As a 21st century teacher, I am usually so focused on the tech tools that my students will be using in the classroom that I often forget what a great resource social media can be for teachers. Social media can provide us with quick, simple and innovative professional development. Teachers can go online to get ideas for classroom management, support for particular groups of students, projects and crafts to support their units, get feedback on a lesson or idea, and learn about what other educators are up to. This is really an invaluable concept that, at least for me, has been largely untapped. In the past, the only form of social media I have effectively used for only myself would be Pinterest. I have gotten many great ideas (but also some useless time consuming ones, and some pinterest fails) from other educators sharing pictures of their projects, bulletin boards, worksheets, management techniques, classroom arrangements, etc. The great ideas I have recieved make me wonder how much I have missed over the years on teacher social media. Having just learned about ed chats on twitter, I am looking forward to exploring more of what other educators are offering online.
Some issues that could arise with social media and teachers are, likely a student will try to add you on social media. Teachers need to make sure their privacy settings are on so that students need to be approved or denied by the teacher. Teachers also need to be aware that even when their profiles are on a private setting, friends are able to share out their content to additional people via screenshots, etc. If teachers are planning to use social media for education I agree with the notion of creating two separate accounts and allowing the work account to be solely used for topics related to education. Stating opinions on education or political issues, or posting inappropriate content has gotten many teachers in trouble. I think it’s important for us to remember that we’re in the public eye as teachers, and sometimes more so than we are aware of. At the grade level I teach (2nd/3rd) I would definitely alert the parents first if I noticed an inappropriate post somewhere from a student. I would also have a conversation with the student about social media and their choices, since there is probably a lack of understanding of the tool and audience if a young student is posting inappropriate content online. This may also be an appropriate course of action for older students as well, depending on the post and the family situation. I understand where the author was coming from in the article: What do you do When you See Inappropriate Social Media Posts? however, it seems a bit extreme to go straight to a principal or administrator when the student simply used inappropriate language for school, and made what I interpreted as an inappropriate joke. I would start with the student, or maybe a teacher the student has a good relationship with. I think it’s important that students understand the implications of what they do online, how it causes others to view them, and how it can affect their future, but ultimately it comes down to freedom of speech- and if a high school student chooses to post something online, that is acceptable. If it involved illegal activity or something else of concern, there would be a different course of action as well, possibly involving parents and administrators.
3 Comments
Benjamin Scinto
3/12/2018 08:35:09 pm
Nice post. I could not help but wonder how and why you missed social media's benefit, but not for the reasons you think. You seem to be a very conscientious teacher who takes her job seriously - at least that's what I gather from your work and how you present yourself. Maybe the black sheep, but my post was about not using social media as it was not intended to be a professional platform. I acknowledge being narrow in my definition, but maybe the reason you missed its benefit was not due to a fault of your own, but maybe because the real value in social media is just not there. Just a though
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An Truong
3/12/2018 11:45:09 pm
I am so glad to be in the class. Learning from other educators using ed chats and twitter has been exciting for me. I am so narrow minded when it comes to technology. I do really appreciated learning many new technology tools and how to become an innovative teacher. With social media, I now feel like I have an ample of resources besides my department and colleagues.
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Scott Marsden
3/13/2018 06:55:01 pm
Kayla,
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AuthorKayla Bryant is an elementary school teacher in Napa, CA. This year she teaches a 2/3 combo class. She keeps a journal with funny quotes from her students, and enjoys learning and laughing alongside them. Some of her main educational interests are related to goal setting, growth mindset, and creativity. Archives
July 2018
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