All right, I admit, I am a Twitter educational chataholic!  My wife is definitely not thrilled with me because I don’t like to miss the opportunity to participate in many of these chats.  She enjoys long car trips as she usually has my full attention to chat with her.  Of course, there have been times I have borrowed her iPad in the car when I am asked to, usually at the last minute, to moderate #edchat.  Don’t worry she takes over the driving at these times.

My interesting educational career enables me to try to share my experiences (and yes, my sites in many of the chats).  I started as a day to day substitute teacher in a school that needed me every day.  I never knew what subject area I would be filling in for.  When I became a regular teacher I was given multiple subject areas to teach. I have taught grades 6-9, Social Studies, Language Arts, Math, Science, Bilingual Reading, Music (assist), Swimming (assist), Special Ed, Gifted, Teacher-Librarian, and Health Careers….I coached basketball, flag football and track. I also wrote curriculum in many different subject areas for my school, district and the New York City Board of Education (now Dept. of Ed).  In my spare time I have been writing educational materials for the utility industry for over 30 years.

My first encounter with a chat was in the summer of 2009.  I stumbled on #edchat and I was intrigued with the conversation going on.  I admit I lurked until I got the courage to enter the fray.  Who would have believed I would eventually become a part of the great #edchat team! (@web20classroom  @tomwhitby @ShellTerrell @rliberni @mbteach @kylepace @jswiatek)

I kept thinking of the need for more chats in specific subject and other areas so when people started suggesting other chats I decided to help them get started.

#elemchat  The #elemchat team (@tcash @NancyTeaches @doriedance @louwinsr @gret @thompseg)boasts teacher-moderators from Morocco, Australia, Argentina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Ohio. I am proud to be the resource person for this great group as it’s a wonderful chat for elementary school teachers. My love for this level comes from my wife who taught elementary school, my grandchildren and the many writing presentations I give.

#engchat  At #ntcamp last July I remember encouraging Meenoo Rami (@mrami2) who had the idea for an English chat.  She asked me to moderate a recent #engchat.  I decided it was time to combine the #sschat with her chat for a session.  I came up with the special #engsschat.  Wow, that was a wonderful meeting of outstanding educators in both subject areas.  It will not be the last time these teachers come together to share and collaborate.

#gtchat  When @DeborahMersino  tweeted she wanted to start a gifted teacher chat I immediately started helping her with ideas on how to develop it.  I am so pleased with how well this chat has developed and I enjoy the great global educators that are participating in it.  It has also spawned #gtie which is a gifted chat for Irish educators.

#musedchat  When Andy Zweibel (@Zweibz7)a student at the University of Miami (“The U”) asked for help starting a music chat I came to his aid.  I thought how wonderful it was to have a college student start a music chat that I am pleased has grown and developed beautifully.

#ptchat When Aparna Vashisht-Rota (@Parentella) started this parent-teacher chat I even had my wife participate as she is a parent educator.

#ntchat  When Lisa Dabbs (@teachingwthsoul) began this chat  I had to participate because I always enjoyed helping new teachers in whatever school I taught at.  I also served in the capacity of Lead Teacher in my school.  When @andycinek  on one chat brought up the idea for a #ntcamp I immediately tweeted him I would help spread the word and wound up being honored to give the Opening Address last year for #ntcamp in Philadelphia

So you can find me on the above chats as well as on #artsed, #Blogchat, #coachchat, #ecosys, #eltchat, #ellchat, #4thchat, #isedchat, #kinderchat, #langchat, #mathchat, #midleved, #RuralEd, #scichat, #spedchat, #spnchat, #tck, #tlchat, #titletalk ….