#iteachmath & I belong in #MTBoS

Hi.  My name is Brianne Beebe.  This is my blog.  I started blogging four years ago in July when I stumbled across the #MTBoS after reading countless math blog posts via Pinterest.  I have gained so much from this community.  I enjoy this community.

I am not a consistent member.  I pop in and out when it is convenient for me.  I like knowing that if I need something, there will probably be someone there that can help.  I like knowing that I can help other math teachers too.  I like that I can participate in a way that works for me because #MTBoS is inclusive.


I have too many thoughts to tweet them all.  There are just my opinions, observations, and perspective on the whole thing.  You are welcome to disagree with me.

• Twitter has never been my thing.  (I have just over 300 tweets in 4 years.)  I really only go on to engage in #MTBoS when I remember to, or when I publish a new blog post.  I am more about the blogging.  Sometimes I post to share something that I think will help other math teachers, sometimes I post for me.  It doesn't matter.  It's your blog, you do you.
• Literally, all you have to do is tweet.  That's it.  You tweet, and then you belong.  Tweet anything math or teaching related, we welcome it all.  
• People that read the tweets, but don't engage should not be called "lurkers".  It makes them sound creepy, and it does send a message of exclusivity.
• People keep referring to #MTBoS rockstars.  I guess that's a valid perspective, but I see them as people that have more time for Twitter than I do.  They are math teachers just like me.  I don't find them intimidating.
• People that have been in #MTBoS longer have relationships with one another.  They are not a clique.  Add your input to their convo, and they will respond to you.
• #MTBoS is a community.
• #iteachmath is a declaration.
• I think the two are distinctive and will lead to different types of tweets.  I'm not saying that's a bad thing.
• I don't like when businesses tap into the #MTBoS to advertise to us.  I haven't seen this happen in awhile, because I really haven't been on Twitter that much, but I remember being annoyed when it happened.  I hope that businesses won't target us through #iteachmath because they don't teach math.
• I said it on Twitter, and I'll say it again.  All of the people opposing #MTBoS are identifying their own hang-ups as reasons that they didn't join in.  "I didn't know what to tweet." "I felt intimidated by the things other teachers were doing."  It just bugs me that people are projecting their insecurities onto #MTBoS and blaming its members for how they feel.  
• It bothers me that people didn't feel included in the first place.  We love to hear from all math teachers. 
• Some people complained that they asked a question to the #MTBoS and it was lost in the void, never answered and never acknowledged.  This has happened to me too, but I didn't take it personally.  As someone that looks for tweets they can respond to, I know that sometimes we don't have an answer, and other times we don't think our response would be helpful.  (For example, I wouldn't respond to a tweet question about standard based grading because I don't do it.)  Also, because the conversations just keep going, the right person to answer your question may not have seen your tweet.  It just happens sometimes.  You can always retweet your questions at another time.
• I cannot help but feel that announcing the call to "retire #MTBoS" during #TMC when many #MTBoS people are preoccupied was a calculated move on Dan's part.  That does not sit well with me.
• I don't know why I'm so passionate about this whole thing.  Like I said, I don't participate all that much.  

Basically, I'm not opposed to using #iteachmath.  I like it.  I'm opposed the accusations that #MTBoS is unwelcoming despite its efforts to initiate blogging challenges and actively welcome new math teachers.  Both can easily exist among each other, and I look forward to it.