Participating in a Professional Online Community
Reddit as a Teacher ResourceWhile being the only student teacher at Ketchikan High School has its benefits, it also has a few drawbacks. As with many professions, teaching has a steep learning curve. In addition to the experience necessary to create meaningful, assessment-driven lesson plans, student teachers also need to navigate the complex, unfamiliar world of PRAXIS testing, certification requirements, and job-searching.
I first discovered Reddit when I started renovating my house. After calling up a friend for advice about installing countertops, he recommended that I post on a website called Reddit. In essence, Reddit is a user-driven social networking site. It is organized into subreddits, which are dedicated to a particular issue, profession, or topic. |
One of my contributions to the Reddit teaching community.
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Each user can vote on posts, either up or down. The number of ‘upvotes’ a post receives determines where it appears on the site. As I posted within DIY and home renovation subreddits, I found that the most useful advice and contributions were voted to the top. It was a great way to sort the quality of advice that individuals provided.
When I started student teaching, I immediately joined three subreddits: r/teachers, r/teachingresources, and r/historyteachers. At first, I read advice given to other teachers. I found useful information, ideas, and resources right away. Eventually, I found the community of Reddit very helpful for general questions of my own. For example, the Reddit community gave me advice as to which PRAXIS II exams would make me more marketable as a first-year teacher.
As the school year went on, I contributed good finds of my own, often with much gratitude from other users. I have found many helpful individuals and much helpful advice within the community. Whether I need encouragement, camaraderie, a question answered, or simply a humorous anecdote, Reddit is the first place that I look on the Internet.
When I started student teaching, I immediately joined three subreddits: r/teachers, r/teachingresources, and r/historyteachers. At first, I read advice given to other teachers. I found useful information, ideas, and resources right away. Eventually, I found the community of Reddit very helpful for general questions of my own. For example, the Reddit community gave me advice as to which PRAXIS II exams would make me more marketable as a first-year teacher.
As the school year went on, I contributed good finds of my own, often with much gratitude from other users. I have found many helpful individuals and much helpful advice within the community. Whether I need encouragement, camaraderie, a question answered, or simply a humorous anecdote, Reddit is the first place that I look on the Internet.