Teaching and Social Media - To Tweet or Not To Tweet? That is the Question...

Using Twitter in the Classroom

Having a class Twitter account can be great way of celebrating the success of your students. My school is fortunately one that is forward thinking when it comes to ICT and social media. We have a whole-school Twitter account and separate class twitter accounts. There are a multitude of ways that I use mine, but I started out by using it as a way of recording and celebrating those lovely little moments that happen every day in class - a photo, a quote, a quick summary of learning here and there. As more parents followed and interacted with the feed, it evolved to include PE kit, trip and event reminders, setting mini homework challenges and as a method of general communication with parents and carers.

The next stage involved our class talking to other classes with Twitter accounts. Many of these classes were from around the world, but mainly America and Canada, where class Twitter accounts are widespread. The quality of learning opportunities and discussion was great. The children were excited about and motivated by the prospect of talking to children the same age but on the other side of the world. One of the most successful lessons I have delivered involved asking my sister, who was studying anthropology at the time, to tweet challenges to my class, live. She tweeted images of different primate skulls and challenged my class to identify the creatures they belonged to by examining the types of teeth they had (linking to our teeth and healthy eating science topic). The buzz in the classroom was amazing. Every child was engaged and focused and learning without realising it! It was one of those lessons where the children took charge and I was able to be the observer, recording the amazing discussions and assessing their knowledge and understanding by listening into their conversations - not a passive learner in sight! This buzz was created by using Twitter as a tool to enhance learning.

Parental Engagement

Admittedly, not every parent has access to or uses Twitter, but then, how many parents have parent mail? Or reads the hard copy of the school newsletter that their child brings home? For some parents Twitter is the perfect communication - it won't get lost in the bottom of a book bag!

As the year progressed it was apparent how much the parents actually used the twitter feed. A colleague said to me, "you're very brave to open up the window into your classroom like that" and my response was - what is the point of what we do as educators if it all happens behind closed doors? Success is there to be celebrated and shared. Parents would also tweet in their children's homework, or pictures of places/people/objects that linked to the topics: a sure fire way of continuing the conversations and learning at home.

Social Media and Safeguarding

One of the main barriers that I encounter about using Twitter in school is that is puts children at unnecessary potential risk. As educators we do children a disservice to deny them access to methods of communication that exist out there in the "real world" outside of the classroom. We can introduce social media in a controlled and safe way with children, showing them the positive outcomes of using Twitter. While we should allow children to use social media we also have an obligation to keep them safe. For example, one of the rules our school has is that absolutely no children's names are used anywhere on the Twitter feed. Alongside the use of social media should always be a strong E-Safety policy within school. We use the SMART crew rules in school (find them at KidSmart). As long as your school has a very clear social media and safeguarding policy and all parental consent is sought beforehand, there is no reason why a class Twitter account should strike fear in the hearts of teachers.

What are your thoughts on using social media in the classroom? 

- Is it a safeguarding nightmare or something you just could not teach without?

- Do you use Twitter or other social media in your lessons?

- What would help you overcome the barriers?

- Do you think that schools have an obligation to teach children about social media?

Written by Little Dot

Opening Doors - Why First Impressions Count

I have always had a bit of a "thing" for doors - I am often found stopping to photograph an ivy-clad, iron-bolted, doorway. They always hold a certain sense of magic for me: the mystery of what lies behind them...

Like most teachers, I find myself constantly inspired by teachers around me: my colleagues, friends, the Twittersphere and fellow Pinterest users. After perusing Pinterest and finding the images featured in this post, I starting thinking about the significance of the door to our classrooms. I want the children in my class to walk through the door and feel a little bit of that magic and mystery.

First impressions really do count. With the start of term just around the corner, what do you want the children in your class to think and feel as they enter the room for the first time? Imagine the child reluctant to leave their parent in the cloakroom, the excitable children that come bounding in, children anxious about what their new teacher will be like... Think about the first thing that they see of their new classroom. What messages will you be sending them before they even step through the doorway?

I found, via Pinterest, a door sign (similar to the chalk board example below) that i use to inspire my children when they walk through the door. It also helps communicate the ethos and classroom culture I  want to promote. I've got a castles topic coming up, so I'm going to coincide the castle door decor with a "wow" day where the whole of the year group is in-role as historical characters. How much more powerful will it be to greet the children in the morning at the doorway telling them to hurry to avoid the flames from the fire-breathing dragon?

Yes these things take time and resources to achieve, but think of the moment the children see it for the very first time? And how excited they will be about entering your classroom. A door can be just a door, but is has the potential to be something far more magical. If we can start off with excitement and enthusiasm, who knows where it will take us!

Written by Little Dot

Results Day - A Teacher's Perspective

There has been a knot in my stomach that has been growing since the end of the exams.

This is not my first results day, but it is the first where the students have been mine from day one. Whatever the student see when they break into their envelope, it will have had everything to do with what I have done and that is big.

This cohort of students has worked against the odds from day one. Theirs is a generation who was educated in building sites as Schools for the Future and the Academies programme ripped down the schools around them. Each time, the shiny new buildings opened as they left. When the school became an Academy they stepped up to the plate and grabbed the new opportunities coming their way and were tolerant of the disruptions that came along with the change. They were encouraged to believe that Higher Education was their right then slapped in the face with the rise in tuition fees. They have weathered quite an educational storm to get this far and now they are on the brink of stepping out into the world as adults.

