Over the course of this program we’ve been looking at what the web has to offer to us (future) teachers. We’ve talked about twitter and blogging to no end and they are really very helpful. One thing that I’ve been thinking about and exploring is Pinterest! I started out using Pinterest for recipes, clothing and home décor. Then a teacher friend of mine suggested that I look at it for project ideas. I ended up finding pages full of great ideas (especially when it comes to crafting ideas!!!)…
Here are some of the great pages I discovered:
And my personal favorite…. Teacher fashion pins!
I like the idea of using Pinterest when I have an idea that I want help with as opposed to finding a “cute project” and making in fit in with what our class is doing. I don’t think that is meaningful or useful. Like Routman says “we must teach with a sense of urgency.” We don’t have time to waste on Santa Claus worksheets or cool Popsicle stick projects unless there is a clear purpose for your particular students. I also look forward to using Pinterest to get ideas for cheaper ways to make certain materials (homemade mod podge, play dough, etc.). Lastly, Pinterest could be a great site to use in the classroom. Students can create pins with links to their own or others blogs and pin them a common class board! I think that Pinterest will be very useful if used carefully and intentionally!
When Commas Meet Drama 
I have also found pinterest to be an extremely valuable tool. I think it has often been looked down at as offering nothing more than “fluff”, and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I have found teachers who are sharing engaging lesson plans and activities. Ideas for assessments, writing prompts, and excellent read aloud resources. Yes there are “cute” classroom decoration ideas and holiday crafts, but pinterest can be so much more. Thank you for pointing this out.
It’s great to see someone saying Pinterest could be a valuable tool for teachers and classroom lessons. I feel like we run it to so many professors who tell us to not utilize Pinterest because of the “cute project” and “fluff” factor. However, once we can use it intentionally to find what would actually help our classes learn, it is a strong resource for visual and hands-on learning.