Using Facebook in the classroom seems to be a preposterous idea to some. However, if careful consideration is given to the means of communication that Facebook can offer, one will find that the "good" far out weighs all of the "bad" connotations for Facebook in the classroom/home.

To use Facebook effectively and professionally in the classroom, the educator/parent will need to set certain procedures.

1. A separate account just for the classroom or a separate account for the child at home should be in place. This keeps your Facebook for students at school on a professional level or your Facebook for your child at home on an educational level.
2. Definitely manage privacy settings. Your Facebook page will lead you through the steps needed.
3. Mentor students carefully. As an educator, the utmost care must be given to a professional attitude. Only school related materials may be posted on this Facebook page. Keep a professional distance on Facebook just as you would in the classroom. On the Facebook page, the teacher is not a friend but is a mentor. Parents must remember that this page belongs to the student and respect the student's input and sharing
4. Place students and your child on limited access to their pages. This allows only the information that you are sending and receiving.

Okay! Now that all of the preliminary work has been done, how is the Facebook going to help? Facebook resources are growing everyday at an amazing rate. Therefore, exploring resources is going to be the first step in applying Facebook to education at school and at home.

Follow up:

Class Notes. This is a wonderful page for the dyslexic learner. As a teacher, a photo may be quickly snapped of everything written on the board and posted for the dyslexia child. A copy of the class notes may also be photograph and posted. Parents will possess working knowledge of the classroom proceedings in order to help their child.

CiteMe. This Facebook page is for the older student who is writing assignments both formal and informal. Properly formatted citations are given according to APA, Harvard, MLA, or Turabian style.
DoRearch4Me This site is wonderful for research as it is a search engine for online information. It can be used in place of or to supplement Wikipedia.
Flashcards Allows teacher or parent to create flashcards on any subject.

Hey Math! Challenge Teachers, this is a great homework helper for your students. Works great for the dyslexic, ODD, ADHD or ADD child. Parents who have forgotten how to perform certain mathematical problems will find friendly reminders here.

Homework Help This is a group that offers a place for students to find and also to offer help with homework. By helping each other, students get a better understand of difficult concepts. This site is especially great for Math homework assignments.

Notecentric This site allows teachers to take notes during class and then post them for others. However, a greater use would be for students to share notes on the page.
These are certainly not all of the applications for education to be found on Facebook, but it does give one an idea of all the worthwhile material that is available on line for students of all ages. Take time to research. You're in for a pleasant surprise whether educator or parent.