Parents Dig Social Media

Had the opportunity to speak with several parents today about the ins and outs of a paperless classroom.

And two things struck me.

First was that they almost seemed to 'expect' that we'd be using social tech and blogging in class. It really didn't so much come as a surprise to them as it did a relief. This confirms what I've seen over the last two years: parents by-and-large are comfortable with their students using social tools in school. And as social media has become mainstream, parents have come to accept it as just another part of culture.

Second was the thing that almost every parent said was the best the about a paperless classroom: the opportunity to turn daily blogging into a digital portfolio of academic growth. Fundamentally parents understand this. After all, we are the ones who collect bits of our kids' lives in baby-books, scrap-books, and photo albums. The blog is an extension of this habit. The big difference is that the blogs are produced by the kids themselves.

Too often we teachers treat parents as 'the other'. In fact, we should remember that they are usually the ones who want the best for their kids.

So if you are willing to give their kids your best, they're willing to give you their trust. And that's a partnership worth blogging about.