I have read several articles in the last few days about a teacher in PA, who blogged about her students. She expressed her honest opinion in the blog thinking because she didn't use her full, where she worked, or students name that it is was okay. I have been going back and forth about if this is alright. As a social studies teacher I understand free speech but I am always aware of the fact that whatever you say on the internet is out there for the world to know about.
But my students are the ones who really made up my mind after a discussion about the background. They laughed at first and said sure it was covered under free speech but then I asked the question what if I did what she did. Several said, don't expect me in your room again, one said that would be awful I would cry, another said you wouldn't be my teacher anymore, but the one the hit home the most is we trusted you and you betrayed that trust. That is one of the most important things we have to offer our students. Trust, they trust that we know what they are doing, they trust that we will be their for them, and they trust us to always put them first. It is important that we don't break that trust.
This teacher lost her students. No amount of compassion or great teaching will fix this fact. She can't get her students back. I believe that every teacher has a bad day now and then. It is because we treasure each and every student and often want to fix all of their problems. But no matter how bad the day they always deserve us to think of them before we act.
Link to the story:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/pennsylvania-teacher-wrote-insulting-blog-posts-students-suspended/story?id=12929001
It is really important for the teacher to improve students and the school, he or she must know how to be patient. No matter what, there will always be difficult students. It is the teachers job to understand that not every student is going to perfect and she must teach students to behave, at least for the sake of being in a school setting if not for any other reason. Although that is not always the easiest thing to do. In that case it is up to the teacher to know how to control herself and learn how to bite her tongue.
ReplyDeleteTechnology is a powerful tool. Using that power with responsibility is very important especially as role models which teachers are. The negligent use of this tool can be seen in some of the cyber-bullying situations which have made news headlines. I think your discussion with your class points out an important aspect. When it does not relate to them it is not really an issue. However, when it is their information being used it touches home. It is certainly a fragile situation as teachers are discouraged from using blogging, or even email to talk to students. Any thing you say can quickly be repeated and shared. It is difficult to use this technology to help teach when even a slight misunderstanding could turn into a nightmare of issues. I think it is important to remember that we are part of the community that we teach to. However we act in the community whether physically or virtually we need to remember our place as teachers and role models.
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable...and the amazing thing is that she says it was taken "out of context." Totally unprofessional and an excellent lesson in what not to do on the Internet. As we teach our students about digital citizenship and thinking before posting...this is an excellent example of what not to do.
ReplyDelete