Social Networking in the Classroom

While many schools discourage the use of social networking sites in school, these sites often have unharnessed potential in the classroom. For instance, Facebook has an application weRead (formerly iRead), which allows users to recommend books, rate them, and write critiques. This program reflects the practices of the much praised Nancie Atwell, who has her students write in journals about their reading experiences allowing other students to comment on their peers reflections as well as herself. Social networking sites can be a valuable discussion tool for literature. The blogging feature also allows students to post their creative writing work and others to make comments. Such a feature helps to build student confidence in their writing. Overall I believe students should be allowed to use social networking sites within schools. The important issue is guiding them to productive use rather than simply posting comments to friends and watching videos. It simply comes down to an educator having the classroom management skills to guide his or her students.

Autobiography

There has always been something drawing me to the field of education. It started as a fascination with my parents careers. My mother was an elementary school teacher and eventually was drawn into the field of Special Education and Administrative Education. Growing up I spent a great deal of time assisting her in her room and working with students with special needs. Through these experiences she has undoubtedly been my greatest influence in the pursuit of my career. As I watched her influence the lives of her students, through her devotion and compassion for them, I was changed.

In school I found enjoyment in helping other students, and in the back of my mind I considered becoming a teacher. In my junior year of high school I met a teacher who inspired me with her love of teaching. Every year she seemed to breathe new life into her subject matter. I enjoyed her so much that I later became her teacher’s aid, a task which involved tutoring, correcting papers, editing for the newspaper, and organizing her class materials. At times she even asked me to present in class or to help her choose a lesson plan. Through this experience I gained confidence in my abilities, but it was not until one of my other teachers suggested education that I truly considered it. My teacher’s faith in my abilities made me realize that teaching was what I loved most. I found that I was happiest when I was teaching others and helping them achieve unknown levels of academic achievement.

A fresh start

This blog is a documentation of my educational goals, beliefs, and practices. It will serve as a portfolio for my work.