Just Pin It!

    With all of us being prospective teachers, it is important to have a few tricks up our sleeves. Pinterest is one of these simple "tricks". Pinterest is a social network that allows a user to create an account where they can discover new ideas, images, lists, etc. and also share their own. It is a "virtual scrapbook" of sorts where a teacher could create different boards for different subject areas, or for different things related to the classroom such as decor or activity ideas. Pinterest is available on almost any device including but not limited to, iPads, iPhones, laptops, and Chromebooks. On computers there is no app, it is just a website. On mobile devices Pinterest is a free app, and on both platforms the account is free.
   
     Pinterest used to be an app that I thought only crafty soccer moms had used, but more recently I am learning of the many benefits it provides to teachers. With a Pinterest account teachers can find thousands of new ideas for their classrooms by simply typing in a keyword of what they are looking for. Once a teacher finds something they want to save, all they do is "pin" it to one of their boards and it is there to access anytime. Teachers can also use Pinterest to share their own ideas with others and get ideas for future projects.

    On Pinterest the content available is never ending. If I were to detail everything that can be found on Pinterest, this blog post would be at least several pages. Teachers can easily find ideas for lessons for any grade or subject area. Teachers also use Pinterest to share templates for lessons, field trip ideas, or lists of useful educational websites or YouTube channels they have found. They can even find boards focused on classroom set-up/decor or outfit ideas to be comfortable all day in a classroom setting.

   If you are ever feeling uninspired for lesson ideas, classroom activities, or new ways to use technology in the classroom, look no further than Pinterest! The picture below is an example of one possible way a teacher may set up their boards.