Teacher uses Twitter in Grade 1/2 classroom

[dpareja]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/story/2013/06/19/wdr-teacher-tweeting-classroom-award.html

A teacher in Windsor, Ont., is teaching her first and second grade students to tweet, blog and Skype as part of the elementary curriculum.

"It’s a different language in my class," said Kristen Wideen, who teachers a split class at Eastwood public school.

Her students tweet using the handle @MrsWideensClass. Kids write the tweets, Wideen approves them.

I'm a touch worried by this. I find it pretty painful to read anything longer than a Twitter post that isn't properly formatted (indented paragraphs on a printed page, or blank lines between paragraphs on a screen) with good spelling and grammar, and I'm afraid this will encourage precisely the opposite.

[Askold]

It encourages the children to write and as long as the teacher makes them write properly (rather than using silly abbreviations and text message speak) I think this is a good idea. The blogs particularly are a good idea since you can write longer text there rather than the limited letter count in text messages and such.

In fact if these kids learn to use proper spelling in tweets they are well ahead of the average twitter user.

[anti-nonsense]

I agree, since it looks like the teacher is monitoring the messages being posted, hopefully she will use them to teach the kids proper grammar and spelling early on and create good internet habits.

[Art Vandelay]

If there's one thing that's sorely needed right the fuck now, it's teaching kids how not to be a fuckwad on the internet. The earlier, the better. Hell, I remember even in 2004 we were effectively taught this exact concept as part of I believe it was design and technology class. Naturally, it focused almost exclusively on email, since back then social media was non-existent and everyone over the age of 25 thought forums and chatrooms were the exclusive domain of paedophiles and FBI agents, but the spirit of it was largely the same.

I for one applaud this teacher.

[mellenORL]

 

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRtw6frKPxU" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRtw6frKPxU</a>

Two of her students made this.

[Flying Mint Bunny!]

Aww. That videos so cute.

[Cerim Treascair]

How clever! I linked this to my retired teacher dad, and he approves.

[Sylvana]

I commend this teacher.
As much as the people on the internet are assholes, things like twitter and blogs and other social media are integral parts of our society now. As such it would really benefit these children to lean about them, and how to use them effectively and hopefully responsibly.
They will learn eventually, this just helps them to learn what is best first.

[Radiation]

Aww. That videos so cute.

Seconded that. Reminds me of my oldest niece when she was first learning about the water cycle, her teacher had taught a song that was in the tune to "The Wheels on the Bus Go 'Round and 'Round." She sang this water cycle song for days.