#Edchat Weekly Roundup: Taking Care of Our Teachers

Welcome back to our blog's new segment #edchat Weekly Roundup, where we look back at Tuesday's #edchat topics and highlight some of the day's poignant conversations and key players.

Yesterday's #edchat topics -- moderated by @ShellTerrell and @blairteach -- were as follows:

• 12pm EST: How do teachers as education experts regain the leadership of the discussion on education reform?
• 7pm EST: What would be the effect of building collaboration and reflection time into your word schedule?

Teachers as Leaders, Leaders as Teachers

In a time when the state of education is at the forefront of national discussion, we as teachers need to band together and have our voices be heard. Teachers need to speak up and have their voices be heard on a local, state, and national level. Being a great teacher goes beyond the classroom.

See below for some great insight into Tuesday's 12pm #edchat conversation:

Get involved. Take a role in your local or state union. Do the same for a subject-area association. Your voice will be heard. #Edchat

— tshreve (@tshreve) February 4, 2014

Social media is a fantastic platform- great way to connect with the community, but how effective is it at driving reform? #edchat

— FootprintsRecruiting (@FootprintsJobs) February 4, 2014

We'd like to see a collective front for #edreform -- parents, teachers & administrators rise together. #edchat

— All for Schools (@AllForSchools) February 4, 2014

Reformers w/out ed backgrounds have powerful voices. Teachers need to use media to share our idea too. #Edchat

— Christina Barry (@TeachingInDC) February 4, 2014

Collaboration and Reflection are Key

As teachers, we stress methods of collaboration and self-reflection as essential aspects of the learning process. However, we fail to apply it's importance to us as educators. Utilizing collaboration and reflection in aspects of professional development will not only help us become better educators, but will also improve student learning and understanding.

See below for more great insight from yesterday's 7pm edchat:

Providing staff sufficient collaboration & reflection time during the school day would impact student success in so many ways #edchat

— Brad Currie (@bcurrie5) February 5, 2014

Make collaboration happen naturally rather than force through contorting the schedule #Edchat

— Mike Ritzius (@mritzius) February 5, 2014

Why is stepping back and reflecting so important not only for educators but students? #edchat

— Jerry Blumengarten (@cybraryman1) February 5, 2014

If Reflection & Collaboration are things that we prioritize for students, why do we not apply it to ourselves as educators? #Edchat

— Tom Whitby (@tomwhitby) February 5, 2014

Previous Roundups:

• January 29th: Introducing #edchat Weekly Roundup