After the news became official that I’m teaching Grade 6 for next year, I knew that I needed to change my Twitter handle as well. I’ve been @grade1 since I started tweeting three years ago, and I find it hard to imagine myself as anything but @grade1. To help me make this big decision, I asked my amazing PLN to vote on their favourite new Twitter handle. Some people suggested some of their own name possibilities, and from there, I narrowed my choices to my favourite three:
@avivadun
@avivaloca
@avivateaches
I created a new Twtpoll, and the results were close: 17 people voted for @avivaloca and 20 people voted for @avivateaches. Only four people voted for @avivadun. Now I had to decide. I could have gone with the winning choice — @avivateaches – but there’s just something about @avivaloca that I love.
Here’s why I eventually decided on this choice:
1) It’s fewer characters than @avivateaches. With Twitter, every character counts, so I figured that the less, the better.
2) The name makes me smile. I love to laugh, and every time that I hear this name, I break into a grin. I think that’s a good thing. Seeing as though I tweet a lot and I see my Twitter name a lot, the happier that it can make me, the better!
3) In Spanish, “loca” means “crazy,” and I am just a little crazy — in a good way, I think. 
I hope that next year will be a special year full of awesome learning with just the right dash of “craziness” to make it exciting. What’s learning without a little fun?
4) It’s ultimately about the kids, and the Grade 6′s are sure to love this name the most. Heather Jelley (@team_jellybean) reminded me of this in her tweet:
I think this matters. Even with something as simple as a Twitter handle, I can start to make a connection with my students. Awesome!
So thank you all for helping me make this difficult decision and leading me from @grade1 to @avivaloca. I may have a new name, but I’m still the old person, and I look forward to another year of learning with all of you.
Aviva
Hi Aviva! I think the new Twitter handle is perfect. It has to feel strange though – almost like changing your actual name! I know I have thought about changing mine too because my original reason for using Twitter – following hockey – no longer matches my primary purpose for Twitter – connecting with other educators.
I love that you even looked at the Twitter name change from a student’s viewpoint. I have learned so much from following you over the past few years. I lok forward to hearing about your adventures as a Grade 6 teacher!
Thanks Julie! When I became a Grade 1/2 teacher a couple of years ago, I considered changing my Twitter name then, but I decided not to. At the time, I thought that @grade1 could work. I know that it can’t anymore, and yes, it feels very strange to make this change. I actually feel kind of sad tonight. I know that I made the right choice though.
The student perspective was a very important one for me. It was actually my “tipping point.” I always say that the students matter most, so when I read this tweet of Heather’s, I knew that @avivaloca was the winning choice. It has to be about the kids!
Thanks for all of your support, and I look forward to continuing to learn from/with you … even with my change in grade!
Aviva