Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chrisassd]

What do you think?

[notinKS]

I allowed my American students to add me on Facebook. I never once added any of them though-it had to be their decision. I used it as an education tool. After a performance (I was a music teacher) or before an important event, I would compliment them or remind them. They were also able to ask me questions about school or life in general.

I don't have anything to hide...I keep my opinions to myself (I would do that even if I didn't have students on FB) and I don't go out getting ridiculously trashed every weekend, so I have no embarrassing or inappropriate pictures taken of me. I've also enjoyed being able to keep up with them now that I've moved to Korea and they've been learning about another culture from my FB and blog posts.

I understand why most people won't add students, but for me, it's not a problem.

[Missihippi]

[kimdeal54]

Students ask for my email address, try to give me theirs, ask for my phone number, and ask if they can add me as a friend on Facebook. My answer is always, 'Not while you are my student.'

My rules are...

1. I never give them my phone number.
2. When they, or I, leave the school, I pass on my email address to students who want to stay in touch.
3. They can't be my friend on Facebook until they graduate from high school.
4. I never meet a student outside of school.

[jrwhite82]

At the elementary school I used to work at in the states a few of the fifth graders found the 5th grade team on facebook and a bunch of them tried to friend all of us. We all ignored the requests and had an entire team meeting with the teachers and students.

We discussed that although we care for our students, they are not our friends. We are teachers, they are students. If they wanted to friend us after they graduated high school we would do it. (7 years later....)

You are opening a can of worms if you friend children on facebook or text them on your cell phone. BE WARNED. It is the reality of the world we live in today. Having unmonitored electronic communication channels with children is a dangerous road to travel down. 99.9% is totally harmless but the .1% (or less) makes it extremely dangerous for your career and life in general. Korea might be a bit more lax but definitely don't think about it in America.

Friending adult students (business) is different I think. University students can lead to trouble too, but depending on the circumstance might be appropriate.

[makemischief]

I teach university students. I never ever add them myself, but if they add me that is fine- I just put them on a very limited profile option that shows next to nada. Limited profile is great for things like that.

[PatrickGHBusan]

If you have a facebook page dedicated to education or specific projetcs for your classes then go ahead.

If it is your personal FB page, it is typically a bad idea to add or let students add you. There should be a line between teacher and friend...

[cdninkorea]

I teach university, and I never allow students to be Facebook friends- only once they're no longer my student is it okay, and only if they request it.

Mind you, most of them in my experience join Facebook, add all their foreign teachers, then become completely inactive for months at a time until I de-friend them (because why have someone on your Facebook when they never use it?)

[OculisOrbis]

I have a personal page profile for friends and a teacher profile page for students. No problems.

[SeoulNate]