Today’s news might be tomorrow’s chip paper, but today’s tweets don’t even get 24 hours before they are lost to the online void - you’d be lucky to get 24 minutes, frankly.
With so many valuable thoughts, unique insights and - as the kids would say - epic bants being shared about the education sector on social media, this seemed like a shame.
So we’ve decided to curate the very best of #edu Twitter each week for your delectation. It’s our #TwitterTop10. Look at us, using hashtags and everything #relevant #stillgotit #we’rewithitright?
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Papa Lazarou has got nothing on Parkfield Free School
A week after it was revealed that free schools’ GCSE results had been...disappointing, @SchoolDuggery points to further woes in the free school sector.
- More Twits on TV, please
The nation might be gripped by the human-interest stories in Educating Cardiff, but @bobharrisonset would prefer to see a rise of the machines. Our own columnist Tom Bennett has also noted that while the show might be called Educating Cardiff, we’re not seeing a whole lot of the educating side of schools.
- Sage (on the stage) advice
Fresh from presenting at researchED Scotland, @LeadingLearner blogs on how leaders can use data to know where they’re going - and how they can take their staff along with them. As he points out, education is on the cusp. But is that change on the horizon, or an education clusterf**k? Only time will tell...
- Turn your brag on
If history has taught us anything, it is that self-effacement gets you nowhere unless you’re the lead in a Richard Curtis movie. Just look at the famous English rulers teachers can learn from - not a humble soul among them. @E_Sheninger agrees, and argues that schools have put themselves into a passive role where they are allowing others to set their institutions’ narratives. In this blog, he suggests how teachers can regain control with just a touch of bragging.
- Ready, Ofsted-y, go
Education’s very own Jazzy Geoff draws attention to a new leaflet published by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate, detailing the information schools will be asked for when they are inspected. No stranger to the school inspection system, @RealGeoffBarton has also argued recently that it’s time Ofsted was taught to “know its place”.
- Grades against the machine
“The most important thing we’ve learned
So far as children are concerned
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set”
There might be more to Roald Dahl’s words than we realised, if new research is to be believed. @JasonElsom highlights the findings, which show that an extra hour of television a day can make as much as two grades’ worth of difference to students’ GCSE results.
- Hip to the chat
For teachers new to Twitter it can seem a rather terrifying world, where everyone is cross all the time for no real reason. Except it’s usually something to do with One Direction. So it’s great that more experienced teacher Twitterers, such as @coolcatteacher, are on hand to provide helpful links to show how teachers can make the most of this particular social media platform.
- Education, education and even more education
The annual researchED national conference (featuring our very own Ed Dorrell...tell your friends!) is coming up, and people are already experiencing the agony of choice. If you can’t make it, look out for a blog or seven from TES columnist Tom Bennett detailing all the brilliant stuff you’ve missed.
- Tweet like a champion
It’s difficult being perfect. We can’t all be Ann Mroz (would that we were). But being perfect on Twitter just got a tad easier thanks to this blog - the only thing it doesn’t cover is the perfect angle for an educational selfie. We’re still chasing that particular dream.
- A glowing report
Finally, this is surely a must for science teachers up and down the land. Or teachers who need a last-minute prop for that weekend rave they’re heading to.
- Don’t forget, if you’re on Twitter, you can follow every edu twist and turn by following @tes. And if you’ve found a tweet that you think deserves being shouted about, send it to us at twitter@tes.com.
