As a proponent of blogs for teachers and students, I am adamant that teachers must use the tools they hope to bring to the classroom. Teachers must blog, but what about friending people on facebook?
There were a variety of factors that propelled me to open my own facebook account this summer. The strongest was that I knew I could not talk intelligently about something I personally knew nothing about. Joining the vast social network has been an enlightening experience.
My friends include NCTE colleagues, a few colleagues from my school, a few family members, former students, a few current students, and a couple of actual friends. It’s kind of fun when someone writes on my wall or sends me “flair.” What I have learned in only a few weeks is that facebook is a huge deal to the young people of my school community. It’s where they socialize when not face to face. It’s where they stay connected with each other.
Recently a teacher at school who knew I had a facebook account asked me if I ever “talk to” students on facebook. It was not a question I expected.
Two things crossed my mind.
One, well, as a matter of fact, yes. Just recently I had a nice little real-time chat with a current student about a book we were reading in class. It seemed like a conversation we might have had just before the bell rang or in the hall as we were heading home for the day. It was not too formal, but not too casual, and it was definitely teacher-student. He was polite, sincere, and we had a nice, short chat.
The other thing I thought was, hmmm. Why? Shouldn’t I? Does it cross the line? Am I not supposed to?
I think the second response kicked in because I answered her that I mostly communicate with former students and we sort of left it at that. I didn’t really answer her honestly, and I wondered later why I lied.
My reaction nagged at me.
Lately I am more and more annoyed at the assumption that all things “social networking” are the tools of online predators or silly teens wasting their time. Blogs, nings, facebook, MySpace, etc. are blocked at most schools, I imagine, because their connotation in the media is so negative. There is the perception that they are dangerous and our students need to be protected from them. It would also not be productive for students to be posting to facebook profiles via their iPhones instead of paying attention to their science experiments to keep them from bubbling over onto the floor.
Facebook takes measures to protect its users , but even so, anytime we enter willingly into the Web, we take some risks. There are some really questionable groups on facebook, but I don’t join them. I know how to stay safe online. If we want our students to know how also, we must teach them to be responsible Netizens. They need to know that public communication is “public,” and posting to one’s facebook profile is not that different from making a public proclamation, except that what gets posted to the Internet is there “supposedly” forever.
When this teacher asked me about facebook, I wondered what she thought it was. I know I wasn’t quite sure until recently. I think too many people base their opinion of social networking sites on a few sensational stories in the media. How else are they to know what reality is unless they, like me, open a facebook door to find out. I found out that facebook is not a seedy, back-alley teen club where hoods in leather jackets smoking cigarettes hang out, waiting to harass unsuspecting passersby. It is more like an annotated address book with pictures. It is even a bit like a magical (think Hogwarts) newspaper featuring the latest headlines from everyone you know or care to check up on now and then. It’s a place where old college roommates can stay in touch even after their jobs have taken them miles away from each other. Even families can connect on facebook and share pictures.
Facebook, MySpace, blogs, nings and others are not evil by their nature, though some will subvert them for salacious use. At their best, they are tools for networking, social networking, professional networking, personal networking.
Now and then, even teachers use them for improving their practice. Professional development in the read write web can be amazing!
15 responses so far ↓
1
steenie
// Oct 20, 2008 at 4:15 am
I agree, wholeheartedly. Our lives are so busy that to keep in touch via Facebook allows a quick check-in that can be followed up with a phone call, if necessary. I’ve attained two life-long new friends via social networking and one of these connections actually brought my school yearbook thousands of dollars in advertising money, which we would never have received without the online social networking sites. I do draw the line at connecting with my current students, however. I let my students know that when they graduate, I will add them to my Facebook. It’s a self-preservation thing for me. I also post a non-identifiable photo. I don’t consider Facebook a dating website and don’t want it to become such. I keep in touch with many teaching colleagues across the US. It’s like a treasure box at the end of the day to open my Facebook and see who has visited. Post on, Polliwog!
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Pat Schulze
// Oct 20, 2008 at 11:19 am
Love your comments on Facebook, and love being your “friend” there too. I have many NCTE talkie friends, and also some real life friends, former students and my old homeroom who are juniors now. I also use facebook to communicate with my youngest daughter at Yale and my oldest granddaugther at Arizona State.
Unfortunately Facebook along with My Space, blogs, wiki’s etc. are blocked at my old school. So we are all communicating from home outside of school time.
Come write on my wall anytime.
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Jessica Brogley
// Oct 20, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I have a facebook account…I don’t do much with it, which is sad. I have had kids ask to be my friend and I’ve only taken ones that I’ve known a long time outside of school before I had them in class or ones that have graduated. I just don’t know if I want to see everything they write. The obligation to rat on them would be strong if I saw something I didn’t approve of. At lunch this spring teachers were ripping on adults that had myspace and facebook accounts. I didn’t speak up in fear of criticism. That’s odd…similar to how you feel.
