School and Social Media: Oil and Water?

Teachers and parents may hold fears that social media usage could easily get out of hand. These concerns are reasonable and valid. Bringing social media usage into the classroom could prove to be disastrous if handled poorly. But the reality is that the same could be said for a number of things from teaching young children how to use scissors to hs chemistry classes to teaching teenagers to drive. When we maintain high standards for how training should be carried out and set high expectations for how students will use the tools they're given, what we are actually doing is equipping them to be safer, more productive, confident, and independent.

There is no denying that the internet has been the greatest tool to aid in education in generations. The impact it has had on daily learning is immeasurable--especially now, in the time of Covid. Even prior to 2020, the research power alone changed the way we conduct classes, the way we plan assignments and administer tests. Of course, the internet has drawbacks. Many of them. It can be a distraction; it can lead to overstimulated children; it makes cheating on assignments easier; and it opens up new realms of bullying previously unheard of.

While parents and educators concern themselves with keeping kids safe on social media, students might see these platforms as a source of entertainment, information, even a bit of salvation and sanity in these socially distant times. Kids have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with their friends and fellow students. They have the chance to talk to one another in virtual classrooms, they are able to get help with school work from fellow classmates who might understand better than their parents or even connect with their teachers for some extra encouragement.

If we embrace student's use of social media, rather than shielding them from it, we can have a role in influencing how they use it. We can teach them about internet safety. We can show them how to use these tools rather seeing them wind up being used themselves.  

We need to have the foresight to realize that we hold the keys to their safety as well as their learning and equip them with everything they need to make the most of the resources available to them. The reality is that teachers can impact the lives of their students for years to come.