Social Media Roundup: How Early is Too Early to Go Social?

A new debate over the nation’s classrooms is brewing. This time over how and when to teach the ins and outs of social networks.

That, and some handy tips on keeping your newsletters in pristine condition as Google shakes up its promotions tab, in today’s Social Media Roundup.

Reading, Writing and … Twitter 101?

“I don’t approve of social media with kids this young.” When do you teach Twitter in schools? http://t.co/0F0tXwj2u0  (opens in a new tab)

— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 11, 2014  (opens in a new tab)

When’s the right time to introduce social media to the classroom? A story by The New York Times contributor Alex Vadukul  (opens in a new tab) highlights how one school in Queens is immersing students in the world of social media as early as the first grade.

Speaking to Janet Elias, a fifth-grade teacher with a particular focus on social media, Vadukul provides a peek into the new world of social media education.

“Her classroom is filled with arts and crafts celebrating social media. A cutout of a blue bird bears the message, ‘follow me.’ One wall is devoted to the ‘#trending hashtag of the week,’” he writes.

For education-related associations, the implications are clear: The debate over whether social media should become part of the standard curriculum will only intensify moving forward. So what policies will your organization rally behind? (ht @nytimes  (opens in a new tab))

Avoid an E-Newsletter Disaster

How to Optimize Your Emails for Gmail’s New Image-Heavy Inbox http://t.co/m8RkG0M5ac  (opens in a new tab)

— Nicole Harrison (@socialnicole) April 11, 2014  (opens in a new tab)

We’ve mentioned Google’s changes to Gmail’s promotions tab before, but it’s worth looking at the deep dive into the particulars of the company’s Pinterest-esque revamp by HubSpot‘s Pamela Vaughan  (opens in a new tab).

If your association is big into the e-newsletter game, Vaughan’s experiences provide a preview into what you may have to do to guarantee your outreach stands out from the crowd.

The biggest concern will be the image that Gmail decides to pair with your email—or the lack thereof. Luckily, Vaughan walks through what you’ll need to do to ensure your image shows up exactly how you want it to and much more.

And if you’re interested in tinkering with the new promotions tab, head here to sign up  (opens in a new tab). (ht @SocialNicole  (opens in a new tab))

(Ljupco/ThinkStock)