We live in a social world. Technology has broken down just about every barrier I can think of. We can now videoconference, Skype or FaceTime friends or colleagues in almost any location. We’re all available 24/7 through email and text messaging. Everyone has a Facebook page and a Twitter. Some companies do their best advertising that way. Then there’s YouTube, LinkedIn, Vine, Snapchat, Pinterest and anything else you can think of.

Even if you don’t have a personal account on one of these platforms, I guarantee you have a professional one. Using social media is part of my job description and a portion of everyday is spent pushing out our latest content, following industry news and connecting with our readers.

K-12 students are growing up in a world where they don’t think twice about using social media. It’s a given. Yet, it’s still banned or its use is frowned upon in many school districts across the country. Can it be used for Cyberbullying? Sure, but platforms like Twitter and YouTube can also be used for professional development and for learning opportunities. On Twitter, teachers, technology professionals and edtech enthusiasts use #edchat to join a weekly conversation about current teaching trends and how to integrate technology into the classroom. The Twitter chat also connects educators and thought leaders around the world.

Another popular hashtag is #flippedclass, which connects educators interested in flipped learning. Several teachers I’ve interviewed have relayed how helpful Twitter has been in connecting them with others who inspire them to try new and better ways of teaching. Since social media has become such a large part of our work and lives, it makes sense for K-12 students to learn positive ways to engage with social platforms at an early age. Once those students go to college and enter the workforce, they’ll be expected to have a digital footprint and some sort of online presence. The earlier they learn how to use these platforms appropriately, the better.

YouTube is probably the social media platform best poised to offer real value in K-12 classrooms, but it continues to be blocked in many schools. While this certainly prevents students from accessing inappropriate content, it also prevents teachers from using content put out by the Smithsonian, PBS and Kahn Academy, which are all valid educational resources that can be used to supplement a lesson.

I think this deserves consideration when designing an Internet use policy and setting parameters for access. Flexible social media policies still allow for certain restrictions, but do not prevent students from accessing tools that will play an important role in their future lives and careers. Instead of banning social media, consider it a learning opportunity.