I'm confused... Twitter related...

[joenali]

So my class has a Twitter page. We use Twitter 3-5 times a week to post what did during the day, at the end of the day.

I was looking at the list of parent followers I have and in the description of one of them it said "I'm on Twitter because my daughter's second grade class tweets. I'm not happy about it."

I can't tell if this is a joke or it's really how she feels. I guess if it was really how she felt, she would say to me "I don't like the idea of a Twitter acount for a classroom". It looks like she tweets herself, but I have to follow her in order to see what she tweets. I'm not interested in following parents.

FYI, I do not post pics of kids only of charts or work that they produce.

I find it to be a fun tool to use so parents can start a conversation about their kids day. It only takes about 3-5 minutes to compose a tweet, so it's not like it's taking up major instructional time.

What do you think?

[InBetweenDays]

Well I'm twitter dumb (or twitter dee?). Don't have a twitter account, have no desire to have one. I wouldn't care if DD's teacher used a twitter account for school purposes, but I'd be a little annoyed if that was the only way to see the charts or work the kids produce (as opposed to a blog, etc.).

ETA: I also agree with SB about the privacy aspect. DS' daycare has a facebook page, but you have to request to be part of the group and see the page.

[joenali]

It's not public. You can't see our tweets unless I approve it. The tweets go something line this: We did a math game that can help us with addition. We had music.

That's it.

[joenali]

Don't t get me started on our blog option. Our blog format suuuuuuucks!! I also send a weekly newsletter via email. This is just one short form of communication.

[joenali]

Parents also sign an Internet usage form. They aren't even "using" twitter. It's me typing and they give me the rundown of the day.

[tacocat]

I can easily read that as a joke... I say things jokingly sometimes that people take seriously. Have you met this mom?

[InBetweenDays]

Probably wouldn't bug me then. I was thinking maybe she means she isn't happy about having a twitter account, but that doesn't sound likely if you say she tweets herself.

I just wouldn't want to have to rely on social media to get information from the teacher. So as long as all that information is also provided in the newsletter I'd be okay with it.

[karebear219]

I think her issue is educational. She doesn't understand the role of technology in the classroom. The mom isn't thinking about the things it is teaching her daughter by using twitter in this way. I say ignore her.

[InBetweenDays]

I don't know. I can understand using twitter with the parents. And I most definitely see a need for some technology in the classroom. But I don't see any educational reason for a 2nd grader to be learning anything from twitter.

[joenali]

Oct 23, 2012 22:17:34 GMT -5 InBetweenDays said:

I don't know. I can understand using twitter with the parents. And I most definitely see a need for some technology in the classroom. But I don't see any educational reason for a 2nd grader to be learning anything from twitter.

You are missing the point of why we use twitter. This is how we close the day. What did we learn today? The kids compose verbally, I type, I also tuck in some writing conventions work as we write together. It's called interactive writing. So yeah, a second grader can learn something while tweeting. The tweets can also be used as conversation starters when a parent asks about their kids day. It's absolutely educational.

[emyinpink]

Oct 23, 2012 23:04:09 GMT -5 joenali said:

Oct 23, 2012 22:17:34 GMT -5 InBetweenDays said:

I don't know. I can understand using twitter with the parents. And I most definitely see a need for some technology in the classroom. But I don't see any educational reason for a 2nd grader to be learning anything from twitter.

You are missing the point of why we use twitter. This is how we close the day. What did we learn today? The kids compose verbally, I type, I also tuck in some writing conventions work as we write together. It's called interactive writing. So yeah, a second grader can learn something while tweeting. The tweets can also be used as conversation starters when a parent asks about their kids day. It's absolutely educational.

I think this is seriously awesome. And if the parent is against it, they're lame .

[tacocat]

Oct 23, 2012 23:04:09 GMT -5 joenali said:

Oct 23, 2012 22:17:34 GMT -5 InBetweenDays said:

I don't know. I can understand using twitter with the parents. And I most definitely see a need for some technology in the classroom. But I don't see any educational reason for a 2nd grader to be learning anything from twitter.

