People always want to know how we can bring schools (or business and other such establishments) out of the past and into the future. After all, what is more important than bringing our centers of education into the modern age? That is where our future leaders and innovators are being grown and groomed. One way we can help bring schools into the future is by bringing the lines of communication up to speed between the parents and teachers and school administrators.
After all, would you want dial-up when you could have high speed internet, or slow spotty cellphone service when you could have 4G LTE? Of course not!
After all, would you want dial-up when you could have high speed internet, or slow spotty cellphone service when you could have 4G LTE? Of course not!
So, how do we update the schools’ lines of communications? Through social media of course! Now, you might be feeling a little bit skeptical about bringing social media into school. After all, isn't that what parents are trying to teach their kids to keep out of schools? Or, you could be thinking that social media is just a way that students keep up with their friends. Ask yourself this, though, “do I use social media?” Yes? Well then, that means your peers – the parents of students – use social media to communicate, stay in touch, and keep updated with events and happenings too. What better way for schools to stay in touch with parents than with a mode of communication that parents are already using? Let's look at a few other ways that social media can help keep the lines of communication open between parents and schools.
Besides being a form of communication that most everyone else uses, platforms like Facebook are two way lines of communication. School websites are great for the purpose they serve. They can provide a nice list of events, tell people about some special features and benefits that can be found at the school, and provide a few other features as well. However, school websites only provide one way communication: communication from the schools and teachers to the parents. They don't allow for any give and take, plus parents have to go and search for the school website instead of having updates and important information delivered to them. Parents don't want schools to just talk to them; they want to be able to hold a conversation (of sorts – as much of a one as you can carry on virtually!) with schools. Parents want to be heard by the schools, not just hear from the schools. You can check out this link for more great ways Facebook benefits the two way communication of parents and schools.
Social networks such as Facebook also provide parents with ease of access. Everyone is busy these days. We rush out of bed in the morning, hurry to work, try to get some exercise in and make time for cooking and eating healthy. Besides just trying to stay on top of work and household chores while trying to squeeze in a couple minutes to relax every day, there are social obligations, outings with friends, work parties, and (if we are lucky!) a hobby or two that take up our time. Parents with kids in school are even busier. They have to sometimes drop off and pick up kids from school, plus attend games, school concerts, help with homework, feed and clothe their kids, look after the health and wellbeing of their kids, take their kids to their friends’ houses and organize weekend activities, and the list could go on and on! Parents are busy people! They don't have time to even remember to check a school’s website. If a school uses Facebook, though, it can update parents on important school activities, making a parent’s life easier.
Social media also makes the life of a school administrator easier. Schools can use Facebook to send targeted messages to specific parents to let them know about certain activities or functions that their children are in (think soccer game, basketball game, and performance by the school orchestra). With Facebook, schools can make sure parents are always up to date with what is going on, saving schools from having to deal with parent frustration.
Another great way schools and parents can use social media together is to keep parents updated on what kids are doing in school. It used to be that parents really didn't know much about their child's curriculum and their academic progress until a parent/teacher conference rolled around. Now teachers can have Twitter accounts that allow them to communicate with parents, informing parents of the curriculum and providing parents with updates and feedback on their children's progress. This is a great article to check out on the subject.
With social media, schools and parents can always have open lines of communication (that are easy and fast to use and access). This helps schools and parents to ease their burdens and their frustrations, making raising children that much easier.
About the Author:
Yohana Petrovic is a writer and educator. She has 10 years` experience in educating and now she is a proofreader at http://globalessays.org/. You can reach her on Facebook: Yohana Petrovic
Besides being a form of communication that most everyone else uses, platforms like Facebook are two way lines of communication. School websites are great for the purpose they serve. They can provide a nice list of events, tell people about some special features and benefits that can be found at the school, and provide a few other features as well. However, school websites only provide one way communication: communication from the schools and teachers to the parents. They don't allow for any give and take, plus parents have to go and search for the school website instead of having updates and important information delivered to them. Parents don't want schools to just talk to them; they want to be able to hold a conversation (of sorts – as much of a one as you can carry on virtually!) with schools. Parents want to be heard by the schools, not just hear from the schools. You can check out this link for more great ways Facebook benefits the two way communication of parents and schools.
Social networks such as Facebook also provide parents with ease of access. Everyone is busy these days. We rush out of bed in the morning, hurry to work, try to get some exercise in and make time for cooking and eating healthy. Besides just trying to stay on top of work and household chores while trying to squeeze in a couple minutes to relax every day, there are social obligations, outings with friends, work parties, and (if we are lucky!) a hobby or two that take up our time. Parents with kids in school are even busier. They have to sometimes drop off and pick up kids from school, plus attend games, school concerts, help with homework, feed and clothe their kids, look after the health and wellbeing of their kids, take their kids to their friends’ houses and organize weekend activities, and the list could go on and on! Parents are busy people! They don't have time to even remember to check a school’s website. If a school uses Facebook, though, it can update parents on important school activities, making a parent’s life easier.
Social media also makes the life of a school administrator easier. Schools can use Facebook to send targeted messages to specific parents to let them know about certain activities or functions that their children are in (think soccer game, basketball game, and performance by the school orchestra). With Facebook, schools can make sure parents are always up to date with what is going on, saving schools from having to deal with parent frustration.
Another great way schools and parents can use social media together is to keep parents updated on what kids are doing in school. It used to be that parents really didn't know much about their child's curriculum and their academic progress until a parent/teacher conference rolled around. Now teachers can have Twitter accounts that allow them to communicate with parents, informing parents of the curriculum and providing parents with updates and feedback on their children's progress. This is a great article to check out on the subject.
With social media, schools and parents can always have open lines of communication (that are easy and fast to use and access). This helps schools and parents to ease their burdens and their frustrations, making raising children that much easier.
About the Author:
Yohana Petrovic is a writer and educator. She has 10 years` experience in educating and now she is a proofreader at http://globalessays.org/. You can reach her on Facebook: Yohana Petrovic
