Turning Facebook Into an
Educational Asset
There’s been a revelation in my AP Language course this year: a Facebook Group was started!
Almost every student in my two sections is a member, and it has been a fantastic conduit of information and knowledge, teaching and learning.
Our group is five months old, but there are already hundreds of posts, comments, and likes. Every inch of it has educational value and I'm going to demonstrate that value with this blog's assorted examples.
Special thanks to Christine Wong for starting the group -- and for being nice enough to invite me to join! (There are plenty of Facebook groups out there that the teachers are not a part of ...)
Almost every student in my two sections is a member, and it has been a fantastic conduit of information and knowledge, teaching and learning.
Our group is five months old, but there are already hundreds of posts, comments, and likes. Every inch of it has educational value and I'm going to demonstrate that value with this blog's assorted examples.
Special thanks to Christine Wong for starting the group -- and for being nice enough to invite me to join! (There are plenty of Facebook groups out there that the teachers are not a part of ...)
I have always loved to distribute contemporary articles to my students -- whether it's to analyze writing techniques, add content to a unit, or a million other reasons. The Facebook Group is a dream-come-true for me, and I've posted at least two or three articles weekly since we started our on-line community.
I like this one because (a) It's about the curious combination of Anne Frank & Justin Bieber; and b) It's a great writing example to analyze for our class lessons.
I like this one because (a) It's about the curious combination of Anne Frank & Justin Bieber; and b) It's a great writing example to analyze for our class lessons.
A student shared a parody on the semicolon.
My students know I live for sentence variety, and properly using punctuation like the semicolon has a special place in my heart.
(Kurt Vonnegut disagrees: “Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you've been to college.”)
Students will frequently post videos and articles of content that is related to our studies. Why should I be the only one!?
My students know I live for sentence variety, and properly using punctuation like the semicolon has a special place in my heart.
(Kurt Vonnegut disagrees: “Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you've been to college.”)
Students will frequently post videos and articles of content that is related to our studies. Why should I be the only one!?
I wrote alongside my students as we did some style-analysis practice with Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass.
That night I posted what I had written.
That night I posted what I had written.
The Facebook Group was especially active during The Research Paper.
It's a wonderful forum for questions and answers -- and I don't have to give them all the solutions! Quite often students help other students through the on-going discussions.
It's a wonderful forum for questions and answers -- and I don't have to give them all the solutions! Quite often students help other students through the on-going discussions.
During the Research Paper, I used the group as a quick, efficient method of sharing important pieces with students who were working on related topics.
I sometimes ask students to post their essays as models for us all to study and and steal from!
This one: The 2012 Synthesis Essay on Restructuring the USPS.
This one: The 2012 Synthesis Essay on Restructuring the USPS.
I have a love for all things ART. This passion fuels everything I do in the classroom and every theory I write about on my website, blog, and book.
These are two examples of some of the artsy postings I have created: Above is a student's response to my Abstract Art lessons. Right is an Instagrammed photo I took from the end of my street.
These are two examples of some of the artsy postings I have created: Above is a student's response to my Abstract Art lessons. Right is an Instagrammed photo I took from the end of my street.
Isn't it amazing how much media we can share in the Internet Age?
(Isn't it amazing that two of my favorite teaching examples -- Jay Z and Jay Gatsby -- became forever intertwined this past year?)
(Isn't it amazing that two of my favorite teaching examples -- Jay Z and Jay Gatsby -- became forever intertwined this past year?)
Contests always make great posts!
My class had a dramatic improvement in award winners and published authors this year -- because of this Facebook Group!
My class had a dramatic improvement in award winners and published authors this year -- because of this Facebook Group!
Last example: One more article! This one's about writing the college essay .... one of my specialties!
There are an infinite number of ways to use the Facebook Group as an educational asset. I could add another 50 examples to this blog!
Whatever way you choose to use technology to improve your teaching, I encourage you to experiment with novel concepts, pursue new ideas, and take risks!
Whatever way you choose to use technology to improve your teaching, I encourage you to experiment with novel concepts, pursue new ideas, and take risks!
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