To reach people, sometimes one has to go "where they are." Some secondary school teachers are using a pop culture tool to improve communication with their students. Social networks and media, like Facebook, Myspace and Twitter, (there really are too many to name and their popularity can be regional or professionally relevant), can reach many students and improve a student's connection with the class. Teachers Can Use Social Networking to Post Announcements By using a social network, "Make sure to bring textbooks tomorrow!" becomes more than something written on the board or shouted at students as they leave a class. "What do you think was the main idea of the article you read for homework?" could be a wall posting to get students to think one more time about an assignment or to remind them of the focus of tomorrow's discussion. Students can also use social networking to ask questions of other students and the teacher, brainstorm ideas, and keep in contact with group members who miss class. Caveats for Using Social Networks as a Teaching Tool The site is a vehicle for communication with students and parents; it can be used to post pictures from class, however, a teacher should never post pictures of students without having a signed permission slip from the parent on file. Any teacher thinking about using a social network should also: Check the district's internet use policy †avoid conflicts between you and your employer. Have an alternate method of communication (email, notes on the board, handouts, school websites). A social network should supplement communication, not be the only source of information and some networks (and parents) restrict the access of young people to social networking. Refuse to "friend" students who are not in your class in the current year. Set privacy levels to friends only. Limit access to pictures and tags. Keep private issues with students private, even if the student raises a concern publicly on the site. Use the email function, a face-to-face talk with the student, or school email to discuss issues with students. Respect student privacy, even if they don't. Do not bring up information that is found on the student's profile in class. Of course, if you see that a student is in danger of hurting him/herself or others, you must act. Keep it Professional Maintain a professional profile. Keep private and public life separate. Should students know what your relationship status is? And never say anything on the site that would not be appropriate for class. Consider setting up a separate page instead of linking a new one to your existing account. Facebook allows users to manage a separate page through their original account without making the administrator public, however, setting up an entirely different page linked to a school email makes sense. The profile photo should reflect your classroom. Either a picture of the school mascot or the building or your classroom is effective. Keep everything on the site content related, including pictures, links and applications. Likewise, do not accept suggested pages, applications and pictures from students that are not personally reviewed and/or are not relevant to the class. To prevent you from feeling the need to stay on-line indefinitely, establish office hours for chats with older students about their work. Office hours could also encourage students to set aside time for homework and to seek help if they are struggling with the content. Using a social network is an opportunity to also teach students about etiquette and public persona. "Talk" to students like a professional. Be a good model for students in this age of instant and sometimes sloppy and inappropriate communication. If teachers establish professional guidelines, social networking could be a great way to assist students.
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