Texting

We've found that texting can be a private backchannel for rapid student support.

In the texting pilot we've been working with students and teachers at Somerville's alternative school to explore how texting can be a private backchannel for rapid student support.

History

This fall, we gave two teachers Google Voice accounts, linked to phone numbers private from their separate phones. Students who wanted to participate gave their teachers their cell phone numbers. We set basic ground rules, and then allowed the group to text when and about what they wanted. In all XX students received and sent texts over the X months.

We linked xx graduate students from HGSE to students at Full Circle/Next Wave, in texting-based mentoring relationships; this allowed HGSE students both to serve as advisors on career and college and to check in on how the texting with the teachers was going.