I was really fortunate not having access to social media growing up until I was 13 – 14 years old, which means I did not have an Instagram, Facebook, or at that time a musical.ly (now TikTok) account. I am glad I wasn’t exposed to it at a young age because I feel that social media influences so many around us, especially kids. Nowadays there is so much unfiltered content that kids can see on the internet, and I think it’s up to the adults to supervise and filter what they are able to see. My parents were very mindful of monitoring my use of social media and always told me that it can follow you everywhere and that pictures stay on the internet forever. I have always kept that in the back of my head and have always followed the rule: if I don’t want my grandma to see it, should I post it?

My mom actually sent me this video on YouTube that explains the impacts of social media and your mental health. I thought it was an informative video, so thought I’d share!

The first day of this class, we were asked to consider our social media presence and what we have posted online, and to evaluate how it would look to a future employer and even students. I wouldn’t like to create a professional account on Instagram or Facebook, but rather create a professional account on Pinterest where I can share new ideas and see what other teachers are doing to improve their classroom with tips and tricks.

If I were to use Pinterest I would love to make examples of worksheets, classroom organization, and art projects that can be used. This can help other teachers and also create a little community where information and ideas can be used to help others with their classrooms and teaching.