TEACHERS TALK ABOUT USING SOCIAL MEDIA

Author(s): KRISTIN MAGETTE

Source: Educational Horizons, Vol. 92, No. 2 (December 2013/January 2014), pp. 6-7
Published by: Phi Delta Kappa International
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/42927213
Accessed: 06-02-2017 17:57 UTC

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Educational Horizons

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 ^KRISTIN MAGETTE

Would you [ike to use social media tools in your classroom?

Four Kansas teachers share their social media stories and
what works for them.

AS A TEACHER, DOES THE THOUGHT OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE

CLASSROOM MAKE YOU EXCITED? Anxious? Or maybe a combination BECKY TOPIL, 1st grade
of the two? It's natural to feel both, but as education professionals, we can't When Becky Topil first started her Facebook
forget that our students and their parents are already on social media sites - closed group for her 1st graders' parents in
and they're ready to engage with you. fall 2012, she wasn't sure what to expect. But
Our small, rural district in Eudora, Kan., encourages the use of social media as it took off, she found it to be an invaluable
by anyone who represents a classroom, sports team, student club, or other tool as a classroom teacher.

group because we believe there are valuable opportunities there for the "I upload newsletters, pictures, and even
taking. We can: QuickTime videos from our room," said
Use social media, video, and blogs as teaching tools; Topil, who has been teaching for 32 years. "I
Teach students safe and courteous online behavior; use events to help our busy families know

Communicate with parents through the real-time, content-rich format what activities are coming up. This year, my

that social media provides; and students told me that their parents wished
they could see what a school day looked like,
Allow and encourage others to support our efforts, celebrate our
so we posted photos of our daily schedule
successes, grieve our losses, and sometimes even challenge us to
do better. in action. I was very impressed that my little
1st graders had these conversations with
Our district's leaders are the first to admit that jumping into the social media
their parents!"
pool as a professional can be nerve-wracking at times. To help overcome the
She acknowledged, however, that Facebook
risks, we use a simple set of procedures and policies designed to boost our
can't be the only communications tool
teachers' confidence and help them navigate any challenges that may arise
for teachers.
online. Links to these documents are available at www.eudoraschools.org/
staffsocialmedia. "I have parents who choose not to participate
in social media, and we have families without
We are proud of the number of teachers who have embraced social media for
Internet," she said. "I still send home
their work in the schools, and we are excited to share a small handful of the
paper notes and use email, and each year
success stories. Read on to see what our teachers are doing and how social
is different."
media can add an extra level of engagement to your classroom. For more
examples, visit www.eudoraschools.org/socialmedia. Keeping up with the different
communication tools can sometimes be

challenging, but Topil emphasized that

the benefits of social media are worth the
extra work.

"I get so many positive comments from

parents," she said. "In all my years
of teaching, I have never had better

daily posted
We daily scheduleschedule
in action.
photos in of action. our communication with parents. I feel like we
are one big, happy family!"

6
EDUCATIONAL HORIZONS II DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014

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 KYLE STADALMAN, 5th grade
Each afternoon, followers of Kyle Stadalman's
5th-grade Facebook page are treated to an update
RYAN JACOBS, 7th grade social studies
of the day's activities at school, courtesy of a
student writer. Not only do these updates help Teaching middle school social studies, Ryan Jacobs just
wants to be seen. He uses Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter
students practice summarization skills, they also
in his classroom to share class announcements, due dates,
empower parents to ask specific questions about
their child's day. projects - and to ask for parent help or volunteers.

"I just want to be visible," he said. "What's more visible

But when Stadalman really wants to get noticed,
he has found photos to be the key. than showing up in someone's Facebook or Twitter feed? I
don't want to leave any excuses for parents that they 'don't
"If I need to send out a reminder about an event,"
know what's going on' in their child's education."
he said, MI will have a student write it on a piece
of paper and then post a picture of the student
In spite of all the information he posts about his classroom

holding the note. Pictures always get viewed by

- including narrated videos of the day's lesson - lie said he
finds that social media isn't a silver bullet.
the most people."

The use of student photos on Facebook can raise "No matter what, it's impossible to get 100% buy-in," said

concerns, but Stadalman, who has been teaching Jacobs, a fifth-year teacher. "And it's usually the kids and
parents who you want to be in contact with who either
for eight years, has gained parents' trust that he
don't have the resources to participate in social media or
takes student privacy seriously.
who simply ignore getting involved. Sometimes a simple
"I reassure parents that I'm in complete control
personal email or phone call is just the best way to connect."
of the page and that nothing would be visible
without my approval," he said.

Stadalman finds that a public page adds a level of

excitement for his students.
NATE ROBINSON, high school video teacher
"When I tell students I will be posting their A few years ago, Nate Robinson realized that nobody would ever
work, the quality of work and dedication to the see his students' video work unless they happened to be in his
task rises significantly," he said. "It suddenly classroom. But times have changed.
becomes serious because students are thinking,
"It's awesome that social media allows us to post a video and tweet
'My teacher and classmates are no longer the only
or share the link on Facebook and Google+, and hundreds of
ones who will see my work.'"
people get to see what we make," said Robinson, who has been
Stadalman also uses a WordPress blog to teaching for eight years. "It puts the pressure on to make better
enhance student learning in the form of an online videos when you know how many people are watching."
discussion board.
Of the dozens of videos Robinson's students have produced
"This gives each student an equal voice. When
and posted, a few have really caught the public's attention,
you're online, no one gets interrupted or runs out including a parody of the Geico "happier than" commercials, a
of time telling a story," he said. "The ability to silly rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," and the
reply to others helps create a sense of community
requisite Harlem Shake. These videos yield hundreds, sometimes
and togetherness among the students. I moderate thousands, of views and increase the class's following across social
the discussion board to keep it on topic and media platforms.
appropriate, but I love that I can have 25 students
"Some of these videos have been passed all around the area," he said.
all sharing stories and replying to others, in a
"We get comments from teachers and students in other districts, and
room that is dead silent."
our YouTube subscribers grow every time. Social media has played
a huge part in our small program. My kids get so pumped when the
click traffic is high because they know that hundreds of people are
AUTHOR ID
appreciating the work they did. No way does something like this
KRISTIN MAGETTE is the director of communications at happen without social media." EH
Eudora Schools in Eudora, Kan.

7
EDHORIZONS.ORG

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