TUIT: Jennifer Cox, Tracy Huelsman, Jessica Ruddy (MLC HS)

Jennifer Cox and Tracy Huelsman are instructional coaches. Jessica Ruddy is a social studies teacher.  All three are from Martha Layne Collins High School.  It is their use of Twitter (and in the case of the instructional coaches, the use of a website) that earns all three a #ShelbyTUITshoutout.

First, let's talk Twitter.  Ms. Cox and Ms. Huelsman tried a novel approach to observing a classroom.  They decided to share their observations (and pictures) in real time using the hashtag #theyet.  (They also continue using the hashtag when writing tweets relevant to educators involved in the "becoming" of being an ongoing learner and practitioner.)  To me, this opens up a lot of intriguing possibilities about PD of the future, especially involving lab classrooms.  You could follow a hashtag as the class happened, even tweeting along questions or comments -- or you could look at the archive of the event later, through the thread of the hashtag.  Combine that with a reflective piece at the end, and you have an effective way of achieving professional growth.  Of course, a live tweet cannot replace what you can experience with your own eyes and ears.  However, if it gives the time-harried educator another avenue of "observing," then it is worth considering.

Following the idea of "live tweeting" is a recent occurrence in Ms. Ruddy's AP European History.  Using the hashtag #apeurosalon14, Jessica periodically tweeted out key ideas from the class as they were discussed.  What a useful tool for students!  If incorporated all year long, they could look up the thread to study for the AP test in the spring . . . ask questions of the teacher (and each other) . . . and have a backchannel during a Socratic discussion or while watching a video.

Last but not least, a plug should be given for Tracy and Jennifer's website, Coaching Corner Collaborative.  Only a month old, it is quickly growing into a reference point of relevant links, blog entries, and other resources for instructional coaches or anyone involved in fostering a growth mindset.  In additional, the site looks slick and professional, thanks to the template driven power of Weebly.

Congrats to all three, and I can't wait to see where their tweeting takes us!