How Pinterest is changing your child’s education

“Log on to Pinterest when you have plenty of extra free time,” Michael recommends. “Once you start finding a few great ideas, you will want to keep pinning more and more, until you realize you should probably go to bed since you have to be up early in the morning!”

Michael also has learned to categorize boards for specific topics. “I have a board for grammar, literacy resources, literature circles and other individualized topics. It helps to have boards categorized like this so you can find it easily later.”

Sutton’s advice centers on interest. “Search out some things that you’re interested in just to get accustomed to how [Pinterest] works,” he says. “Then work your way down the rabbit hole and realize how quickly you can become immersed in the land of pinning.”

“Just because teens aren’t doing as many ‘crafty’ things in class doesn’t mean that there aren’t valuable ideas and resources for school there,” Orman advises. She says she’s always on the lookout for these types of pins for her high school students — 

• Sites that help students cite sources and create flash cards
• Educational games
• Videos on YouTube that help explain terms or a chapter in a book
• Picture writing prompts
• Articles/advice for high school seniors preparing for college
• Suggested books to read

As appealing as it is to use social media in the classroom, Orman concedes, “Students don’t always utilize their time wisely in class and may look for (or come across) images that are inappropriate. These are also good (sometimes hard) lessons to learn on responsible internet usage. If teachers don’t want to monitor students’ use or have discussions about balancing internet usage, it may not be the best idea.”

“I’m still shocked by the amount of teachers who haven’t used it before,” Sutton shares. “They know their friends find great recipes, but they don’t realize they could be revitalizing themselves and their students with what they could find. I’m an advocate of continuing my own education and I consider the pins I find to be of great use for my own preservation.”

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Teachers weigh in: What elementary school kids should know
Homework help tips for every age