A Classroom in Your Pocket.

For all of the criticism technology, and especially social media, gets for dividing us as a society, I feel that it does quite the opposite for a classroom.  For my AP classes I set up a Twitter account.  This way students can communicate with me, and with each other, when they feel stuck.  Most of the time they just want reassurance that they are on the right path with an assignment.  Instead of being anxious, or not doing the work, they can reach out to me.  

Another thing I do for all  my classes is set up classrooms through Google Classroom.  We all download the app and when I post assignments and announcements, students are instantly notified. Students can also turn in assignments through Classroom and leave me messages.  The use of Classroom has diminished the number of students who ask for assignments after being absent, or who fail to turn things in because they left their notebook at home.  Of course this means that I might have my phone sounding off with alerts from students while I'm walking my dog, but the ability to fit my classroom in my pocket it worth it.