Jill Johnson, classintercom.com

Does giving students the usernames and passwords to your school social media accounts sound like a good idea? Probably not. Conversely, giving students the opportunity to create content for your school’s social media accounts is a great idea if you have a plan to moderate their content in a secure and systematic way.

We talk about digital citizenship a lot. We reference the T-H-I-N-K graphic. We complain about the negative influence of social media–think Tide Pods, tea rooms, devious licks–on our students a lot. But how often do we offer the opportunity for students to participate in social media on behalf of their school? How often do we give them an authentic audience and allow them to “get a reaction” rooted in positivity?

By giving students the opportunity to practice digital citizenship skills and receive feedback in order to learn and grow, we empower students to tell their story. Does this sound like a daunting task? It’s easier than you might think! Follow these four steps: Recruit, Train, Retain and Sustain to build your team and Inspire your students to take ownership of telling their school’s story.

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