I've had a fascination with the relationship between social media and the classroom since even before I was "officially" teaching. In college, my peers and I were the last of the brief "college student elite" Facebook generation where you had to have a university e-mail to register.
As future educators we connected through social media as we witnessed the transformation from Myspace, to Facebook, and then Pinterest & Twitter- before the internet finally burst into a frenzy of Instafamous-Snapchats.
Social Media changed everything! And it's not going away anytime soon.
As a middle school teacher, I might as well suggest my students chop off their own arms before asking them to leave their smartphones in their backpacks. It's a fact. A concerning obsession bordering on unhealthy? Yes. But a fact nonetheless.
And the necessity of electronic appendages has only increased over the last few years.
And while I don't advocate teachers wearing crop-tops to class or bathing in Axe body spray after the gym... maybe social media is one area it wouldn't hurt to emulate our students... just a little.
My first year teaching- I started a class Twitter & Instagram account where I could post about things we were learning, share announcements, and share class victories. The next year Twitter quickly became much less "cool", but Instagram took-off and has continually been on the rise with my target audience (sixth graders) ever since.
(NOTE: "Facebook is NOT COOL anymore" and only for "OLD people like my mom." -6th grader)
Social Media isn't for everyone, and certainly not a requirement for a great classroom, but for me, it is a unique weapon in my arsenal. It provides me with the (almost) effortless ability to effectively do something invaluable, that nothing else seems to be able to do quite the same.
The Top 5 Reasons I Use Social Media as a Teacher:
I honestly really enjoy interacting with my teacher-peers and students through social media! It provides a completely different "vibe" than the classroom or a faculty meeting. This year I've been participating in a book study with some coworkers, and we are holding the majority of our meetings through Twitter-chats! (#racingtorigor) Any meetings I can attend in my pajamas without leaving my house is a huge "win" in my book!
4.) All voices are heard.
This can be a double-edged sword at times, but one huge benefit of interacting online is that everyone's voice is essentially at the same level. I love seeing my soft-spoken students blossom when they are provided with an online platform! I also love that I'm able to give all my students equal opportunity to view shared content.
3.) Easy-access to resources.
Online resources for students & educators are continually growing and improving. Whether linking to a youtube video, sharing an infographic, or posting an article, receiving and sharing information has never been easier. After crafts, recipes, & photography tips, I'm convinced there are more teacher-resources on Pinterest than anything else!
2.) It's where the people are.
Unfortunately, even when our students are in class... they're not really "in class". I try to be vigilant about making sure students are only on their technology at appropriate times and in appropriate ways, but I'm only human, and sometimes checking your Instagram feed just feels so important! This is especially true in Middle School, where my students are adamantly focused on gaining social favor through the accumulation of "likes" and "followers". You'd be surprised how excited a sixth grader can get about their Science teacher "liking" a picture of their dog. (And sometimes their dogs really are pretty cute.)
1.) My students are thinking about Science class OUTSIDE of Science class!
As previously mentioned, my sixth graders check their Instagram feed probably about 123049812349 times a day. (Give or take.) And when they're checking their feed that often... they don't miss a thing. So if they follow my account, and I post something related to what we are learning, they are going to see it. I try to keep my posts short, interesting, memorable. Sometimes I'll throw-in an uplifting quote, or a funny meme to keep things fresh. (And to ensure I don't lose the attention of tougher critics. lol) Nothing makes my teacher-heart flutter more than knowing that I am able to help my students learn, or positively influence them, even when I'm not physically near them.
+one more.) I'm human.
Sometimes it's easy for my students, and for me to forget that. Social media gives me an opportunity to show a more "human", multi-faceted, side of myself- which helps me genuinely connect with colleagues and students. For example, I was once on my way to a workshop when I blew a tire and missed the workshop completely. I was feeling really overwhelmed and discouraged, but I snapped a picture and threw it on Instagram with a caption about moving-on even when you have a bad day. Several of my students saw the post and responded positively both through comments and the next day in class. One of them said something to the effect "I didn't think about teachers being people too. I thought they were just mean- but now I realize that sometimes they have bad days just like we do." (Wow! Wouldn't the world be a better place if we could all remember this about the people around us?)
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Using Social Media as a teacher definitely has a learning curve, and I've found myself going through a lot of trial and error as I try to maintain a healthy balance between professional and fun- but that's part of the joy in being a teacher, sometimes we get the opportunity to be the learner.
Up Next... 5 Secrets to Successfully Using Social Media as a Teacher!
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