Comments on: Graduate First – Why I Won’t Add You As My Facebook Friend Yet http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/graduate-first-why-i-wont-add-you-as-my-facebook-friend-yet/ Providing HOPE for educators since 2007 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:07:56 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Stengel99 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/graduate-first-why-i-wont-add-you-as-my-facebook-friend-yet/#comment-6342 Stengel99 Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:39:30 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=2032#comment-6342 For me, Facebook is really an issue of real life friends vs. work colleagues. I've recently added a couple colleagues as friends, but I'm even somewhat hesitant with that. I am pretty conservative about what types of things I'll write in a status update, but I don't want the additional pressure of what my colleagues, students, or their parents think about my postings. I totally agree with your "graduate first" approach. Perhaps a blog or some other venue would be more appropriate for alumni. For me, Facebook is really an issue of real life friends vs. work colleagues. I've recently added a couple colleagues as friends, but I'm even somewhat hesitant with that. I am pretty conservative about what types of things I'll write in a status update, but I don't want the additional pressure of what my colleagues, students, or their parents think about my postings. I totally agree with your “graduate first” approach. Perhaps a blog or some other venue would be more appropriate for alumni.

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]]> By: Pat http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/graduate-first-why-i-wont-add-you-as-my-facebook-friend-yet/#comment-6313 Pat Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:59:47 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=2032#comment-6313 I have no problems with students being my "friend" but I am very careful about what I say and what I post. I don't say anything that I wouldn't want my own mother to read. I also think it is a good way to be a good role model for students. I have no problems with students being my “friend” but I am very careful about what I say and what I post. I don’t say anything that I wouldn’t want my own mother to read. I also think it is a good way to be a good role model for students.

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]]> By: Joel http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/graduate-first-why-i-wont-add-you-as-my-facebook-friend-yet/#comment-6288 Joel Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:09:53 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=2032#comment-6288 Cool stuff! Not sure where I stand on the "Be my fan" issue really. Having said that, I guess that means I'm not behind it, so I just haven't done it. I came across an opposing viewpoint over at <a href="http://huffenglish.com" rel="nofollow">huffenglish.com</a> in her post <a href="http://www.huffenglish.com/?p=1050" rel="nofollow">Teachers and Facebook</a>. It drew quite a few comments as well. Cool stuff! Not sure where I stand on the “Be my fan” issue really. Having said that, I guess that means I’m not behind it, so I just haven’t done it.

I came across an opposing viewpoint over at huffenglish.com in her post Teachers and Facebook. It drew quite a few comments as well.

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]]> By: Julie http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/graduate-first-why-i-wont-add-you-as-my-facebook-friend-yet/#comment-6286 Julie Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:13:00 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=2032#comment-6286 I am glad that you blogged about this topic, because it is something that I think about a lot. I am currently a sophomore in college studying to become a teacher, and I have a facebook and I've always wondered what I will do with it when I graduate and get a teaching job. I originally thought that as soon as I graduated, I would delete my facebook. However, now that facebook has become an "adult" thing instead of simply a "teenage" thing, I think I'm going to adopt the same strategy that you suggest. Once students graduate from high school, the relationship that you have with them changes. I know that once I graduated (which was not so long ago), the teachers I kept it contact with became more mentors/friends than adults who had authority over me. To me, this makes a relationship on facebook more appropriate and WAY less likely to cause controversy. By the way, I really like your blog, and while I will admit I found it while doing an assignment for a class, I am definitely going to keep reading it :) I am glad that you blogged about this topic, because it is something that I think about a lot. I am currently a sophomore in college studying to become a teacher, and I have a facebook and I’ve always wondered what I will do with it when I graduate and get a teaching job. I originally thought that as soon as I graduated, I would delete my facebook. However, now that facebook has become an “adult” thing instead of simply a “teenage” thing, I think I’m going to adopt the same strategy that you suggest. Once students graduate from high school, the relationship that you have with them changes. I know that once I graduated (which was not so long ago), the teachers I kept it contact with became more mentors/friends than adults who had authority over me. To me, this makes a relationship on facebook more appropriate and WAY less likely to cause controversy.

By the way, I really like your blog, and while I will admit I found it while doing an assignment for a class, I am definitely going to keep reading it :)

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]]> By: zayzayem http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/graduate-first-why-i-wont-add-you-as-my-facebook-friend-yet/#comment-6276 zayzayem Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:18:22 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=2032#comment-6276 I am a pre-service teacher. On my second day of prac last week, I had a bunch of students (not even ones from my class) start talking to me in the playground about Farmville and other Facebook apps and then asked if they could be my friend. I quickly spouted some lines about innapropriateness. Their response was that because I was not a real teacher yet, I didn't have anything to worry about. So they started asking me for my full name, and then they realised I had it on a big ass name badge on my shirt. Luckily they seem to have forgotten all about it (it was last day of term) and no random teeny bopper requests have headed my way. Huzzah! I am a pre-service teacher. On my second day of prac last week, I had a bunch of students (not even ones from my class) start talking to me in the playground about Farmville and other Facebook apps and then asked if they could be my friend.
I quickly spouted some lines about innapropriateness. Their response was that because I was not a real teacher yet, I didn’t have anything to worry about. So they started asking me for my full name, and then they realised I had it on a big ass name badge on my shirt. Luckily they seem to have forgotten all about it (it was last day of term) and no random teeny bopper requests have headed my way. Huzzah!

