Why social media should be taught in schools

Educating Youth in Social Media

The wonderful Andrew Davis has just sent me the results for his first Social Media course in a school and it is impressive.

Every student received a Grade C and above for 90% of course work submitted. All students were border line C/D before. (Quite a few As and Bs)

· Two thirds of boys targeted, benefited by remaining or by moving into a top target group.

· Submitted as part of the School Improvement Plan (SIP)

· 100% course work submitted, which equates to 90% of English Course work.

· 100% attendance over the 4 weeks

· Hitting tight turnover deadlines in all of the course work

Here is a video on his work please help spread the word

Socia Media Fundamentals Case Study from andrew davis on Vimeo.

Calls to Parent helpline shows 84% of bullying is in schools.

National Anti-Bullying Week

National charity Parentline Plus is calling for a stronger partnership between parents, pupils and teachers to tackle bullying in UK schools.

The call comes during National Anti-Bullying Week* (16th – 20th November) and follows research carried out by Parentline Plus from calls to their free 0808 800 2222 Parentline which shows most bullying happens in schools.

f 41,513 calls taken by Parentline Plus during the period October 2008 – September 2009; 1,847 calls (4.4 %) concerned bullying in its various forms.

Key findings from Parentline Plus:

• 84% of bullying occurs in the school environment
• For 89% of the cases, the perpetrator was known to the victim
• 11% of cases, the callers child is the perpetrator
• 69% of the perpetrators come from either the same class or same social circle as the victim in school.
• 76% of calls about bullying were from parents concerned about the verbal abuse their children had received, where as 56% concerned physical abuse.
• 5.7% of calls were from parents concerned about their child being cyber bullied.

Jeremy Todd, Parentline Plus Chief Executive said:
“Bullying in schools is a real concern to families and parents of bullied children often find the situation traumatic and difficult to manage. Some families may find it difficult to report bullying to the school concerned and parents should contact Parentline Plus, or visit our “Be Someone to Tell” website if they need support. Fostering strong partnerships between parents and schools will ensure that if problems do arise there is already a trusting relationship between teachers and families.”

Scary isn’t it.  So schools looks like we have not tackled this problem fully. What do you think the answer is…

Also take a look at Bullying by Text

Is the relationship with the teacher the most important thing?

Relationship vs. Measurement

“What students lack in school is an intellectual relationship or conversation with the teacher”.
William Glasser

I have to say that I love this quote and for me, it is the answer to everything when it come to education. A good relationship can heal a lot. Don’t you remember working for the teachers you liked and not for the ones you didn’t? It’s human nature.

However, for most schools this appears to be the last thing on the agenda. Don’t get me wrong, I am not blaming the schools or the teachers, the problem is the system, a system that put measurement above relationships.

I believe that relationships are the key to any long-lasting change. If we want to influence and impact the next generation then we must ensure that we build our relationships with them over anything else.

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Education and Web 2.o technologies

Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World.

I came across this great report the other day called Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World. It is a study of Web 2.0 technology and how it is being used in UK schools.

It is so great to see that it is actually being talked about. I am an avid supporter of Web 2.0 technology and the opportunity it gives schools for open and honest communication with their students, as well as it’s ability to encourage participation, collaboration and community. However, the picture in schools is very different, with most not even considering the possibilities to connect with their students at a different level, or even acknowledge that we are now dealing with digital learners. My vision is that every school has a person dedicated to youth participation and engagement using social media.

So here are my highlights from Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World.

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Speaking

ere are just a few topics that I love talking about, however I have an unlimited repertoire, so if one of these does not suit, tell me what you need and I will cook something up!

Talks for Parents

Generation 2.0 – How do we connect and engage a generation that we don’t understand?

What excites and motivates our generation of Young People? How do you connect, engage and motivate a generation that are so different to us? What are the differences between the generations and how can we bridge the gap and get through?

In this seminar you will learn:

• The differences between the generations
• How generations interact with each other
• Who Generation 2.0 are and why should you care
• How Generation 2.0 are different and how do you, as a parent, get through to them.
• How to motivate Generation 2.0

Parents will leave this lecture with an understanding of generational theory and how it applies to their home life. It will equip them with the knowledge to support them in forming meaningful and impactful relationships with their children.

Parenting the Future – Tips for raising the next generation

Don’t be fooled, this generation is different. They are the first generation to know more than their parents, the first generation to know nothing but technology and that is not only changing the way they communicate but the way that they think, their expectations for the family and furthermore, their brains.

