Social Media

 Social Media

6/23/24

                                                                Social Media in Education and Mental Health

Social Media in education has always been a hot topic to discuss. I remember being in school and no cell phones unless it is a big emergency. Then when it came to lap tops, that was a bigger issue. Now with social media being in the classroom and having a cell phone is necessary.  What does this do to the mental health aspect? Does it make it better? 

Image Source: lfcsmo.org

Mental Health

On this topic I wanted to explore more on the mental health in the classroom. I am continuing to hear about this issue where I am currently as a Pre-K teacher. I wanted to get out in front of it. Mental health has always been near and dear to me. Especially with working with the younger children. Even though my children are younger they are attached to their own devices. I am wondering what their mental health is like. In these articles Washington Post, CNN and Student Digital Leadership helps me to understand where the negative and positive sides are at. 

On the Washington Post and CNN brought up negative information, but important facts. I was not aware of this because I have not read these articles before. On the Washington Post is about the negative affects in the classroom and what they are being exposed to. This article intrigued me because of the lack of the parent involvement. In the CNN article showcased about the teenage brain and what the overall affects can happen. Those numbers were alarming because of the negative information that was the end result. How can we overcome all of this? Let's dive into positive leadership program.

I found that the Student Digital Leadership is a very helpful guide because of the leadership role it plays. The cool part of this program is the notebook feature. This way the students information is private and they can release their own emotions. This way they can feel safe and secure with what is going on around them.  The different areas of expertise gives a great baseline. The website does clearly state that this is only for educational services. This website gives great guidance and will b
e the voice that others will need. 

What can be done

As an educator I will continue to provide the proper tools for my students. What happens at home is up to their parents. Mental health is growing and it is becoming a challenge within social media. The amount of accessibility and students having a hard time to speak up. This breaks my heart because their should be more positive outlooks, instead their is more negative. Mental health is growing and changing and I am hopeful this will change within social media.

Conclusion

As an educator, my students know I am always there for them. As technology continues to grow and the amount of social media is available for them, I will educate myself more on mental health. Having these new tools in technology will only help me achieve what is best for my students, future students and finally in librarianship.