Student Email

As I work with the students in computer class I find that many are lacking email accounts. With all this talk about digital natives and access to learning I think we really need to investigate asking our students to get an email account (of course with Mom or Dad’s permission). We are talking writing and fluency….with email we can actually give the students real people/audiences to write to and for. How can you get started. I would first ask which students have accounts. In every class (even 3rd graders) I have asked there are at least a few email accounts. Once you know who doesn’t have an email draft a letter to the parents telling them of the cool projects you have coming up and how email can be beneficial to the students. You could even throw in a few links about teaching children how to be safe email users. Recommend that the parent sign the child up for Yahoo, Gmail, or Hotmail. You could also offer Gaggle email. This service, although loaded with advertising screens, would allow teachers to monitor all student email. Betsy and I can help get you started if that is the direction you are headed. Of course, if students get their email at home you have no way to monitor and personally I don’t want to be in that business because then I hear about it if something slips thru that shouldn’t. If parents sign up their children, then they can help with the monitoring. Another freebie that teachers now have access to free is epals schoolmail service.