When You Need Insentive

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     I started the night beating myself up because I had written 44 posts this year but it had been over a month since my last post.  I even stated in on Twitter: " Beating myself up for not posting on my blog in over a month. I had 44 posts this year and just ran into a buzz saw called life."   


     That's when Laron Carter (@laroncarter) called me on it with his tweet, "So you're another incredible human surfing the Twitterverse. Bravo! Now write that 300 word post bruh!"  And, here I am writing a post.


     I'm always having teachers asking "Why Twitter?"  They don't get it.  I can give them links to items titled "50 ways to use Twitter in the Classroom," or " Social Media in the Classroom"  and they aren't swayed.  I can give them links to great magazine articles or newspaper articles I read because I saw the link on twitter and they aren't swayed.  I can send them links to insightful blog posts written by people I follow on twitter and they aren't swayed.


     Well, here's an intangible reason to be active on twitter - Instant Motivator.   I have used twitter to give (or receive) encouragement while getting back in shape.  I have used twitter to give (or receive) encouragement with classroom issues.  I have used twitter to give (or receive) encouragement with the loss of a relative or pet.  You get the point.


     When you have hundreds of people who you interact with on a regular basis someone will be having a bad day.  Someone will be grieving.  Someone will be facing an uphill battle that seems insurmountable.  Your PLN will be there for you and you will be there for your PLN.  


     You may never have met some of these wonderful people.  You may never MEET these wonderful people.  But they are there.  And, it may be someone like @laroncarter who gets you off your butt to start working on something that you enjoy doing but just need that push to get back in the saddle.   Twitter isn't just for the sharing of great stuff for the classroom.  It's also for the sharing of motivation.  Now, get off your butt and start doing whatever it is you have been avoiding doing.  You can do it!


NOTE:       Well, sigh...my wife pointed out to me that I, the knucklehead, misspelled Incentive.  And, she pointed out, there might be some English teachers reading this. Well, if I change the title now I'll totally mess up the SEO and Search Crawlers.  She assures me that "everyone" has done that mistake before.  That's why I married her 22 years ago. Sigh...