Life for most middle-schoolers without Instagram wouldn't be a life at all. Seriously, just ask them about it. It's one of the many ways in which they communicate, and a way that I am interested in engaging with them outside of the classroom. Some of you might be thinking, "Wait, What?" Literally, did you just think that? (Yes, I may spend too much time with tweens and teens) Last year, I decided to start an Instagram page dedicated to what was taking place in my classroom. I added the information to my syllabus and had 10-15 students sign up, as well as 5-6 parents. Clearly, none of my posts were going to go viral, but that wasn't the point. The point was to display student work in a different medium and give my followers an opportunity to show pride in the projects they completed. This year, I decided to take it a step further, and start communicating with students on my page. Last year, all I did was post pictures and never made a comment. I don't spend every evening on there, but I occasionally post pictures of class activities and my lab-mix, but the kids love it. A couple of weeks ago, word got out from a student posting a shout-out, and within 3 hours I picked up another 40+ followers. Wow, the power of social media. How to use that power is where things get tricky. We've all heard of teachers having inappropriate contact with students, and even though I know that would never be me, the simple accusation will ruin a career. But true leaders aren't afraid to take chances, and no one ever got anywhere by "playing it safe", so that's how I'm proceeding-openly and safely, and preparing to incorporate some small curriculum items into my feed. How great would it be to actually get these kids to talk about literature outside of the classroom? That's the track I'm on-I know it's not for everyone-but I think it is going to work for me. If I really want to engage my students and get inside their heads, I believe I have to do some of that on their terms. Not to mention, they think it's pretty cool that their teacher has shown an interest in their ways of communication these days. If you're giving this idea any thought, my suggestions are to keep your account completely open and never follow a student back. I only follow my daughter and my principal. Speaking of which, make sure your school or district does not prohibit classroom social media accounts and your building leader has access to your information at any time. In addition, get the buy-in from your parents; have them follow you also. It helps with some conservation starters at home. It's kind of tough for a student to say they didn't do anything at school when there are pictures stating otherwise! Lastly, it goes without saying that Snapchat is a giant no-no. Transparency is key.
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