Skip to main content

Pinterest ~ A Teacher's Best Friend!?!

By

A Teacher's Best Friend!?!

I know that this post may be a little touchy for some, but I think it does need to be said.  As I, and other educators, begin to build their professional learning networks on social media, many educators are turning to Pinterest for their teaching ideas.  I, too, use Pinterest for ideas.  I have boards on all types of educational topics.  I also have lifestyle boards with recipes, ideas for the house, my hopes and dreams, and more.  Pinterest can really be a time sucker if you let it. But, it can also be an educator's best friend.  There are so many great educational "pinners".

However, Pinterest can also be a detriment to education if teachers use many of the ideas that are posted.  I love the ideas for classroom organization, experiments, instructional technology, and student collaboration.  However, I am seeing too many pins that are worksheets and things that say they are "Common Core Aligned".  I am really weary about these pins.  Common Core is not supposed to add more worksheets for students.  Reading isn't about worksheets.  It's about deep reading and understanding of text.  Math is also getting a bad wrap from many of these worksheets that are "pinned" and used that are so-called "common core aligned".  Make sure that what you pin is truly aligned to your curriculum standards.

When looking through the "pins", be sure that you are following great educators.  Because my interest in in Educational Technology, I tend to follow and pin a lot about that subject.  The more you pin and follow, the more you will grow your professional learning network (PLN).  Just be sure to follow quality boards and pinners.  Some of the pinners that I think are a must to follow include:

So, start exploring and pinning to your heart's content.  Just make sure that as you pin, you stay organized and pin best practices in education.  Don't be lured away into a Pinterest black hole!

Happy Pinning!!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SAMR and Google ~ A Beautiful Combination

By
I've been really investigating the SAMR model lately.  If you aren't familiar with the SAMR for integrating technology into the classroom, that's ok.  I first learned about it last year at a conference.  I went to a breakout session and came out more confused than when I went in.  So, I took it upon myself to learn about it through researching it online. The SAMR model is this:  Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition The more I investigated, the more I realized that our district needs to really look at where we are on this model.  Yes, we are a Google for Education district!  Yes, all students and teachers have access to Google Drive!  But, NO, we are not redefining education with technology. One day I was inspired by a fellow Google for Education trainer to really look at how we can use Google Drive to redefine our lessons.  So, I created the graphic below with ideas on how to use Google Drive and other Google products through the SAMR model.  
Post a Comment
Read more

Contraction Mania!

By Unknown
This week our first grade team analyzed some Fountas and Pinnell level G books to figure out what needed to be taught in reading to help our students get to that level.  We realized that many of the books contained contractions and words with inflected endings.  Our first plan of action was to immerse students in a word study of contractions. So, this week I introduced the word "contractions" to my class.  I first wrote the word on a piece of chart paper and had them turn and talk and try to tell their partners what the word was.  It was funny listening to them talk to each other.  After about a minute I had them turn back and tell me what they discussed.  I called on one child who then said, "We decided that we don't know what a contraction is."  Then, the rest of the class agreed with him.  I just had to chuckle at that.  It was so cute!  Then, I introduced contractions to the kids slowly using paint sample cards that I had made in advance. ~ I got the idea
Post a Comment
Read more

Micro:bits for 7th graders

By
We were very fortunate to have received micro:bits from the Economic Development Council of St. Charles County for our 7th grade Project Lead the Way course (Design and Modeling).  Our students shined in their coding of the micro:bit and tried to create a game or device that would be good for a student with cerebral palsy (which is what they have been learning about in their PLTW course).  Students made light boxes, rock paper scissors bracelets, music devices, reaction time devices, and more! If you haven't heard of micro:bits, let me tell you a "bit" about them.  They are small programmable devices that have an LED screen with buttons on one side that can be programmed.  Other small devices can be attached via alligator clips and programmed as well.  For more information about micro:bits go to their website:   https://support.microbit.org/support/solutions/articles/19000013983-what-is-a-micro-bit- Using the programs already on the micro:bit website or coding from sc
Post a Comment
Read more