Over the past couple of weeks, I have had some interesting conversations with students about social media. These talks have ranged from 2nd grade to 5th grade, and have been very eye-opening. When surveying a second-grade class and a fourth-grade class, I saw more students admit to having a social media account in SECOND grade than in fourth. What?! That's when I knew it was time to have real conversations with kids, informing them of being good digital citizens. Don't Place BlameFirst things first, I never place blame on anyone - parent or child. I tell them that most social media accounts require users to be 13 years of age or older. We talk about how parents may sign them up for accounts to play games or keep in touch with family. Also, I tell them the more honest they are about things that happen online, the less likely they are to be in trouble with an adult. Then we talk about making good choices. To me, it is important not to place blame on anyone or to tell them they shouldn't have the account. The most important thing, in my mind, is to inform students of being safe online and how to make good choices because they are going to use these accounts regardless of what they should be doing. We have to make sure they are smart. THINKI found this image online last night and decided it was perfect for my lesson with 4th grade today. Students and I talked about what each of these meant. They were very honest and open with me about their thoughts and feelings. Students told me what I wanted to hear, that they should go to an adult if anything happens online they aren't comfortable with. But let's be honest, will that do that when the time comes? That is where parents come in and keep track of the devices, what is being posted, and talking to their children.
Not sharing personal information, coaches and employers looking at social media, making good choices concerning posting about other people - all things we discussed. Keep the discussion going at home! Use this poster as a reference. Another good one (and you may think about putting up in a common area) is shared below.
0 Comments
Do you have a reluctant reader at home? Does your child grimace at the thought of reading each night? Many parents probably raised their hands at these questions. I also can bet that many of you would say that your children love computers, social media, and immediate feedback, right?
If you have a Twitter account, you can connect with anyone in the world! Really, anyone. At a conference I attended this past weekend, Kristin Zemke, talked about how her first graders love to connect with authors. They do this through the use of classroom blogs and Twitter. Now, the students do not have these accounts, of course, but she does. The teacher holds the account and then allows the students to tweet from it with her guidance. An idea she shared was that of having students tweet to the author of their book. I love this! Many times, she said, the author will tweet back! As an adult I have tweeted to an author and felt so excited when they replied back, how would a child feel if this happened?! So at home, make a goal: finish a book, read this chapter, read for 20 minutes, etc. Then tweet the author. How? Usually a Google search of the author's name + Twitter handle will turn up the account (look for a little blue checkmark on their profile to make sure it is a verified (real) account). Then tweet. I have shared this incentive with teachers at school, offering my own Twitter account for students to tweet from when they meet their goal. When we start getting replies, I will post them on here so you can see! Send me any that you get as well, [email protected]. Let's get kids connected! Author Twitter Handles (check back for updates!)As the new school year kicks off, you may find that your child's classroom has a social media account of some sort. What benefits does a social media account provide to students, parents, and teachers? Here are some great reasons your child's teacher should have social media...
Twitter Accounts
art_in_the_middle - middle school art (This one is SO awesome! I recommend following this for their digital art gallery. See their works in progress.) Search and "like" these pages to follow them.
Hope you enjoy what our teachers and staff have put together on their pages!
The beginning of the school year starts, you find out who your child's teacher will be, and you sit down at your computer. Many of us like to search for people we have just met on a popular social media site, just to see more into their lives. This often applies to parents searching for teachers, curious about what they like, their family, pictures, etc. Sometimes we may go a step further and ask to 'friend' our child's teacher. Don't be surprised if you don't hear anything until the end of the school year, or ever, for that matter. Many teachers have a work vs. school policy. Meaning, they aren't going to mix business with pleasure, keeping Facebook friends to those not associated with work. Some teachers don't even friend co-workers, wanting just that much more privacy. Some also will wait until the end of the school year before accepting a friend request from parents. Don't be offended if a teacher does not accept your request or if you can tell you have limited access to their albums or wall. Remember that teachers are people outside of school. They love the children in their class and their families, but often, they want to go home and disconnect. Students 'Friending' Teachers If your child wants to 'friend' a teacher, many of them will never get that opportunity. Most teachers will not friend a student. I say "most", which means that some do. Many higher level teachers tell students they will friend them after graduation, which works for them. Elementary teachers rarely 'friend' their students, for many reasons.
Teachers will share their lives with students in the classroom. However, social media allows access to too many outside factors beyond our control. So students, don't feel like your teachers don't like you, they just don't want to be "friends" with you...online! Haha! |
AuthorA teacher turned techie with an obsession with Google, teachers that love learning, and students that love life! Archives
May 2016
Categories
All
|