1-2-3 Come Tweet With Me

Often teachers are so busy teaching, that sometimes they can miss important things that are happening in their students' lives.

Putting up a tweet board on a door, wall or bulletin board, helps you stay informed and builds community.  A more caring classroom will also be created.  Another bonus, is that this idea is also a quick, easy, and interesting way to get students writing.

Practicing writing sentences, that have appropriate capitalization, spacing, word choice and punctuation, can be tedious at times.  Switch things up with a little creativity, and students will WANT to write. 

Composing and dashing off a tweet, is a simple way to do that.  Encourage students to write a tweet at least once a week about things that are happening in their lives.

You may want to include this as part of your Daily 5 writing activities.  Taking a moment to read the tweets also fits in nicely with Daily 5.

To make your tweet board eye-catching, I've included tweet notes for students to write on.  Run them off on a variety of different colors and keep them handy near your tweet board. 

Explain to students that there are two kinds of tweets: "sweet tweets" are positive happy highlights, things that they are proud of, or what they are excited about -- something they are doing or involved in.

"Tweet talk"  are notes about something that a student wants to share because they are feeling a bit down or blue, and would like some encouragement. 

Perhaps a grandparent or pet passed away, or they didn't make the team.  Maybe a friend is ill or they failed at something; parents are planning a move, or a divorce is pending, but no one made you aware of this. 

The Tweet Board is a quick and easy way for students to share those feelings.  Teachers need to know about the things that are affecting their students' moods, and having an impact on their ability to focus and learn.   Knowing, gives teachers an opportunity to praise and encourage, as well as sympathize and give that extra TLC a child needs when their world is in upheaval. 

With that in mind, I also included tiny tweets in the packet.  These are little notes that  you or students, can jot to someone and leave in their desk or locker. These fit in nicely if you're doing a  "Bucket Filling" program as well.

For more writing practice, that is private and personal, have students keep a Tweet Journal.  I've included 2 cover options for this.  Students choose one, add some color and glue it to a notebook.  (I always take advantage of the back to school doorbusters, when notebooks are as inexpensive as 15 cents.)

Implementing this idea is easy-peasy.  Simply choose a tweet poster to showcase your tweet board. (There are 3 options.) 

Run off copies of the sweet tweet notes, keep them in a basket or envelope by your tweet board (I've included labels for these) explain the board to your students, and then let the tweeting begin!

As part of your going-home or morning routine, you could ask students if anyone wants to share one of their tweets.  At the end of the month, clear the board and start again. 

Click on the link to grab your FREEBIE: Sweet Tweet Talk

Thanks for visiting today.  It's a rainy day with lots of thunder.  (I find the rumblings and sound of the rain splattering on my office window very soothing.)  The perfect kind of day to read, color, cut, paste and play...  Here's hoping you can make some time to relax too.

"Your attitude decides your altitude.  Soar!" -Unknown