Social Networking

Social networking can be very beneficial in the classroom. In the past couple of weeks I've been trying to get use to facebook but am very use to myspace. In the classroom I would probably prefer facebook because of the privacy level. As a teacher I would like to use social networking as a way to stay in contact with parents and guardians. While I was volunteering at headstart, the teachers would tape important notes to the parent to the children, for example, a permission slip for a field trip would get taped around their wrist like a bracelet. They would do this to make sure that the parents would read the information and return it to school with their student. I would like to use social networking in addition to paper notes to parents because some parents will be more apt to respond to electronic communication and some will be more apt to respond to paper communications. With students I look forward to using social networking as a motivator to learn about the variety of technology available. There are many beneficial facebook applications that students can use as study aids. There was one in particular that made the state curriculum standards available to teachers, unfortunately, I didn't mark it and have been unable to find it again. I feel social networking can also be used to help build camaraderie amongst the students, help them to feel comfortable with each other and with myself, the teacher.