As a child of the late 20th century I have grown up using new and exciting forms of technology that make our lives easier (or seemingly that way). I can remember the Zack Morris cell phone from Saved By The Bell and how that has led to the development of the iPhones and Droids that are used by almost a third of cell phone users nowadays. In all that time technology has helped teachers and students connect in a way never thought of before; a way that enhances the learning process and helps both parties grow with each other. But, it can also be scary.

So, how do we balance this? 

Some teachers opt to create "Teacher" facebook accounts using School District email addresses that do not have any connection with their personal accounts. Others use services like Edmodo and Schoology. These services do provide a safer, alternative route to maintaining communication amongst faculty and students. In fact, they also provide easy avenues for parents to message teachers and keep tabs on student grades. I have seen teachers use a variety of online products like these to keep in touch outside of the classroom; it helps students remember what they are supposed to do and provides another way of getting help for low-income kids who might not have a college student babysitter or parent to ask for help on math homework.


Some teachers worry this kind of communication will become untenable, taking too much of their planning time or, even, their off time. I I worry about that as well - how will I balance my own family's needs if I am constantly being bombarded by those my students? Perhaps it is worthwhile to think about how much less time one might spend staying after school tutoring if quick questions could be answered in short online messages; or perhaps an online forum would allow some students to mentor others in their processes. 

I don't know what the exact answer is going to be, but I definitely want to help craft it so that my students and I have some ownership over the solution.