3 Creative Ways Teachers Can Use Pinterest

Ways Teachers Can Use Pinterest

If you’re a teacher who hasn’t jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon yet, here are three great reasons to consider it. Keep in mind, of course, that the site itself is not monitored for content, and there are age limits in place; so it’s up to the educator to determine how and when it is appropriate to use. If you’re looking for some creative ways to get kids involved, however, Pinterest definitely offers a few. (If you’re totally unfamiliar with Pinterest, here’s a quick overview from their “about” page.)

Pinterest for Lesson Planning

Whether you are looking for arts and crafts ideas or want to put together an exciting history unit, Pinterest is a great way to collect and sort your ideas. Simply create a board with your topic title, and as you surf for ideas, you can use the Pinterest bookmarklet to pin the ones you want to keep in mind for later.

For example, let’s say you want to plan a unit around Abraham Lincoln. As you use the Web to find resources, you might pin a photo of the president, a copy of the Gettysburg address, amazing quotes, or a link to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. These are all things you can come back to later to put together a comprehensive lesson plan that is engaging to your students.

Enhance Learning Opportunities

Teachers can also use Pinterst as a way to add supplemental materials and information to a more basic unit. It’s possible to make a subject more interesting by offering links to fun activities or interesting resources that augment what students are learning in class.

For example, while reading Romeo and Juliet, a teacher might post links to funny parodies of famous scenes that have been posted to YouTube. These help increase comprehension while showing students how classical literature can still be relevant; and it makes the material that much more memorable.

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Doing Group Projects on Pinterest

Because Pinterest is all about sharing information, teachers can use this to their (and their students’) advantage by setting up class or group projects that students to share their ideas and discoveries with one another. Students can either have their own boards while “following” one another, or a system can be set up where the entire group is able to add their input to a classroom board.

An example for this type of project might be to allow students to post about different aspects of a culture being studied. Some might share recipes from the culture, others might find interesting facts about its history, and still others might look at the art, architecture, folk stories, and so much more. When put together, the Pinterest board can provide an amazing overview of the topic being covered, with students taking ownership in the overall outcome.

NEW – Pinterest Mobile Apps (Make That 4 Ways!)

Pinterest started out as an invitation-only service, and is now open to everyone! Plus, for all of you with a smartphone, they have finally released an Android app, and have also updated their iPhone/iPad app. HAPPY PINNING! 🙂