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Three teachers featured in "Top Teachers to Follow": Dawnavyn James, Juan Edgar Gonzales, Jr. and Liz Kleinrock

Top teachers to follow on social media

Follow these teachers to see what teacher life is like, build your community and get inspired.

Author: Kate Moening

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Social media isn’t just for dance routines and cat videos. Teachers use Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter for all kinds of outreach. They advocate for school equity, offer classroom activities, share student shenanigans and more!

Following some educators can give you a sense of what day-to-day teaching is like, build your educator community and spark ideas for lesson plans.

Where to start? Here’s our list of top teachers to follow on social.

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Social justice in the classroom

When it comes to writing more inclusive curriculum, it can be tough to know where to start. These educators offer wisdom, guidance and resources.

Vennieta Grant

Vennieta Grant’s work is a masterclass in culturally relevant, anti-racist curriculum. An eighth grade English Language Arts teacher, Vennieta shares discussion prompts and content ideas to help educators bring social justice to their work. She uses her platform to amplify the voices of fellow activists and educators, too.

Follow Vennieta @loveteachrepeat (Instagram, @luvteachretweet on Twitter)

An Instagram post from Vennieta Grant, showing different text genres, such as political cartoons, podcasts, music and TED talks. The caption says, "Swipe to check out the free resources, links to recent features and StudySync Symposium presentation materials available in my bio."

Nate Lyon

Nate Lyon is a fourth grade teacher and LGBTQ educator who uses his platform to make school more welcoming. On Nate’s Insta, you’ll find reflections, prompts and books to incorporate anti-racism, queer issues and gender inclusion into elementary school lessons.

Follow Nate @mr_lyon_4th (Instagram)

An Instagram post from Nate Lyon, showing him wearing a sweatshirt that says, "Protect Trans Kids." An excerpt from the caption says, "If you are a teachere, and you haven't talked to your students about transgender folx, make a plan for next week or next month. Educate yourself first. But find a way to center the trans experience in your classroom. This isn't about being 'woke' or trendy. Transgender kids need protection. We need to normalize the trans experience for all kids."

Deonna Smith

As an educator, activist, and educational justice coach, Deonna Smith is passionate about creating anti-racist schools. On Deonna's social media, you’ll find a wealth of videos, ideas, tips, and resources to create more supportive and joyful schools.

Follow Deonna @deonnasmith (Instagram, @msdeonnasmith on Twitter)

An Instagram post by Deonna Smith, sharing a resource for teachers: a puzzle that teaches students about histories of underrepresented groups

 

Shaping the narrative

These leaders are changing the way we think about school equity and how teachers can help students succeed.

Dr. Anael Alston

Dr. Anael Alston is a speaker, writer and former school principal. Follow him on Twitter and stay up-to-date on equity conversations, events for educators and the barriers facing marginalized students and teachers.

Follow Dr. Alston @DrAAlston (Twitter)

Shareefah Mason

Shareefah Mason has won well-deserved recognition for her research, writing and advocacy in Dallas public schools. A Distinguished Teacher in Dallas, Shareefah teaches 12th grade government, and she’s clear-eyed in how schools can better support students of color.

Follow Shareefah @masonmessages (Twitter, @color_ed_blackandbrown on Instagram)

Dena Simmons

As an anti-racist researcher, public speaker and writer, Dena Simmons is a force in education advocacy. Follow Dena (and subscribe to her newsletter!) for sharp analysis and practical tips on how to make schools safer for every student.

Follow Dena @DenaSimmons (Instagram, Twitter)

Subject matter mentors

Looking for curriculum ideas in your specific subject area? See how these teachers bring their classroom vision to life.

Dawnavyn James

Dawnavyn James is a kindergarten teacher with a knack for posts that are encouraging, funny and celebratory—especially when it comes to Black history and culture. Check out Ms. James’s blog and social media for encouragement, entertainment and Black History Club for young historians.

Follow Dawnavyn @queendomteaching (Instagram, Twitter, @dawnahtelloh on TikTok)

An Instagram post from Dawnavyn James, showing a classroom poster about Juneteenth, with the children's book, "Juneteenth Jamboree." The caption says, "We added some more questions to our literacy essential question: Why do we celebrate people and events? We explored the celebration Juneteenth and learned about the history of the day by reading Juneteenth Jamboree."