In this seminar you will learn :

• The net generation norms and how they apply to parents
• The new open family concept and how to start an open family in your home
• How being raised digital is changing our children and how they are hardwired.
• Simple parenting strategies you can apply to start having a greater impact.

Parents will leave with some new parenting ideas and strategies to use immediately in their homes.

Everything that’s bad for them is good

How many times have you told your child to stop watching that rubbish on TV? How often have you moaned about their obsession with video games? Do you believe our young people are getting more and more dumber by the year? If only they would go outside and do the great things we use to as kids. What if everything you thought you knew was wrong? What if what you thought was bad for your children was actually making them smarter?
In this radical seminar Sarah de-myths some of the thoughts and opinions around modern children and give you a new way to look at the situation.

In this seminar you will learn:

• How tv is becoming more complex and making our children use thrir brains more.
• How video games are so good they are being used to train future executives.
• How popular culture is making our children smarter and have more complex thought processes.
Parents will leave with an insight into how modern culture is impacting our young people, and the way they think and behave.

Talks for Companies

Sarah can also give talks designed for middle and higher managers who have direct responsibility for employing, developing and managing young adults (Generation Y) within their companies.

What teenagers can teach big business

What can we learn from teenagers? What could they possible know about improving workplace relationships? Well, with their simple and down-to-earth approach to life, a lot. Join Sarah as she guides you through some teen wisdom that could change your workplace relationships.

Talks on Generation Y

Recruiting and retaining Generation Y

Marketing to Generation Y

Understanding and motivating Generation Y

Contact Sarah on 07921 166998 or speaking@genyguide.com

Testimonials

“Thank you very much for coming to our Year 9 SATs preparation evening yesterday and providing us and the parents with such an interesting and informative programme. I am sure that the advice and suggestions will greatly benefit our pupils in their forthcoming SATs examination in May this year.”

Mrs. Stanley, Deputy Head The Hazeley School

“Sarah was extremely professional in her approach treating our students as young adults from day one. She worked with them through a wide number of barriers in an extremely informal, yet often quite entertaining way. The sessions involved discussion around personal motivators, personal blockers, perception, coaching, discipline, revision techniques, learning styles and personally designing of a revision timetabling.”

Caroline Atkins Hinchley Wood School

Speakers Bio

You may have heard of Generation Y, Generation Z and now Generation 2.0 but what are they, how do they differ from previous generations and most importantly why does it matter? Should how we parent accommodate these generational differences or do the old rules of engagement apply?

Sarah Newton is here to demystify the world of the next generation. 14 years ago she left the police force, where she came into contact with many youngsters. Since then she has immersed herself in the culture of youth, and helps parents, schools and companies to connect, engage and motivate young people in a way that gets long lasting results.

Our youth and their interaction with technology are changing the goal posts in business, in our schools and in our homes. They are the largest generation we have ever seen and for the first time ever they know more about certain things than the adults around them and this is having a profound impact on how they relate and what they expect from the adults in their lives, particularly their parents. Growing up digital has not only changed the way their brains are hardwired, but it has changed the way they interact, think and socialize. There is a massive Generation Lap emerging between parents and their children and for parents to have influence and impact on their children the way they want, they need to learn the new rules of parenting.

Regularly appearing in the media, Sarah is best known for her 8-part TV series, ‘My Teen’s a nightmare – I’m moving out’. Her first book, “Help! My Teenager is an Alien – the everyday situation guide for parents” was launched in March 2007. She is currently writing her second book “Were not in Kansas anymore Toto-The Generation Lap that is challenging the fabric of family life.”

Sarah’s approach is positive and enthusiastic. Her view is that we not only need to change the way that we act towards young people but the way we think about them and our relationships with them. She believes that we should be embracing the power and innovation of our children and encouraging them for the change that they can effect.

Sarah lives in Northampton, England with her husband and two daughters Bronte (12) and Freya (8).

Education 2.0 – student ownership

How can schools build a climate that takes students beyond mere engagement and into ownership of their learning?

I came across this yesterday and it is one of the best pieces of writing on student participation I have ever seen so I just had to share it with you.  Written by the wonderful Adam Fletcher it certainly answers some very important questions.

The Architecture of Ownership -Adam Fletcher

How can schools build a climate that takes students beyond mere engagement and into ownership of their learning? Here are four roles for students.

Any conversation about student ownership in education would be incomplete without mention of John Dewey. It was his Democracy and Education (1916) that helped me see the connection between student involvement and student ownership. According to Dewey, the type of activities that stimulate real involvement “give pupils something to do, not something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking, or the intentional noting of connections; learning naturally results” (p. 181).

Read Education 2.0 – student ownership