Job Discussion Forums

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

HAve any of you run into this? I've had students, AND their parents request me to be their friends on FB. Seems like you can't escape students Smile

I had some on FB, but recently deleted them, seems a bit too much.

johnslat · Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 7:31 pm Post subject:

Dear naturegorl321,

My personal opinion is that it's NOT a good idea to "friend" any current student on facebook - or any other "social networking site."

Same with the parents of current students.

Better safe than sorry.

Regards,
John

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:28 pm Post subject:

Hike your privacy settings up so you're hard to find. If they don't SEE you on facebook, how could they know you have it?

I use facebook only slightly- hadn't wanted to have it at all. But I would refuse friend requests from students and their folks, in any case. I've used yahoo groups and other things for classroom purposes; if you have a separate facebook or whatever for student purposes, no harm no foul. I may be trying out twitter on our next TESOL course. It's clear that some of these social networking things may have teaching applications.

But you have to be careful- I don't want my social friends, who might tag me in photos of a bachelor party, accessing the same page as my clients or professional contacts.

Best,
Justin

nickpellatt · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1522

I've only had students in two places. The first of which is China, which has now blocked Facebook. That eliminates any of my Chinese students.

I have had some German students from my summer school add me on Facebook after they have returned home. They normally add me, and tag one of the class photos with me in, and then forget about me. I normally unfriend them after a month or so. Not because I am worried about them seeing something they shouldnt (my facebook doesnt have anything like that on it) but because we dont interact. I am forever unfriending people I dont speak to, and they fall into that category.

I dont think I would accept them if they were still in my classes though.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Hm, I'll have to check out the privacy settings. Most of my kids are only waist high though Smile

I have gone and delted most people as well. I had abuot 150, now only 50, don't want eveyrone having access to all my photos and info.

For professional stuff, I use Linked, but there are no photos there, I think.

Chris_Crossley

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

Absolutely not. Facebook is for my friends. Since I've got my mom on my list, I already have to watch what I post--it'd be way too hard with conservative students!

I don't give out my cell # or personal email either. They know where my office is, and they know they can send me messages via Moodle or my university email. Really, I love my job and 99% or my students are absolute sweethearts, but I need a clear separation between work and fun.

d

X-Bar Theory · Joined: 07 Jan 2009 Posts: 18

I simply created a second account for just students...that way my personal life stays personal...no need to change settings just for them or having to worry about them seeing something I don't want them to see.

Chris_Crossley

X-Bar Theory · Joined: 07 Jan 2009 Posts: 18

Chris_Crossley

gaijinalways · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 2279

denise posted

Chris_Crossley

Since I never put my email address on my Facebook page, nobody who wants to contact me can get through to me because the website is blocked in China.

As it so happens, one of my old primary (= elementary) school friends whom I have not seen in 32 years tried to contact me through Facebook only this week. I know this because Facebook does send emails to members, telling them of a contact attempt, and they are not being blocked since they go to my private email account. Unfortunately, neither of us has each other's contact details so he may think that failure on my part to reply is my way of being rude to him, even though I would have no reason whatsoever to be: we shared an intense interest in military aeroplanes, for a start!

Frankly, this continual blocking of both Facebook and YouTube is absurd. When are the PRC government going to realise that this does not profit them anything? They did the same to Wikipedia so many times that the government finally unblocked it for good. Then again, it could be blocked again tomorrow - or even later today - for whatever reason...

X-Bar Theory · Joined: 07 Jan 2009 Posts: 18

Elkythedogsperson · Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:45 am Post subject:

My school solved the issue for teachers by making it policy that teachers could not have students as friends on social network sites. Official reason was to avoid the appearance of favoritism (unofficial reason to avoid the chance teachers may have inappropriate contact with students or perhaps take students as privates.)

The policy gives the teachers a good out though when students ask.