5 Tips for Starting a Teacher Instagram
I think Instagram is the new Pinterest, at least for teachers! The teacher instagram community is so vibrant and full of fun teaching ideas. Are you looking to get involved? Here are a few tips:
1. Start a separate account. Your personal friends and family probably don't want to see 500 pictures of your classroom, and your new online teaching friends may not need to see so many pictures of your pet. I'm much more comfortable posting about #teacherlife when I know my IRL friends and family are only following along if they want to be.
2. Make friends. The most fun part about instagram is getting to know teachers all over the country and world! Don't be shy to comment or respond to stories. The teacher instagram world is generally super friendly. On the other hand, don't be surprised if your teacher celebrity crush with 90k followers isn't able to respond to your comment! Some of my favorite accounts to follow are pretty small, so don't be afraid to branch out!
3. Be yourself. Even though I love the instagram community, sometimes it can be feel like an echo chamber. It can be tempting when you're first starting out to just post what everyone else is posting-- flair pens! Rae Dunn! coffee! And if you love those things, that's fine! But I bet you have a lot more to contribute than that. Personally, I'm really passionate about social justice and self care, so those are two things I post about a lot.
4. Use hashtags. Ever notice instagrammers using a long list of hashtags at the end of their caption or in a separate comment? That's so people checking out the hashtags can find their posts. #teachersofinstagram and #teachersfollowteachers are two of the most popular hashtags to use, but try using more specific ones as well. Try #bulletinboard if you're posting a picture of, ahem, a bulletin board, or #teacherselfie if you need to show off your new teacher tee.
5. Post stories. If you're new to instagram, stories are quick videos or images that only last 24 hours. They show up as little circles at the top of your feed-- just click your picture to record. Stories are a fun and impromptu way to share without the pressure of it being permanently in your insta feed. They're also a great way to start conversations! Ask people to reply to your story with their opinion or answer to a question.
Looking for some new teacher-friends to follow? Check out my lists of Socially Conscious Teachers and Politically Active Teachers to Follow on Instagram!
See you on insta!