Twitter is fast becoming (and in fact has already become for many) a useful CPD tool for teachers wishing to further develop their professional practice and engage with other teachers in their sphere. With the reduction in live events and in-person CPD events, teachers are increasingly turning to Twitter for help, advice and support for things such as subject knowledge, leadership, terms and conditions and more. At Kapow Primary, we already offer help and support to teachers through our own teacher videos and schemes of work, as well as our own livestream events, and more recently – our Twitter chat events. But for the uninitiated, what is a Twitter chat?

 

What is a Twitter chat event?

• Twitter chats are public conversations that occur on Twitter at a designated date and time about a certain topic e.g sketchbooks for primary Art. For example, Kapow Primary chat will be the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 8 pm.  
• There is usually a set host who moderates the event and asks questions.
• Every Twitter chat has a unique hashtag, eg. #KAPOWPRIMARYCHAT, which allows anyone on Twitter to follow the chat or participate.  Twitter chats are usually recurring and on specific topics to regularly connect people with the same interests. 
• There are often set questions for each Twitter chat event that are posted in advance to give people the chance to think about what they might say, or ask.
• Twitter chats usually last for an hour, but don’t worry if you are late joining or need to leave early – you do not have to commit to the full sixty minutes.
• If you don’t manage to attend at the designated time and date, don’t worry. You can always just search the relevant hashtag and find the threads that way – even though you won’t be able to participate “live”. 

 

How do I join a Twitter chat?

To participate in a Twitter chat, you will need a Twitter account. Once you are logged in to Twitter, type in the chat’s hashtag (e.g., #KAPOWPRIMARYCHAT) in the search bar on the top right-hand side of Twitter. If you see a question you would like to respond to, simply type a comment into the thread below the question, or just use the hashtag (see below). 

 

What is a chat host or moderator?

Many Twitter chats have a host or moderator who will lead the discussion by tweeting questions or topics for participants to comment on or discuss. 

Here are some examples. 

How do I answer questions?

If you would like to add a comment or answer a question, all you have to do is write a tweet and include the answer number and the hashtag. If you don’t include the hashtag, the chat participants will not see your tweets.

Eg:

 

Top Twitter chat tips

• The best way to learn about Twitter chats is to watch one. 
• If you are invited to participate, ask the moderator for a list of likely questions so you can prepare some responses in advance. If you write your responses before the chat, you can make sure your tweets include the hashtag and are 280 characters or fewer.
• If you have a private account on Twitter, the only people who will see your tweets during a Twitter chat are the ones who follow you. You should consider unprotecting your account (making it public) if you would like to participate in Twitter chats.

 

Why participate in a Twitter chat?

Twitter chats are a great way to network and link up with other teachers with the same interests as you. They are also a valuable source of information, tips and shared experiences. For teachers, there is a wealth of specialist advice and knowledge shared during chats that you will struggle to find elsewhere. People are very generous with their time, knowledge and ideas and it’s a great way to get a fresh perspective on things in order to develop your teaching practice.

 

When is the next Kapow Primary Twitter chat?

The next chat event will be the 13th May at 8pm (topic: sketchbooks), following which they will be held on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month over on our Twitter channel.