Do any teachers keep their myspace or facebook pages when they start teaching?
I'm a junior in college--majoring in Elementary Education. I will be student teaching next semester and then once I graduate I hope to get a job in the public school system. I'm looking for only serious answers here! I'm wondering if there are any teachers out there now who have a myspace or facebook page/had a myspace or facebook page? I'm wondering if it is worth the risk to keep a myspace/facebook page. I'm careful with pictures I post, things I say and how I portray myself. Plus I am able to keep in touch with so many friends over the internet. I'm just still not sure if I want my students, or parents of my students seeing a myspace page with me on it, never mind the principal of the school! Does anyone have real life advice on this one? Anyone with similar situations?
2007-03-13T19:26:37Z
I'd prefer to have answers from teachers, not students--thanks!
2007-03-15T19:37:10Z
FYI: someone cannot find your myspace information by just typing in the URL. They would still need to be a friend (if you have the correct privacy settings). But thanks for all the answers!
video novice2007-03-13T19:16:52Z
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I, as well as a few of my teaching friends, have myspace pages. We use them to stay in contact with old classmates, roommates, and family members. The pictures that we post are tasteful and are definitely school appropriate. I know of teachers posting questionable pictures and getting in trouble for it. We all have ours private and we don't use our real names so they are not search able. Just use good judgment when posting pictures and messages. By the way, welcome to the wonderful world of teaching!!!
I am a teacher, and I've read the other answers; yet, I feel many fail to mention that while a myspace page is within your rights as a person, as a teacher, do you want to risk your job--and possibly your career--because something on a web page is considered inappropriate by any number of different families you will come into contact with.
Certainly, myspace accounts can be set up as "private," but what happens when someone (a current student) learns the exact URL to your page (it can be done)? Is this worth it?
What happens when some "unusual" family (this is being extremely nice; but there are some wacko families out there) wants to scrutinize you and your business?
Moreover, what happens when the real s*** hits the fan, and the school, school district, or student learns you have an active myspace.com account and uses the info. on it against you.
Teachers need to be extremely careful not to jeopardize themselves.
I am not an alarmist by nature; however, I think the syntax of your question implies you already know the answer to your own question.
If you do decide to keep these, make sure they are protected. Let only people you are friends with be able to view your entire profile. Myspace is iffy... some schools may even flat out say that you need to get rid of that account if you have one. It's just a risky way for your students to find out more about you. Facebook I can definately understand keeping. Just make sure you adjust your privacy settings. Make sure only people that are your friends can see your profile... not friends of friends... you never know where a connection may be made. And double check what you've listed as links. Do you have a Xanga or Live Journal account? If so... get ALL your entries protected. Tell your friends that if they want to continue to read your journal they have to sign up for an account so you can put them on your list. Also... make sure you know where your AIM screen name is listed, you don't want to make a connection through there either.
As long as you up your privacy settings... and it's not against your schools "guidelines" you should be ok. Just make sure you pay attention to what you post publically... think about if it's something you want a student or parent to be seeing about their teacher.
Since you are majoring in Elementary Education you shouldn't have the problems that I assume Middle School, High School, and College teachers have. I am an elementary school teacher, and I have a myspace page. I feel like my page is appropriate, but it is also private. Don't worry about it. If you want to keep your page, keep it. If you are really, really worried don't keep it. I, personally, don't think twice about it; If your careful with pictures and content you should be fine no matter who sees it.
I am a HS student who wants to go into teaching, and I've thought of this hypothetically before (alot of time on my hands) and I always considered the option of disguising it and possibly not having a facial picture as your main picture, and not using your name (as it isn't mandatory in MySpace). There are of course ways that that could not be a benefit such as if friends want to find you. Then on the other hand, you mentioned elementary school so I doubt your students would even have those accounts to look for you because the minimum age for either is 14 which would be at least eighth grade and up.