Jonte Lee

Chemistry teacher Jonte Lee has made a name for himself in science education. Through public speaking, interviews and science experiment videos, Jonte aims to make STEM less intimidating. His lessons connect science to everyday life, and he hopes he can empower his audience to give science a try.

Follow Jonte @jonterlee (Instagram, Twitter)

An Instagram post from Jonte Lee, showing Jonte with lab goggles and a whiteboard. A cameraperson is filming Jonte from the side. The caption says, "MEDIA FEATURE: A BIG thank you to nbcnightlynews for featuring me and my distance learning classroom. We talked about teaching, me living with a speech impediment, and the importance of having representation on all levels. Air Date: 12/16/2020 Interviewer: Rehema Ellis"

Shannon Olsen

Shannon Olsen is a second grade teacher and writer. Check out her website and social media for a huge collection of fun and informative curriculum ideas, activities and resources for elementary school teachers!

Follow Shannon @lifebetweensummers (Instagram, Pinterest)

An Instagram post from Shannon Olsen, showing a poster with the heading "Compound Sentences." A drawing of a snowman helps illustrate the concept. An excerpt from the caption says, "Getting kids to expand sentences in their writing (and still have them make sense) can be a battle! But my frosty friend here makes a huuuge difference in helping hit this standard! This resources includes a template for the anchor chart!"

Teaching toolkit

Educators LOVE to share resources. Follow these teachers for show-and-tell on book recs, skill-building and job search tips.

Vicki Davis

Vicki Davis is a must-follow for concrete, actionable teaching advice. Her social media posts are full of empathy and support for new and experienced teachers alike, and her 10-Minute Teacher podcast offers bite-sized, specific advice for educators.

Follow Vicki @coolcatteacher (Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube)

Juan Edgar Gonzalez Jr. 

Third grade teacher Juan Edgar Gonzales Jr. is on a mission to make reading more accessible. He’s created an impressive set of activities and book recommendations to help support beginning readers. Juan is also co-owner of Camp Teach and Grow, a summer retreat for educators to connect and learn from one another.

Follow Juan @teaching3rdwithmrg (Instagram, TikTok)

An Instagram post from Juan Edward Gonzales, Jr, showing a post with the heading, "How to Beat a Reading Slump." The first few suggestions include: "Re-read an old favorite, Try a new genre, Read something short and easy, Talk with Mr. G." The caption begins, "Reading slumps are happening a lot more often this school year. I want to remind readers that feeling this way is completely normal. In reading class today, we talked about some actions we can take to get ourself back on track."

Dr. Sam Fecich

If you’re an aspiring or early-career teacher, Dr. Sam Fecich has your back. Dr. Fecich is an education professor, hosts the EduMagic podcast and has written several books for pre-service and beginning teachers. Her social is chock-full of resources and tips to land your first teaching job—and succeed when you get there.

Follow Dr. Fecich @SFecich (Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest)

Bonus follows

Okay, we couldn’t stop. There are so many amazing educators! Here are a few more accounts we love.

Akiea “Ki” Gross

With tools like Woke Read Alouds and 60 Second Texts, Ki helps educators talk with young kids about everything from gender identity to Black Lives Matter. Follow Ki on social, check out their resources page, and see how they’re transforming early childhood education.

Follow Ki @wokekindergarten (Instagram, YouTube, @AkieaG on Twitter)

 

 

 

Liz Kleinrock

Anti-bias anti-racist educator Liz Kleinrock is changing schools. With informative posts and thoughtful conversations (plus some cute bunny pics!), Liz helps facilitate challenging discussions on topics like race, religion and school culture. Follow her and check out her website for articles, lesson plans, reading recs and more.

Follow Liz  @teachandtransform (Instagram, @teachntransform on Twitter)

An Instagram post from Liz Kleinrock that says, "Disrupt Grind Culture In Schools." An excerpt from the caption says, "Teaching middle school and having self-paced work time with kids has made me realize just how early we embed grind culture into our society and how we're harming young people. When your students are done with an assignment, do you acknowledge their effort and encourage them to rest, or do you push them on to the next task?"

Angela Watson

Teachers know what it’s like to feel over-scheduled and stretched thin — but you don’t have to do it alone. Angela Watson’s social media and Truth for Teachers podcast offer encouragement and support, so you can prioritize your own needs and still be the teacher you want to be.

Follow Angela @angela_watson (Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, @angela.watson on Instagram)