Say Yes! To a School Instagram!

I was recently inspired by teacher librarian Ms. Diana Rendina, to create a professional Instagram account for our MHMS Daring School Library Media Center. Why should you consider it?

“Go where your customers are”

Here’s a quick look at the stats on Instagram.
  • 200 Million monthly active users
  • 13% of all internet users
  • 51% of 2014 high school graduates use Instagram daily
  • 23% of US teens consider Instagram their favorite social network
  • 85% increase in global usage among teens from Q1 – Q3 last year
  • 34% of US teens and millennials (14 – 34) use Instagram

Our kiddos really are not much on Twitter (Shocking. I know, right?) they also think Facebook is sorta fuddyduddy (though they might have one, they don't "live" there) but almost every kid I've talked to lately is big into Instagram and Vine! 
A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on
Alex beside her epic History Day project!
A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on
Creating a professional Instagram account ensures that whenever cool things are going on at school, I can handily snap and share them with our kiddos, parents, our community, & the world! Most teachers have their cell phones with them anyway, why not get together to make it a powerful sharing tool? Connect it to your Twitter & Flickr for easy Social Media cross posting & archiving!
Add your Instagram name to a sign around the library showing off kids doing cool things!
A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on

Kids love to tag themselves in the photos, but I always ask "can I Instagram this?"

Here's Brently playing with a puzzle ball during Winter Smash in the Library. After you take a picture with Instagram, offer it to your student asking "do you want to tag yourself?" 95% of them jump at the chance & then comment, share, & like the photos of themselves. Sometimes, they'll say "Oh I better not, Mom doesn't know I have Instagram" and small percentage of my kids will say "I'm not allowed to have Instagram yet" All answers are good! I only mention first names. When sharing I also make sure to post the pics to my Flickr and my Twitter. My principal often RT's these photos to his followers!

A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on

Whether it's History day, a Science experiment, a Daring Library Media Lesson, or the school play - students love to see pics of themselves actively involved!

A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on

Like Vine, these social media tools forge a creative bridge with our students.

A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on

Here's a pic from a previously blogged about lesson #StoryIn140. The kids really got into writing Twitter sized short stories - these kiddos were obsessed with pancakes. Go figure! LOL

A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on

Showcase special talents or school events! Here's Palwasha showing off her upcycled folded magazine page bowl! (She made me one, too! Squee!) And check out her sweet comments on the pic above! Awww - made my day!

A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on

Use tools like Instagram and Vine to model a positive use of Social Media, create a cool digital footprint, and to become a professional education photojournalist.

Again, tying the account to your Twitter and Flickr maximizes and enhances the impact of the share! This means you might have to forgo having a personal Instagram for this professional one.

Consider creating a school hashtag that you use for all pics taken at school, on field trips, performances, sporting events, or competitions to bring everyone together!

 Pro tip: search Twitter and Instagram first before you adopt a hashtag - you don't want to use one that's already taken or is used to discuss or share things that are NFSS! (Not for school safe ;-)
We're going to try #MHMSMD because just plain #MHMS had a lot of other questionable results. See the results of my search below. 


A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on

Here are 3 little fairies from Peter Pan! Oh Lillian! Has your older sister and my former student Natalie seen this, yet?

A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on

Our Lost Boys are Rocking it! Featuring our own MHTV Daniel D as the Fox!

A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on

More Peter Pan! No comments from any Redskins Football fans.

A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on

Watch out Capt. Hook!

A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on

And here is the amazing Lauren of 8th grade sharing inspiring words from Oprah Winfrey for Black History Month!

Follow us on Instagram & enjoy the AWESOME that is our kiddos and staff!

Consider starting your own professional Instagram account - tied into your professional Twitter & Flickr account  - Oooh social media transparency and the power of making critical connections to our students, families, communities, and the WORLD! Not too shabby, eh whot?
A photo posted by Gwyneth Jones (@thedaringlibrarian) on
More:

The Daring Librarian: Vine Video Summer Book Trailers

Should Schools Bother With Instagram? - SchneiderB.com

School Systems Blog - Teaching with Instagram (2012)

120+ Amazing Instagram Statistics (February 2015)

 

Comments

  1. Becky CalzadaMarch 10, 2015 at 9:07 PM

    Great post! I especially like the Instagram stats. Another plus: everyone likes to look at pictures and images tell the story of all the amazing things our students are creating. Instagram also allows us to market books in a whole new way. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @GwynethJones - The Daring LibrarianMarch 14, 2015 at 5:02 PM

      Hi Becky! Thank you so much for your comment! I agree! Everyone likes pictures, that's why I add a lot to my blog posts. But more importantly, our kiddos love pictures of themselves! I can't wait to see what you're doing in your school! Cheers!
      ~Gwyneth

      Delete
  2. Diana RendinaMarch 12, 2015 at 12:26 PM

    So happy I could help inspire :) Instagram really is the best way to reach our kids where they're at. When we had the Follett Challenge going on recently, I was complaining to a student that no one seemed to know about it. I'd posted it on Facebook, made morning show announcements, put up flyers, sent out an e-mail flyer. "But you haven't Instagrammed it" he said. Doh! Now it's always the first thing I go to when I want to get info out to the kids.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @GwynethJones - The Daring LibrarianMarch 14, 2015 at 5:51 PM

      Honored by your comment, Diana! You are spot on and you are SO inspiring!
      ~Gwyneth

      Delete
  3. JamesFebruary 11, 2016 at 7:15 PM

    Really great to see others using Instagram in school libraries. Check us out @marymackilloplibrary, will follow asap.

    ReplyDelete

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