Social Media.
That is what has been running through my mind the last week or so.  I’ve been contemplating whether Intermediate students (ages 8 to 11 year olds) are ready for social media.  I have recently had some of my students want to “friend” me on Facebook, so it is obvious that at least some of the parents of these students believe they are ready.   My hesitation comes from seeing their behavior when allowed to participate on a social media network like Edmodo or in a chat room like Todays Meet.  It is like they really do not know how to have a conversation using the computer as a tool.  When I had my 5th graders sign up for Edmodo, I had to set some ground rules to keep them from typing incoherent junk.  When we used Todays Meet to run a back channel, I had several opportunities to stop and explain the effects of cyberbullying and the importance of thinking twice before posting anything. Several unkind sentences were posted.  I know they were meant in a joking way, but social media is at least to some extent a public forum, and some people who read the post may not understand the intent.  I know from the many blogs I read, there is a controversy over whether students should have access to these kinds of opportunities and challenges.  My question is, how else are they going to learn proper social etiquette and the consequences of improper social etiquette unless they are given opportunities in a “controlled environment”?  I see a hunger in my students to have these opportunities.  They constantly ask me if they have access to this at home. They have a desire to participate in this type of communication.  I believe it is my responsibility to teach them what proper use of social media looks like.  On a final note, I ran across this post called “10Things Your Grandmother Can Teach You About Social Media“, by Eric Fulwiler.  I have copied it here:

Social media isn’t something we have to learn. We just have to apply what we already know to a new social environment. The same personal qualities and social skills that you (hopefully) learned growing up are what will make you successful at social media. Here are 10 things an older relative probably told you at some point that you can apply to social media.

1. Mind your manners. Social media is still social. Even though we are interacting in a virtual space, the same traditional social rules, laws, and faux pas still apply. If you act like a jerk, don’t expect many friends.
2. Tuck in your shirt. How you present yourself is just as important in the virtual world as it is in the real world. Make sure you are always aware of how you appear to others.
3. Send a thank you card. People still appreciate being appreciated. It really doesn’t take much to convert an acquaintance to a friend, which will offer exponentially more value. A simple thank you, or any genuinely human interaction of gratitude goes a long way towards this goal.
4. Keep your elbows off the table. Acting respectfully in front of others proves that you value them, which will usually make them value you more. And in social media, it’s all about value.
5. Turn your music down. Don’t contribute to the noise. Listen to whatever you want in your own personal space, but when your personal preferences start to become a distraction to others, people will tune you out.
6. Finish what you started. Any way you look at it, engagement is a commitment. When you make an effort to become part of a community, it’s not only up to you when or how often you interact with other members. If you put yourself out there as a friend, be prepared to be there when people reach out to you.
7. Finish your vegetables. There are some aspects of social media that aren’t sexy. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t important to your growth and health. Make sure you are keeping up with the essentials, and not just chasing that buzz you get from a social sugar high.
8. Whatever happened to a good old fashioned…? Sometimes all these new gadgets and thingamabobs aren’t as important or effective as we make them out to be. Sometimes a good old fashioned email, phone call, or even in person “get-together” can accomplish things that social media can’t.
9. A man is only as good as his word. The currency of social media is trust (or social capital). And if people can’t trust you, you have no value to them.
10. Think twice before you speak. You can always say something, but you can never take it back. Especially in social media where everything you say can be heard by anyone, forever, there are just too many “finites” to not reconsider everything you say before you say it.