You are missing the point of why we use twitter. This is how we close the day. What did we learn today? The kids compose verbally, I type, I also tuck in some writing conventions work as we write together. It's called interactive writing. So yeah, a second grader can learn something while tweeting. The tweets can also be used as conversation starters when a parent asks about their kids day. It's absolutely educational.

This is really interesting to me. Where did this come from?

[joenali]

Where did what come from?

[tacocat]

Oct 23, 2012 23:10:25 GMT -5 joenali said:

Where did what come from?

The idea for it.

[joenali]

My vice principal. Also, we need technology in our rooms. I have two student computers and one of which is not working. I've been using my iPad for a lot of things during the day. But really I think twitter can be a great classroom tool.

[tacocat]

Oct 23, 2012 23:38:22 GMT -5 joenali said:

My vice principal. Also, we need technology in our rooms. I have two student computers and one of which is not working. I've been using my iPad for a lot of things during the day. But really I think twitter can be a great classroom tool.

It sounds like it is kept private and keeps the kids involved so thumbs up from me!

[maddysmum]

Love it. I'd think it was fantastic. It would make me feel very in touch with the day to day, something I appreciate and can be hard to do if you aren't an in-class parent, you know?

One thought - I often freak out a little about my kids growing up and would be likely to write a comment about "P did this *insert big kid thing here* in school today - I'm not happy with this growing up stuff" - could it be read that way? Bit of a stretch, I think, but maybe?

[InBetweenDays]

Oct 23, 2012 23:04:09 GMT -5 joenali said:

Oct 23, 2012 22:17:34 GMT -5 InBetweenDays said:

I don't know. I can understand using twitter with the parents. And I most definitely see a need for some technology in the classroom. But I don't see any educational reason for a 2nd grader to be learning anything from twitter.

You are missing the point of why we use twitter. This is how we close the day. What did we learn today? The kids compose verbally, I type, I also tuck in some writing conventions work as we write together. It's called interactive writing. So yeah, a second grader can learn something while tweeting. The tweets can also be used as conversation starters when a parent asks about their kids day. It's absolutely educational.

I wouldn't say I was missing the point. I didn't understand fully how you were using it. I wouldn't want my 2nd grader to be interacting with twitter directly. Talking and having you write it (as you would in an email to the parents)? Sure.

[jennlin]

Oct 23, 2012 21:26:16 GMT -5 InBetweenDays said:

Probably wouldn't bug me then. I was thinking maybe she means she isn't happy about having a twitter account, but that doesn't sound likely if you say she tweets herself.

I just wouldn't want to have to rely on social media to get information from the teacher. So as long as all that information is also provided in the newsletter I'd be okay with it.

this. she's probably be sarcastic, but it's annoying.

i think it's a great idea (although, it would force me to get a twitter account, too, since i don't use it).

[fiddles]

Eh. I could see my H being a little perturbed by this because he'd have to sign up for a twitter account to try and follow. I would probably look at it daily but I don't think he would. I could see the parent from both sides. They might have been a little perturbed at first for having to sign up for something they particularly don't want.

[fiddles]

I might have missed this....do parents know about twitter? Do you tell them about it in the beginning of the year and why you guys use it?

[Deleted]

I think your way of incorporating it in the classroom is excellent. It's also a good way to slowly start adding in additional information about safety online (which hopefully their parents are doing, but more angles, the better).

And since you sent out a regular newsletter, no parent has to follow the tweets if they don't want

[livinitup]

I don't understand why you haven't had a good conversation with this parent follower about her description. Seems like a no-brainer to follow-up with his/her conserns.

To be honest, you seem a bit smug about the usefulness of Twiiter as an educational tool and condescending to opposition to it. As a parent, I would need you to explain how and why you use it and based on these few posts, you seems convinced its "absolutely educational". Do the parents know this? And there is a hint that you are using your own resources due to broken ones in the classroom - which just adds to your projection of frustration. Which is likely justified, but as a parent I don't appreciate being talked down to because I don't recogninze the educational benefit AND personal sacrifice a teacher is extending without a GOOD explaination. I can't read your mind.

[joenali]

Great. Thanks for the advice!!