern Foreign Languages
#flteach - Foreign Languages Teaching
For a more complete list check out this link
http://www.cybraryman.com/edhashtags.html
If you can not find your discipline let Amber or I know. We will be glad to find one for you!