For our online meet up, we chose to use Facebook. Facebook is a great tool because you can access it from anywhere: phone, computer, iPad, tablet, etc. At our school, Facebook isn't blocked, so we could use this as a way to instant message each other. I think, nowadays, it is a lot easier to send a colleague, parent or student an email to talk about something. As for using Facebook with my students, the parents or other colleagues, that is a slippery slope. When I taught high school, my rule was: once you graduate, you can add me on Facebook. Of course, there are certain students I would never add, but there are some I would love to keep in touch with. I would not use Facebook with my current students. It is too easy for my students to snoop around my Facebook page. I do not need them to know what I am up to in my personal life. However, if I created a class page or group, then that would be different. I could make privacy settings and they wouldn't be able to see my person page.
I coached water polo for five years and I made a water polo group on Facebook. I posted our workout schedules, game schedules, announcements, pictures, stats, etc. I kept it a closed group, so I had to invite you to be in the group. Three different summers we took our athletes to Hungary to compete. I used both a Facebook page and a Blogspot to keep the parents in the loop. It was a great way for parents to see pictures and I would write daily updates as well. I think this really kept the parents at ease because they were constantly updated and could see what their daughters were doing.
Another platform that we used was Google docs. Jenn and I work at the same school, so we were able to brainstorm some more ideas for our Prezi on a Google doc. We could both be on the document at the same time and add whatever we wanted. This was a great platform because we were abel to do this while we were at work. Teachers are the best at multitasking!
What do you find is the best way to communicate with your colleagues while at work?
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ReplyDeleteJenny,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading about your experience using Facebook and I think your idea to use it abroad to keep parents in the loop was fantastic. Also, posting pictures and announcements about sport events and extra-curricular activity is a great way to engage and involved students. Somehow, your post also addressed my question about the use of Facebook in the classroom (with current students). If on one hand I can see advantages, on the other hand I am not sure it would be a good idea and anyway Facebook is locked at my school.
Like you, I used Facebook but I was not able to start the video chat.
Concerning your question, I work at very small school (in terms on campus size and number of faculty and students). I see my math and science teacher colleague every day as we all work in the same corridor and we also formally meet every week, together with the chairman of the math and science department. Therefore, the best way to communicate with them is in person. WE often briefly chat over assignments or instructional material and give each other feedback. It would probably take longer to have the same kind of conversation by email or chat. However, throughout the day and during weekends, we also exchange emails.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Lorenza: My school is very small as well. I usually just text, email or just stop by a colleagues classroom.
DeleteI agree that Facebook is not the platform I would choose to use for communication with parents or my students. Once they graduate then we can stay connected through Facebook, but as you said there are some students that I would not friend. Alycia in this class used Facebook for her Greek god project and it was a great tool. She made a class page for the students to post on. I like your idea of making a page for your water polo team. It can be a great way to connect and as you pointed out it has the easiest access. I would like to try Google hangouts to see if that worked well. I know a few people in our class were going to try it out.
ReplyDeleteI work at a small school so I would not need to collaborate through any virtual chat rooms with my colleagues, but it would be nice to collaborate with other schools via a virtual chat room. Here we just email or text since we are such a small close knit staff.
Hi Alyx: Making a Facebook page for a project is also a great idea! Then students can share ideas, pics, videos, etc.
DeleteJenny
I like the idea of creating a classroom page and adding parents (and students if you teach older students). This could be an effective way of communicating with past and present families. Using it for upcoming special events would be great for my classroom/school.
ReplyDelete