Some of my fondest Twitter related memories revolve around the educator chats that used to take place there. Once Twitter changed its algorithm in a way that down-ranked posts with links, etc., while simultaneously prioritizing sensational, triggering content, these chats became much harder to participate in. However, back in their heyday, Twitter Chats represented some of the best remote learning opportunities that I've ever been a part of. Not only were they fast paced and resource rich, Twitter Chats were just plain fun. I made so many friends through these regular gatherings of educators - many of whom I am still in close contact with. As Twitter changed and these chats slowly went away, a vital resource disappeared with them.
One of the most joyful aspects of transitioning my PLN to Bluesky has been reconnecting with educational chats. I am only being a teensy bit hyperbolic when I say that I nearly cried when I first spotted the #EduSkyChat, already in progress, and was able to join in to learn and share with other educators from around the world. I don't think I was fully aware of much I missed this kind of learning until I was able to participate in a chat again. Although not exhaustive, this incredible spreadsheet (created by Alice Keeler) captures a calendar of educational chats already taking place on BlueSky.
Introducing #TLSkyChat
After a little plotting and scheming, Heather Turner and I decided to start an educator chat for teacher librarians and the people who love them! #TLSkyChat is an hour long, weekly chat held on Bluesky. Here are the details:
When: Wednesdays beginning at 8pmET/5pmPT - our first TLSkyChat will take place THIS Wednesday, on 12/4!
What: The topic for our FIRST #TLSkyChat is...
A Few of Our Favorite Things: Bluesky Edition! This week we'll share the things we love most about Bluesky! Whether you're brand new to Bluesky or have been here since the beginning, this will be a chance to share your favorite features while also learning about new ways to harness the power of this powerful app. (Note: We've already posted the questions for this week's chat, if you want to prepare in advance!)
Where: Bluesky! To join, simply hop onto Bluesky, search for the #TLSkyChat and join the conversation in whatever ways feel comfortable to you. Don't forget to follow me and Heather while you're there!
Who: teacher librarians AND the authors, illustrators and other educators who love them. I'm guessing, if you're reading this post, that means you!
At a time when librarians, of all stripes, are the target of an unprecedented level of attack, it feels more important than ever that we gather our communities together to both fortify our spirits and sharpen our skills. With this in mind, our goals for #TLSkyChat are to:
grow a community of educators to learn from and support
share resources, ideas, triumphs and challenges
make social media fun again!
We'll be archiving chats, posting questions in advance and housing other goodies at tlskychat.com. We hope you'll join us in conversation! But that's not all...
We Need You!
While Heather and I will be leading the first few #TLSkyChat conversations, our goal is for this to become a community owned resource. With that in mind, we hope you'll volunteer to lead a future #TLSkyChat! That said, if you're excited to participate, but aren't sure if you're ready to lead a chat, no worries! We are here to help you AND you're always welcome to moderate with a friend. To take the lead on a future chat, just fill out the form on this page.
Wednesdays are about to get a little more, awesome, y'all! So clear your schedule, grab your beverage of choice and get ready to help us create an empowering and FUN space for teacher librarians, and their supporters, to learn, share and connect!
