Calgon take me away!! At long last, I have found a solution! Our professor told us in this assignment that we didnt' have to sign up for anything to explore what these educational social networks have to offer. Are you freaking KIDDING ME??? I decided to explore my content area first. I clicked on Ning's English Companion to look around. What I found was some ideas that piqued my interest. When I went to click on a few of them to explore further, I found I had to sign up in order to participate. Great marketing. I was a little annoyed at first, so I wrote a few flippant comments on the "application." I got a little message that I had to wait to be "accepted." Another great marketing ploy. A little later in the afternoon, I found myself being overjoyed that someone loved me enough to call me on my bluff, and guess what? I was accepted. I was in. I was a part of the "knowing intellectuals." So I explored. And I explored. And I fell in love with some of the things I saw. I saw that not all English teachers know everything. I saw that some were asking questions that I could answer. I saw that I would be able to make a significant contribution. And I started combing my files for answers to questions. The sharing began!! I also began to feel like it was okay if I asked questions, too. And I plan to do just that. I explored books that teachers were teaching and got some great ideas. After spending about an hour looking around, I stopped myself to grab a grape kool-aid, and realized I had not wasted an hour, but that I had spent an hour learning and growing. What a cool deal. I am a believer now. I have found a substitute for Facebook, and it is vastly more than just that. It's a place I can go to make a contribution to the BETTERMENT of a teeny, tiny little microscopic nook in the universe...a safe place of reciprocity, where I can improve my teaching...Thank you, Ning!
I had much the same experience with Classroom 2.0. Right off the bat, I saw two articles that fascinated me...one about whether or not to teach cursive writing and one about interactive white boards (my personal nemesis). I was intrigued with the assortment of ideas and links and experiences from which I could benefit, and I look forward to exploring Classroom 2.0 further. I view these social networking pages as places I can go as a teacher to enhance my teaching...a place for professional growth and development, which will ultimately impact my students in the classroom indirectly.
Edmodo, however, is the place I have discovered where I can impact student achievement directly. It is a place I can encourage students to go to share about classroom assignments, pose questions to the teacher, and collaborate together on work assignments themselves. I like Edmodo because it is so similar to Facebook, and is therefore easy for students to navigate. I will definitely plan to use Edmodo in my classroom in the coming months.
So I have switched addictions. I think I can safely deactivate my Facebook account forever now. Wipe everything out and take myself off of the Facebook grid forever. Big Brother will not find me there anymore. Instead, I'm going to be dancing in the Sunlight of Illumination in places like Ning, Classroom 2.0, and Edmodo...and kiss Facebook goodbye forever................................................well..........................................maybe.