Building Real Connections with Our Students: How Teachers Can Compete with Social Media’s Influence on Students

Have you seen them? I sure have. Those social media zombies that are walking around in our hallways…sitting in our classrooms. They are the new generation of students. These students are slave to the age of social media influencers and other entertainers. 🤦🏾‍

In today’s digital world, social media holds a powerful grip on students’ attention. From TikTok videos to Instagram stories and YouTube influencers, our students are constantly bombarded with fast-paced content that seems to hold them mesmerized. As teachers, we are facing an uphill battle trying to keep your students focused and engaged in the classroom. While banning social media is nearly impossible, building meaningful, real-life connections with our students can help teachers compete with its influence.

How Can Teachers Compete with Social Media’s Influences on Students?

Before we can compete with social media for the attention of our students, we must first understand the appeal that social media has.

Understanding the Appeal of Social Media

Some key reasons that our students are attracted to social media:

• Instant Gratification – Social media provides quick entertainment, validation, and information. And, our students love to be entertained, and they long for validation and acceptance.
• Personalized Content – Algorithms cater to individual interests. These makes those social media platforms highly engaging. Our students are literally mesmerized like a frightened bunny when the snake rattles its tail.
• Sense of Belonging – Likes, comments, and followers create a sense of social acceptance. Tweens and teens long for to belong. They need to feel loved and “seen”.
• Interactive and Visual Learning – Many students prefer video content and interactive media over traditional lectures. Social media offers our students the change to engage with interactive components.

By understanding these factors, you can adjust your teaching methods to provide similar engagement in a more educational and meaningful way.

Create a Classroom Culture of Connection

Students gravitate toward social media because it makes them feel heard and valued. You can foster a similar sense of belonging in your classroom by:

• Learning Students’ Interests – Take time to learn about what excites students outside of school. You can do this using interest inventories at the beginning of school and throughout the school year.
• Encouraging Open Discussions – Create a classroom environment where students feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and opinions. It can be hard, but you can encourage open, honest communication with your students.
• Using Humor and Relatability – A little humor and personal storytelling can make teachers more approachable and relatable.
• Acknowledging Achievements – Recognizing student success, both big and small, helps build motivation and trust.

Make Lessons More Engaging

Social media captivates students with its dynamic, interactive content. You are going to have to make your content more engaging. But, how? As an educator, you are already pressed for time. The following are ways to do it:

• Incorporating Technology – Utilize apps, educational YouTube videos, or interactive platforms to make learning feel less traditional.
• Use games – Turn lessons into challenges, competitions, or group activities to keep students interested.
• Encourage Student Creativity – Encourage your students to create their own content. Some examples of this are mini-presentations, blogs, or short videos related to class topics.
• Varying Teaching Methods – Alternate between discussions, hands-on activities, and digital content to prevent boredom.

Leverage Social Media for Learning

Instead of viewing social media as the enemy, teachers can use it as a tool to enhance learning:

• Classroom Hashtags and Discussions – Create a class-specific hashtag for students to share thoughts and insights on a topic. (I absolutely love this idea, and your students will too! ❤️)
• Educational Social Media Assignments – Encourage students to analyze trends, create educational posts, or follow experts in the subject area.
• Virtual Classrooms and Groups – Use platforms like Google Classroom to facilitate discussions.

Strengthen One-on-One Relationships

Many students turn to social media for emotional support and validation. It can be hard to believe, but your students do care what you think. Despite some of their “tough” exterior, they you’re your support and understanding. Teachers can provide a real-life alternative by:

• Checking In Regularly – A simple “How are you doing?” can go a long way in making students feel valued.
• Being Available for Support – Offer time before or after class for students to talk about concerns or struggles with you.
• Actively Listening – Show genuine interest in students’ thoughts and ideas rather than just their academic performance.

Teach Social Media Balance & Digital Literacy

Our students need balance. They need to understand that social media can be all consuming, but they can’t allow it to take over their lives. You need to help your students develop a healthy relationship with social media. This is just as important as keeping them engaged in class. Teachers can:

• Discuss the Downsides of Social Media – Talk about the impact of misinformation, comparison culture, and screen addiction.
• Encourage Mindful Use – Teach students about setting screen time limits and consuming content intentionally.
• Model Balanced Behavior – Show students that real-life interactions are just as, if not more, important than online ones.

Social media’s influence on your students isn’t going away 😪,  but you don’t have to see it as a losing battle. Instead, view this new age as a chance to connect with your students. You start by building authentic relationships, creating engaging lessons, and leveraging social media positively. You can make real-life connections that rival the digital world. In doing so, you will not only capture your students’ attention, but you will also be helping them develop the skills they need to balance technology with meaningful in-person experiences. You will showing your students that the most valuable relationships aren’t found through a screen, but in the real world around them instead.

Happy Teaching!!!

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