Category Archives: edushare

Social Media in the classroom

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Even in my short lifetime, the use of social media seems to have exploded over the past few years, bringing with it many benefits but also many dangers.

In my lecture today, I realised how teachers are so vulnerable to scrutiny, in particular from the press and media. Instead of focusing on what positive things education does, if a teacher makes one small mistake it will be front page news. Therefore it is so important that the GTCS have set out guidance so that I can maintain a standard of professionalism and understand how to address certain issues should they appear.  This is particularly relevant with regards to the growing world of social media. I personally have many different accounts on sites like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest (to name a few), however I am going to keep these private, but still at a high professional standard in order to follow the professional guidelines set out by the GTCS.

I find it hard to believe that primary school kids nowadays are using social media. However, after a story from my lecturer about his daughter’s own troubling experience on the internet, I now see how important it is to be aware of the engagement of pupils on social media as we cannot just ignore the impact is has on our class. Teachers should use social media to enhance their lessons, as the GTCS puts it, ” introducing their pupils to new tools and delivering the curriculum in innovative and engaging ways.” (GTCS Professional Guidance on the Use of Electronic Communication and Social Media) This is a positive way in which the class can be engaged with the world around them, so that the methods of teaching don’t seem outdated.

Whilst using social media and the internet in the classroom, it is crucial to teach the pupils about the dangers of communicating online. I remember internet safety was introduced to me when I was in the second half of my time at primary school through a series of cartoon videos. These were simple but effective videos and from then on I have always remembered to never add people I don’t know on social media sites, arrange to meet up with people I don’t know, and so on. When I become a teacher I want to make sure that my class are aware of the tips I received about communicating online, so that hopefully they themselves will agree and will stay safe. I will recommend to them that they don’t join any social media sites until they reach the minimum age requirement, however I am aware that there are ways around the minimum age requirement for younger children. Therefore, it is essential to teach children about using the internet properly and how to protect themselves online.

I conclusion, I don’t want my class to be afraid of the internet, just to understand the ways to stay safe. I want them to see that social media and the internet can be used for good, and for them to adopt this positive interaction. I will do everything I can to set an example for them, and to raise any concerns I may have about their use of the internet.

Also, I have decided to include some links below to helpful websites for anyone wanting to find out more about what kind of social media sites there are, the ways to stay safe on the internet and what to do about any online issues they may have.

http://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/

http://www.net-aware.org.uk/

http://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/share-aware/

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/

http://ceop.police.uk/

http://www.saferinternet.org.uk/

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/myexperiencesandoutcomes/technologies/index.asp

Why did I decide to do teaching?

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Probably like many other people, there are a number of reasons why I decided to do teaching. I remember wanting to become a teacher from a young age, although at this age it was mainly due to my admiration of my own primary teachers and the respect I had for them. As I got older, this aspiration grew.

When I was 14 I started to volunteer at the weekly children’s club at my Church (for children aged between Primary 1 and Primary 3). I really enjoyed volunteering there, I loved getting to know the kids and seeing their personalities develop from being shy little 4 year olds to energetic 7 year olds. I was amazed at the enthusiasm the children had and how eager they were to listen and to learn. Over time as my confidence developed I started to teach the children Bible stories up at the front and lead games, helping me gain some insights into what life would be like as a teacher.

It was because of my time at the children’s club at my Church that I decided to go to a local Primary school for my work experience when I was in Year 13 (I would have been 16 years old). I was only on the placement for three days, but by the end of these three days I was more determined than ever to become a teacher. From the first day I saw the respect the children had for their teacher, and the influence that she had over them. Every day I was amused by the random, yet funny stories the children would come in and tell me and I really felt like every day was different. I really liked getting to lead reading groups in the class and going round assisting those who needed extra help. One highlight from it was the sense of achievement I felt when one girl was struggling with alphabetical order. I told her to cover up the last part of the word with her hands and only look at the first letters, or second letters, and so on. She caught on to this technique really quickly and the next day when the class were doing alphabetical order tasks again, I saw the same girl and even some of her friends using the method that I had taught her to do the work. I was thrilled at the fact that I had been able to help a struggling pupil understand a topic that she didn’t before and so I knew that I wanted to choose a career where I had the privilege to teach children things that they will use for the rest of their life. I remember at the end of my work experience the teacher I was shadowing said to me, “I’ve been doing this for 30 years now and I still think it is the best job in the world.” And that comment has stayed with me ever since and inspired me even more to become a teacher.

Another reason why I wanted to do teaching was because in my final year of High School (Year 14), I had the absolute pleasure of being a ‘buddy’ to Year 8 pupils. I got to see a more pastoral side of teaching, as I went into their class every morning, got to chat and joke around with them, but also be there for them if they were having any problems. I really liked my time as a buddy, no day was ever the same and no moment was ever boring.

Reflecting on what I have just talked about, my next question is; what kind of teacher do I want to become?

I want to be a teacher who is a role model for her class. I want to be an enthusiastic teacher who loves her job, just like the teacher I shadowed on my work experience. I want to be well respected but also some one the kids know they can trust and tell their problems to. I want to be knowledgeable and patient, caring and kind, hard-working and focused. Most importantly though, I want to be a teacher that doesn’t just teach the class the curriculum subjects like geography etc., I want to help them develop positive characteristics that they will need in life like team work, open-mindedness, tolerance. I want to inspire my class to be the best that they can and to get the best out of them.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at both Primary and Secondary school, and I want to make sure that the classes I teach in the future also have happy experiences at school.

I conclusion, I believe that education is such a privilege to have as it, as the saying goes, ‘opens doors’ for opportunities and jobs and so I am so eager to help the future generations get an education so that they can get the most out of their lives.