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Jessica Brogley
// Oct 24, 2008 at 6:40 am
Just curious Dawn – If you saw something inappropriate on a student’s facebook wall, would you report it? Aren’t we obligated to do so? For example, if I became facebook friends with a boy and I saw that a few high schoolers wrote on his wall about getting trashed last weekend, wouldn’t I almost have to report that?
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Dawn Hogue
// Oct 25, 2008 at 10:55 am
That’s an interesting question. So far, I’ve not seen anything on a current student’s profile that would warrant a report. I don’t really go snooping about either. I don’t have time. I’m barely on facebook, maybe ten minutes a day. I mostly communicate with adults and former students, now also adults. I would only chat with or respond to a former student if he/she initiated the conversation. I don’t start them.
I also wonder if having a teacher on facebook is kind of like having a teacher stand in the hall during passing time. Just one’s presence might remind students to behave. Maybe? Or maybe also, we try to teach web netiquette at our school, at least I do. Is the message getting through?
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Kelsey
// Oct 26, 2008 at 6:51 pm
I really enjoyed this post!
I am a college student who is basically addicted to facebook. It lets me talk to my friends that live hours away during the summer and it also is very handy for me to use when I need to contact someone!
I’ve spoken with my teachers and prof’s that have facebook accounts and I think it is really nice that they have them. We can always ask questions for assignments or just say Hi!
From a student’s perspective, I love everything Facebook has to offer and I think it is a-okay for teachers to have them also!!
Thanks!
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Tammy Gillmore
// Nov 9, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Thanks for this post! I had a very similar discussion with my Secondary English Methods students during our last class…I would like to share this post with them.
We discussed that having these accounts are good things…they just have to be careful to remain “the teacher” when communicating.
I said the very same thing to them that maybe our presence would discourage some topics that are discussed there.
It is a part of our Web 2.0 responsibility to inform our students that colleges and businesses are now checking out such social networks during application processes. They do need know they are creating their online digital resume through such tools also.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
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Dawn Hogue
// Nov 12, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Hey Tammy,
Thanks for the comment and the perspective. I did not know about colleges checking out social network sites. Is this prior to acceptance?
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Tina
// Nov 30, 2008 at 2:31 pm
I also recently joined facebook after several invitations from adult friends. I have two college students and three teenagers of my own, and many friends outside of the US who I can contact through facebook. It was great to get welcomes from various adult friends, and my college-aged daughter posted a note on my high-school aged daughters wall that said, “What the mom…?” As I was signing up, I got a live message from a friend serving in the Peace Corp in Moldova with whom I was able to chat for a few minutes. I’ve dragged my feet about joining, but agree with your perspective that says we don’t know enough about it until we experience it. And I believe it will continue to be a positive experience as long as I communicate with the individuals who contact me in the same way I would if we were face-to-face. I can still be a teacher to my students on facebook just like I would if I ran into them in the mall. These experiences help them to see us as real, authentic people.
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Dawn
// Nov 30, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Thanks for the comment, Tina. I especially like what you say at the end of your post. As long as we keep the communication with students positive and professional, there should be no problems.
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Katie
// Jan 26, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Teachers and facebook really seem to clash. What’s so wrong with teachers creating a digital community and culture with their classes and students? Of course, it must remain student-teacher realtionship. However, I had a college professor create a facebook group for her intro to poetry class and it truly engaged the students, not only with the professor (who then seemed more accessible and human) but also with one another.
Just a thought.
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Katie
// Jan 26, 2009 at 3:47 pm
I enjoyed your opinion on facebook. I agree with the things you had to say! I am new to blogging, but am a facebook veteran. I began to rely on facebook quite a bit to keep in touch with family and friends. It’s where I find out about my friend’s birthday parties and what’s going on in their lives. It is a great tool and I think people need to be more understanding of it! Great blog!
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Shandi
// Jan 26, 2009 at 3:51 pm
I think it is great that you are exploring what the students are interested in so you can form your own opinions rather than relying on some of the stereotypes which are often negative. I have a former teacher of mine on my facebook and myspace accounts and I enjoy catching up with her on occasion. I agree that maintaining a professional relationship is really important.
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Jessica
// Jan 26, 2009 at 3:51 pm
I think this is a very interesting piece concerning facebook. I definitely agree with much of what you had to say! This new generation is entering into one which is full of technology. Many young people rely on the internet. I think its good that teachers be aware of such things and know how to navigate around these things! It certainly helps the students feel more comfortable when their teachers can understand them more!
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Skyler
// Jan 26, 2009 at 3:52 pm
I believe in having some of my old teachers from high school as friends on Facebook, because I have found questions concerning teaching as a career choice. I have been able to ask them many different questions, and all were answered easily through Facebook. I was skeptical at first, but I have gotten used to the idea of having teachers in my friend-list on Facebook.
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