Never in a million years would I have thought that Snapchat would become an acceptable platform for an educator to communicate with students!
Librarysmoak6
My goal as a school librarian is to create a library atmosphere that is safe, welcoming, and full of hidden treasures waiting for kids to explore. To do this, I must meet them where they are. And, they are on Snapchat! They live on Snapchat! After reading the article by Jensen, Integrating Social Media into Online Education, as well as observing my own four children, Snapchat is among the top social media tools used by students. I chose this platform with the intentions of it being an "add-on" to the school's Facebook and Instagram page. Let's face it, kids with Snapchat are getting younger and younger. My Snapchat account will give these students, and their parents, a worthwhile account to follow.
Things I plan to post:
Fun books, magazines, videos, and links for kids to check out. These types of posts can be linked to areas of instruction in classrooms as well as the library. Sharing information that will get kids excited to explore curriculum topics creates a "win-win" situation. Kids win because they gain a more in-depth knowledge of school standards, and teachers win because students gain a more in-depth knowledge of school standards!!
Games, trivia, and contests. These posts will be used to hook students to the account. If the students are constantly looking at our page for the next game or contest, they might just happen to stumble upon a new book that will grab their attention.
Silly stories about library staff to build connections. It is really important to connect with the students and families in the community. By letting people see behind the scenes of the library, they will want to come into the library to see what is going on.
Announcements/ reminders about upcoming events such a the Book Fair and overdue books. Communication is key in creating a space where kids want to come. A school can have the biggest and best library in the world, but if we fail to let people know, it will one lonely place. Sending out quick announcements will keep students in the know about what is going on in the library.
Connections to classroom and library lessons in the real world. Letting kids see why we learn things is so important. Taking a selfie to show students an electric car charging in a parking lot can be a really cool way to make a connection between the lesson on electricity and real life.
I believe with these types of posts, students will be excited about library events, topics, and even instruction. By obtaining a positive social media presence, I can be my own best advocate for the school library. If kids are excited, parents are excited. This will lead to an amazing network of learning opportunities, support systems, and the mastery of independent inquiry. "Social media is the perfect companion tool for a great many things we already do in the library"(Robertson, 2017).
I couldn't agree more! As a middle school teacher, I see that yellow icon get clicked on more times a day than I can count! Snapchat is definitely the go-to mode of communication for tweens and teens, and I think harnessing its power will help to make libraries more relevant and more accessible to students. Your ideas for its use are fantastic, and I think would be beneficial to getting students involved in the goings on of the library. I would love to see an example of a school library-maintained snapchat account to see what awesome, creative ideas librarians have come up with!
ReplyDeleteI had a student tell me recently that she doesn't even have her friends' phone numbers and that she only communicates with them through snapchat! I had no idea it was still as popular as it is. I had a snapchat years ago, but I figured it had died out. However, it seems to still be the platform of choice for students. I think having a library snapchat is a great idea! It is so easy to communicate announcements and events because you know students are already checking it. I love the ideas you have for book of the week and interactive games. I hope this is successful for you!
ReplyDeleteEven though we read so much about SnapChat this week, and it was all true about how useful it could be, I'll be honest that my mind skipped right over it as something I would actually do! I think having a teenager who absolutely communicates pretty much soley on snapchat, and it just kind of weirds me out I guess! But your blog really changed my mind, I don't know why I wasn't as open to it reading the articles earlier this week...but seeing your examples and how you would plan to use it was really helpful. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAs a reluctant Twitter user still figuring out Instagram, I really admire your enthusiasm for SnapChat. You're right that the kids are (still) all in on the platform. Our 9-12 graders continue to maintain a healthy focus on the app and if we're going to meet them where they are I guess we should meet them on SnapChat. Your content ideas are great and I especially like the way you would use the app to connect to classroom learning. I was reading this American Libraries article from 2016 and it suggested doing "teen takeovers" that let students produce content for the Library SnapChat and that sounded like a fun way to engage:
ReplyDeletehttps://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2016/11/01/snapchat-in-the-library/
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Ben
Crystal,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts about SnapChat! I echo what has been said in other comments...your ideas changed my mind about its place as a social media tool used to connect students and the school library. Students really do love SnapChat, though, and I think your ideas will really make your library "visible" to them. Kudos!!
Loved your blog!! The thoughts and ideas you shared are great ways to connect with your students and others. I enjoyed the images you used to highlight your ideas regarding the specific items that you will share on your instagram site.
ReplyDeleteCrystal,
ReplyDeleteI shared your thoughts about "never in a million years" because of my pre-conceived ideas about SnapChat. My children are grown and SnapChat was not a thing when they were growing up so my experience with SnapChat has been through teachers and friends with children and nothing was positive. In fact, everything was very negative and involved pedophiles, etc. However, after Covid hit, I heard numerous younger teachers talking about reaching out to students through a SnapChat classroom platform. I've now heard and seen many, many positive things about SnapChat and the possibilities it offers teachers and librarians. I love your ideas about "Book of the Week" and trivia games, I look forward to seeing where you take this!
Robyn Gough Nestvogel
Thank you so much for sharing your ideas for Snapchat. I have to say, I have never used it, and I would not know where to begin with it. But you are absolutely right about its popularity with teens. My 14-year-old LOVES it, and so do all of her friends. I think it is a great way to connect with teens. I love the idea of games and contests to draw in students. That will definitely keep them interested in what’s coming up next. I also love the idea of adding some silliness to keep them engaged. We have to pay close attention to our students’ likes and interests and add that to our social media accounts. That is very important to keep the platform active.
ReplyDeleteStephanie Sulton
Crystal,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post. I don't know that much about Snapchat as I do other social media platforms. I do hear students talking about it though and know that they use it a lot. I like your ideas and the ways you would utilize Snapchat in your library. I will be looking into Snapchat a little more. It may become an additional tool for my library toolbox.
Wow! I really love how interactive and targeted towards students your snapchat account is! I can see students really engaging in the social media content and that spilling over into establishing a strong physical library presence. I love the book of the week and also the trivia/games you plan to incorporate. I never would have thought about doing that, but it has given me a great idea I would love to implement.
ReplyDeleteMeagan Hooks Boyd