Education by Social Media?

My daughter started kindergarten last week. She is the first of my two to enter kindergarten (We won't go into details on the tears, the separation anxiety, the emptiness in the stomach -- all on the part of mom! She never looked back!). Both of my kids went through a private, education daycare/school, so learning in a classroom setting is not new to her. And while the preschool used social media, for some reason, the public schools' use of social media and digital communications is astounding to me! Good grief! How times have changed!

Teachers communicate by email. The school communicates by email. PTA communicates by email. Everyone has a website. Teachers have blogs. And, this is the one that really amazes me, school districts use Facebook! Now, I know those of you out there with older kids are saying, yeah? So? You have been in this era of education via social media for a few years now. For me, it is strangely an adjustment. Let's just think back...

How did we survive growing up in an age without even, gasp, computers? Y'all remember the first computers, right? Weren't they just used for playing Pac-Man? Or Centipede? Or Frogger? We were just excited when our Atari was finally connected to a color TV! Teachers and parents connected via parent teacher conferences or paper notes back and forth. There was no email. There was certainly no social media platforms! And remember when, on those snowy mornings, you would listen to that AM radio station to see if your school was closed for the day? Now you just check Facebook. And maybe turn on the TV. But that is really just to see the weather report. Oh wait. You probably have The Weather Channel's app. You don't need your TV at all!

Social media has changed our world - the world of parenting. I think it is both great, and scary, that there are now all of these ways to communicate with my daughter's school district, school and teacher. I hope that, while these new avenues are exciting, convenient and helpful, I never lose sight of the fact that face-to-face encounters will always be the best way to learn about what my daughter is doing at school.

Being a new social media specialist, I, of course, cannot help but believe I could help many of these schools develop a solid, interactive (and active!) and fun social media presence. Of course I could! J

Check out what some schools are doing on social media. If your child's school has a presence, share your thoughts on what is working best and how you depend on their social media activity.  If they do not have an active presence, perhaps they would be open to the suggestion. After all, "everyone is on Facebook, Mom!"

School districts:

https://www.facebook.com/northcantoncityschools

https://www.facebook.com/friscoisd

https://www.facebook.com/allenisd

https://www.facebook.com/LivoniaPublicSchools

PTA's using social media (great idea!)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Corbell-Elementary-PTA/208159142288

Parents forming groups on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/138304562920138/