A reader known as “randolphparent” posted a comment on my previous post about Facebook and our RCS Facebook page that warrants further thought and discussion. “randolphparent” says,
Having a school facebook page is a great idea.
However, is it necessary to unlock it for the children at school? Should children be on facebook during school from their phones/schools computers? It happens, the proof is out there.
How about the teachers that have students as ‘friends’ on their personal pages? Is that professional behavior? I could see a ‘class’ page to be checked from HOME.
Let’s take the two points raised separately. First, there’s the question about unlocking Facebook at school. I have written here often about my own belief that filtering and blocking is not the solution for our kids, but rather teaching them to use the web effectively and appropriately. I don’t know how we do that, how we have the necessary discussions that help them to understand any potential problems they can encounter on the web, if we block and filter. I also know that teachers are absolutely responsible, first and foremost, to engage students in learning. If a teacher creates a classroom where kids have an opportunity to sit on their phones or on-line on Facebook or any other website–instead of focusing on learning–then we’ve got a bigger problem than filtering, don’t we?
Having said that, I have wrestled with the idea of, “what purpose could it serve for a kid to have access to Facebook during the day?” I’m not sure I can answer that with any concrete examples, yet. I just know that our effectiveness as teachers depends largely on our ability to connect with our students. That was true when I started teaching in 1989 and it’s true today. If Facebook is one of the primary ways our students are connecting then I want in on that, I want to learn more about them, and I want a chance to influence their thinking.
Which brings us to “randolphparent’s” second point, what about teachers “friending” students on Facebook? And using it professionally? Adults are using Facebook in many different ways and our teachers and staff have to understand the appropriateness of the content they put out there on Facebook if they are “friending” students and their parents.
Just like I wouldn’t want our teachers to swear or drink a beer in front of our students, I don’t want them portraying all the parts of their personal life to them on Facebook. The line between personal and professional life is blurring and it’s up to every individual to think about that when they post content on Facebook or anywhere else.
Personally, the RCS Facebook Page makes this all easier for me as an educator. I don’t “friend” RCS students, staff and community members. Why not? Frankly, I’m already here 9-12 hours per day and what I do the other 12 hours of the day is my business. If I’m at a Sabres game with friends and someone posts a comment or a picture about our time there, I just don’t think anyone needs to know where I am and what I’m doing 24/7. I like having a personal life when I can just be Kim with my friends and family. A time when I’m not the superintendent of schools, I’m just Kim, helps me to return to RCS refreshed and ready to face whatever work brings.
If teachers are using Facebook to connect with students and to post in a professional way, I think that’s terrific. But “randolphparent” is right, it needs to be done professionally and with reason or it shouldn’t be done at all.
But hey, that’s just what I think Readers, what do you think?
Kim, this is one of the few times we don’t agree. Schools have always had filters, and depending on the values of individual communities, probably always will. We don’t allow drugs, or guns, or pornography into our schools. We establish rules to keep them away — to keep our children safe. In essence, we filter them out. Why should society allow internet dangers into our schools? I’m all for teaching students responsible usage of the internet, but I’m also for putting up boundaries to keep them safe.
I am going to start out this blog from left field. I have always hated to hear the nightly newscaster say “Teacher is arrested for DWI” Do you hear “Carpenter is arrested for DWI” or “Plumber is arrested for DWI”. The answer is obviously no. Why can’t a teacher have a private life? Everyone else can! Everyone in the world is getting on Facebook”. If a teacher gets on Facebook, and allows students to join,the automatic assumption that there is something inappropriate going on. I have my own Facebook account and, if I know the person requesting to be a friend, I allow them on. When I signed up (as a favor to my daughter) I thought it would be a waste of time. Who would want to join my Facebook? Within a month, I have had 77 people join my Facebook. 50 out the 77 are graduated students, 2 are three are current students and the rest are friends and family. I have no idea how they got my to my Facebook, but it has been great. This has given me an opportunity to catch up with graduated students and find out how they are doing. I wish all my graduated students would join my Facebook! I just found out that one of our graduates is in the Army, went to Afghanistan and is currently recuperating from injuries received from a fire fight in Afghanistan. I wish for two things: one is that teachers would be viewed as any other human being, and two that they are not automatically assumed to be perverts.
Hmmm. I wasn’t aware that we had private groups within our school on Facebook. Thank you for this information, I will definitely investigate as I need to learn more to better understand this. As far as notifying teachers in advance, that’s my miss. I underestimated the way word got out and how fast. We talked about it at the admin level but not much beyond. I opened it up with a wait and see approach to see if we even wanted it open. We are planning additional conversations with teachers to hear how it’s going and what they think. Believe it or not, it’s only been one week! Thanks very much for the feedback.
While I do feel this could be used as an outstanding teaching tool, there are a few concerns I have with the implementation of this new idea at RCS.
1. Teachers were never informed that students were now allowed to access Facebook. In turn, the teachers found out via word of mouth or from the students themselves. Therefore, we were never given the chance to have the discussion with students about how to use the page appropriately. In fact, when some teachers first found out, they thought the kids found a ‘hole’ in the filtering software.
2. If a class or club wants to have a Facebook page, great! However, the “private” pages that are coming up with certain classes/clubs at RCS should be a concern. If we are truly doing this to expose kids to the appropriate means of communication, collaboration, and technology, why does a teacher feel it necessary to have a “private” page that only the members can view. Parents or other teachers could then ask; “What’s going on inside of that private page?” It’s great that the main RCS page can be seen by everyone. Other classroom sites should follow the same idea.
Thank you.
I recently started following your Blog, which began after I came across your post regarding the President’s school visit. As with that post, I couldn’t agree with you more in response to randolphparent.
Filters and blocks are not the answer to teaching and empowering students to use technology (or anything for that matter) in an appropriate way. As digital natives they will be using it regardless of what we allow in schools. Why not channel that curiosity to learning, as well as life long skills.
As administrators, it is our responsibility to provide training for the teachers and to monitor their use of such tools.