This document summarizes the author's experience following various educators on Twitter as part of a class assignment. The author followed 5 educators recommended in a video about using Twitter - Jerry Blumengarten, Pernille Ripp, Aviva Dunsiger, and Chris Wejr. The author also followed their professor, Harold Blanco. Each educator provided valuable insights into teaching practices and strategies. Following them helped the author learn about creating engaging lessons, collaboration, and other skills needed for their future career as a teacher.

1. “Why Educators Should Use Twitter” Video Twitter Assignment
This video showed me that there are some great role models on Twitter that teach with
great passion and give their all in everything they do when it comes to teaching. Before this
assignment I would have never even thought of looking for mentors such as these on a social
networking site. Twitter is a technology that makes collaboration incredibly easy and sharing
information as stress-free as it possibly can. This is how we should all should strive to be as
future teachers. I followed Jerry Blumengarten, PernilleRipp, Aviva Dunsiger, andChris Wejr. I
also followed you Harold Blanco, @CI350class, which was not included in this video.
Jerry Blumengarten
@cybraryman1
I decided to follow Jerry Blumengarten before I even looked at his twitter as a result from
this video “Why Educators Should Use Twitter”. In the video it stated that he was a retired
educator so I knew he had to have some experience, both good and bad. I have heard from many
of my clinical teachers that one of the best teachers in this field is experience. With that being
said I figured he‟d be a great choice; after all the more experience, the better! When I had the
opportunity to look through his tweets after I followed him I was not disappointed. The video
also stated that he was the ultimate master of information so of course I felt that I needed to
follow him if I followed anyone on Twitter.Throughout most of Jerry‟s tweets he had
exceptional advice on what make a great teacher and even some of the issue we spoke about on
constantly being connected in both good and bad ways. Undoubtedly he lived up to my
expectations seeing as he was always promoting his other social media which included
everything from antibullying to Facebook. This site really did seem to cover it all. It was also a
perfect example of collaboration done right. Through careful observation and analysis
throughout his tweets, as well as many of the other sites, he really does seem to have all the
answers. This is a great follow for any teacher candidate, current teacher, or retiree.
PernilleRipp
@pernilleripp
I followed this individual because according to the video her old user name was @4thgrdteach
and I plan to teach in the elementary environment so I thought she would have some great advice
and information that I can draw from. The video stated that she often shares her experiences and
knowledge through Twitter. I know that this information will come in handy in the future if not
now. Her twitter account and tweets didn‟t let me down, she had some great advice and some
remarkable incite to teaching young children. She also proves to be on board with Project Based
Learning which will benefit her students through a variety of ways. As if all of this wasn‟t
enough she is even the creator of the Global Read Aloud and author according to bio on her
profile. She also tweeted about having her students blog about different topics and posted a video
newsletter to the world about what the students have been doing in their class. The video
newsletter is in place of a written parent newsletter by her. The students get to tell about what

2. they have been working on in their own class, this makes it easier on the teacher who acts as the
facilitator and the student feel involved and motivated to do the assignment at hand. I look
forward to seeing what else she comes with, all of her ideas are authentic and great ways to keep
the students excited about learning. I am very happy to have access to such an incredible teacher
and her authentic ideas that she is kind enough to share!
Aviva Dunsiger
@avivaloca
I followed this individual for the same reason I stated in the one above, I plan to teach
elementary students and this individual‟s old username was @Grade1 so I thought I could learn a
thing or two from her tweets. The video stated that she also shares her own experiences and
knowledge on Twitter. Through her tweets I observed that she collaborates a lot with others and
puts an emphasis on children learning on pace at home as well as in the classroom. This is great
because it is important that parents and teachers are on the same page for the most part so the
student will benefit and not suffer. She also motivates the children to get involved which is a
magnificent way to keep the students engaged. „Building and thinking‟ will help encourage
advanced thinking skills among the students and this may even lead to collaboration among the
students; if this happens then they are also building on real-life issues. Her tweets also prove that
she blogs on the daily basis and appreciates blogs from others. She is a very project based
learning driven 21st
century teacher which is a greatest kind to be at this point in time. Students
benefit from this pillar perhaps the most because that actually get the experience in. As I
watched what she tweeted I saw some activities that required the students‟ involvement. For one
example they had to build a hurricane safe bridge out of provided material. You can tell from the
pictures that they were really enjoying themselves and that‟s when children learn the most in my
opinion, when they actually enjoy what is going on. She was a great follow with some
magnificent ideas as well.
Chris Wejr
@ChrisWejr
I followed Chris Wejr because not only is he an elementary principal but he also helps students
focus on the learning that is taking place rather than the rewards that follow after. I believe that
this is critical for our students since in reality it‟s not the reward that really matters while it may
be motivating, it‟s what the child actually learns and the process that goes along with it. He is
also a strong supporter of digital resumes according to the video, which as we know now from
this class, is a step in the right direction. Classes at this day and age need to have someone that is
pro technology in every sense so that the students can benefit as much as they possibly can. We
need to strive for the 21st
century classroom rather than the traditional classroom. He seems to go
along with the Project Based Learning pillar which is a magnificent way to teach in the 21st
century classroom. I believe his tweets and his outlook on teaching is the ideally 21st
century
learning, it is no secret that that is the way and what he wants taught. His tweets show how he
stands personally on the topic and I believe that that is the correct way as far as I concerned to

3. conduct a digitally involved classroom. He encourages students to use advanced thinking skills
and addresses real-life issues all the while motivating his students. In many of his tweets he also
promotes collaboration amongst his students. Not only does he tweet his pro technology view but
he also retweets those of other‟s that backs up his philosophy.
Harold Blanco
@CI350class
I followed Harold Blanco because we were instructed to however he is a magnificent professor,
himself. Had I known he had a Twitter account and actually knew him before this assignment
(and didn‟t think he would have thought I was a massive creeper), I would have followed him as
soon as I met him. He is a great man with a lot of incite, he‟s also hilarious which makes the
learning experience a lot of fun at times. You almost forget that you‟re in a college classroom. I
would like my future class to feel as though they‟re having fun because that is when they learn
the most, when they‟re having fun. You also need to have the ability to manage your classes and
he can definitely hold his own. He doesn‟t let you get too cocky because there is always
something that you don‟t know in this CI 350 class. This class was definitely a lot of work but I
did enjoy it and I know I learned more than I had expected. I never was the best with technology
prior to this class however now I feel extremely confident on any computer, especially
Windows8. Dr. Blanco tweets a lot of the same stuff he teaches and lectures on which only
embeds it in us (the followers and students) that much more. Dr. Blanco is a real-life example of
the phrase “they practice what they preach”, I say this because he teaches us what he believes
and more importantly what we need to know as teacher candidates. He is a tough professor but
he‟s one of the best at the University, undoubtedly! If you read this Dr. Blanco, it‟s been a
pleasure and I hope I can make you proud to say I was one of your students. Even though I
probably won‟t see you on the regular basis anymore after this semester, your tweets will remind
me of what I should strive to be as a teacher and I‟m sure I‟ll learn even more just through
watching your tweets!