These students know that success in school means earning a place at university, but not one of them knows anyone in their families who went there. Some of their families think that uni is something that girls should not aspire to. Their academic dreams are something they share with me in guilty asides and my job has been to listen, affirm and tell them that yes, it is possible, yes, it is worth it and yes, you can do it. Gently and persuasively I have been saying yes to this group for two years.

So, the knot is tight and I am having sleepless nights. I do not worry that they did not work hard enough, or that I have not taught them how to succeed. Our classes have been filled with questions and laughter all of the while. These resilient and powerful teenagers have set their sights on a dream and have sought out the materials to achieve it. We have met before and after school, and in my PPA and in their study sessions. We have worked and wrestled with past papers, we have plotted and planned and revised, revised, revised. They are ready, they should succeed. They have taught me so much.

My worry is that this is not going to be enough, that the goal posts will move. A levels are the gold standard. These are the exams that we use to select the best students to move onto the next phase. These are the exams that the government hangs the educational system on to and these are the exams it will use to make a point.

I have been gently saying yes to my students for years. It has taken time, but they have begun to believe that their dreams are achievable in spite of some overwhelming odds. On Thursday we will find out what will happen next.

Wish us luck!

Written by Bookworm

BBC News - Heads call Michael Gove's A-Level changes "high risk"

Guardian News - Poorer students risk losing out to "middle-class bias"

Setting up for September - Tales from a Year 1 Teacher

Cupcake Reward Chart - Children earn a cupcake if they succeed being the "mystery student" for the day

I am about to embark upon my 3rd year of teaching and my 3rd year of setting up my classroom ready for September. I love this time of year when I can go into school, put my music on loud and start making the classroom space my own. I always start with thinking about the routines I want in place ready to start straight away in September and how I can visually communicate my expectations with the children. The whole process of setting up a new classroom took me just over a week and I thought I would share with you my journey and the end result...

Homeworkopoly

I used Homeworkopoly last year to engage student in completing homework tasks. It was so successful I wanted to repeat it again this year. It is always a good idea to re-use something that has worked in the past - but always keep in mind that it may not be as successful with your new bunch, every cohort is different!

Reading Area - Information Station

The class I am inheriting in September has a large percentage of boys and to promote reading I have ensured that there is a high profile non-fiction book section that will appeal to their interests. Always carefully consider the children in front of you and exploit their interests and hobbies to engage them with learning.

Literacy Displays

Literacy tree

My aim is to add more branches to the tree and adapt the leaves as the year progresses. The owl will have speech bubbles including "wow" words that the children generate and use in their writing.

Monster Maths Display

This display is unfinished. In the transition mornings with my new class, they absolutely loved using Class Dojo and having their own Dojo "monster" (if you haven't heard of it... look it up! It's a great behaviour management strategy). They also collect Moshi Monsters, so I've given my maths board a monster theme!

Numbered chairs

One of the topics this year will be space so I have numbered my chairs with a space theme from 1-30. I have used these numbered chairs to bring children gradually back to carpet - it's a great way of embedding number recognition and maths into regular routines.

Superhero Phonics Display - engaging the boys!

Reading Area

Reminders on the Whiteboard

It is so important when setting up a class for September to give the children lots of visual clues to show them your expectations and remind them of positive behaviour. These little reminders are great to use during whole-class inputs to ensure that learning is not disrupted, a quick eye-contact-and-point works well!

"Spicy" Challenge Trays

I introduced "spicy" challenges with my year 3 class last year and they absolutely loved it, so it's definitely something that I will continue in my move down to year 1. It was a brilliant method of self-differentiation and I found that children rarely decided to choose an activity from a "less spicy" tray than they are capable of tackling. It created real motivation to aim higher!

Target Squares - visual reminders of targets

Another strategy I introduced halfway through last year and found it to be incredibly effective. The children use whiteboard pens to quickly draw a symbol to represent a target they are working on. It is then always in their minds and a visual clue throughout lessons. If children move tables for different lessons, they can be wiped clean in seconds and re-drawn. I have always found target-setting a challenge to keep manageable for me and high-profile for the children and because the children are in charge of drawing the symbol, changing targets is as simple as a quick conversation with the teacher.

Tell a Good Tale

This contraption came about after I started "Tell a Good Tale" last year. The children told good tales immediately after coming in from break and lunch times. It allowed them to come away with something good to say about a peer - avoiding the "backlash" of break times and turning it into something positive. Each good tale equated to one marble in a jar, the marble run was the next logical step from there... the children walk in from break time immaculately in a bid to be the person that puts the marbles into the jar!

Things to think about when setting up your classroom for the first time
- Use resources or strategies that have worked in the past - but be prepared to adapt or change them!
- Show some of your personality
- Appeal to the children's interests and hobbies
- Show your expectations through the displays whether it is for behaviour or attainment
- Use routines that you will embed from day one so children come into your class and settle quickly
- Allow more time than you expect - jobs always take twice as long as you think they will!

What are your top tips for setting up a classroom for September?

Written by Little Dot