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]]> By: Clix http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/graduate-first-why-i-wont-add-you-as-my-facebook-friend-yet/#comment-6275 Clix Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:14:12 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=2032#comment-6275 I don't know that I've initiated any friend requests, but I friend students if they ask. Most haven't. It's just another place to talk and listen. I'm not expected to be aware of everything that happens within the walls of the school; there's no reason I should be expected to be aware of everything that happens on FB. Meredith also has an important point. I started my FB page after I'd been teaching for awhile. It's incredibly tame. I'm also VERY sensitive about people taking pictures of me, so there's simply not much there. I don’t know that I’ve initiated any friend requests, but I friend students if they ask. Most haven’t. It’s just another place to talk and listen. I’m not expected to be aware of everything that happens within the walls of the school; there’s no reason I should be expected to be aware of everything that happens on FB.

Meredith also has an important point. I started my FB page after I’d been teaching for awhile. It’s incredibly tame. I’m also VERY sensitive about people taking pictures of me, so there’s simply not much there.

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]]> By: Mrs Fuller http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/graduate-first-why-i-wont-add-you-as-my-facebook-friend-yet/#comment-6265 Mrs Fuller Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:32:43 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=2032#comment-6265 I don't friend students on FB, but recently I've been thinking about forming a FB group that they can join (as described by Eric above). That way I can still interact with them online, but retain most of my privacy on FB. What do you think? I don’t friend students on FB, but recently I’ve been thinking about forming a FB group that they can join (as described by Eric above).

That way I can still interact with them online, but retain most of my privacy on FB.

What do you think?

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]]> By: Fran http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/graduate-first-why-i-wont-add-you-as-my-facebook-friend-yet/#comment-6264 Fran Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:59:48 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=2032#comment-6264 I only friend students who have graduated and only if they send a friend request to me. I am not comfortable having my current students as friends on Facebook or any other social networking site. There just seems to be too much that can go wrong with that scenario. I only friend students who have graduated and only if they send a friend request to me. I am not comfortable having my current students as friends on Facebook or any other social networking site. There just seems to be too much that can go wrong with that scenario.

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]]> By: mrsgee http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/graduate-first-why-i-wont-add-you-as-my-facebook-friend-yet/#comment-6262 mrsgee Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:47:44 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=2032#comment-6262 i do not allow current students to be my friend on fb. it just seemed like asking for trouble. at another local school, students printed out pictures of a teacher on vacation on the beach (in a bikini) with an umbrella drink in her hand. they made posters and stickers and buttons and spread tehm all over the school. once a student graduates, however, if they send me a friend request i almost always accept right away. after 3 years as their director at middle school and 4 years as their assistant at high school, it is nice to see what they are accomplishing in college and beyond. i do not allow current students to be my friend on fb. it just seemed like asking for trouble. at another local school, students printed out pictures of a teacher on vacation on the beach (in a bikini) with an umbrella drink in her hand. they made posters and stickers and buttons and spread tehm all over the school. once a student graduates, however, if they send me a friend request i almost always accept right away. after 3 years as their director at middle school and 4 years as their assistant at high school, it is nice to see what they are accomplishing in college and beyond.

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]]> By: Meredith http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/graduate-first-why-i-wont-add-you-as-my-facebook-friend-yet/#comment-6261 Meredith Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:35:31 +0000 http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/?p=2032#comment-6261 When I was in high school, one of my favorite teachers told us we could call her by her first name on the day we graduated. That concept (even more than graduation) signaled the ending of one chapter of my life, and the beginning of a new one. (Even though I still wouldn't be caught dead calling her "Linda.") I tell my students that they can call me by my first name and friend me on facebook the day they graduate from high school. Though no former students refer to me by first name, I am friends with several of them on facebook. I think another difference in philosophy on this comes with your personal facebook usage. I started my facebook account in college, so I have pictures and information from college formals, football games, dorm events, etc. Though none of it is inappropriate, it is more of my life and history than I would like my current students to see. I almost think that if I had created my account as an adult, and with being a teacher in mind, my facebook profile could function as a student-friendly connection. When I was in high school, one of my favorite teachers told us we could call her by her first name on the day we graduated. That concept (even more than graduation) signaled the ending of one chapter of my life, and the beginning of a new one. (Even though I still wouldn’t be caught dead calling her “Linda.”)

I tell my students that they can call me by my first name and friend me on facebook the day they graduate from high school. Though no former students refer to me by first name, I am friends with several of them on facebook.

I think another difference in philosophy on this comes with your personal facebook usage. I started my facebook account in college, so I have pictures and information from college formals, football games, dorm events, etc. Though none of it is inappropriate, it is more of my life and history than I would like my current students to see. I almost think that if I had created my account as an adult, and with being a teacher in mind, my facebook profile could function as a student-friendly connection.

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