Facebook crackdown in schools - BostonHerald.com I've given my cell # to a few kids. Good idea or going too far?
I personally think you shouldn't "friend" your students on Facebook. If you want to give your cell # to a student that you think may need you because they are having troubles at home or at school, and you're the only one they can talk to, shouldn't be a problem, as long as you know you can trust that student not to share that info with other students. It's a judgement call I guess.
I'd never 'friend' a kid or a parent. The only times I've given my home phone to a kid, is when I know the parent well enough and their were reasons I wanted the parent to have my number. For example, one parent who was sponsoring a fund raising event that my kids were working on. We had to be able to coordinate, often after 9 pm. That's it.
I don't think its a good idea to friend a student, and I'm teaching college kids. I'm coming around to the idea it's not a good idea to even friend coworkers though.
I don't think it is every good for adults to have unsupervised relations of any kind with other people's kids. I think Friending on facebook or being chat buddies is a bad idea. I think giving the phone number to the parents would be a good idea. And if you have caller ID, make it clear your won't answer the kid's cell, but only calls from the home number that the kid shares with the parents. I do think being there for the kids when they need assistance is a good thing though.
A teacher in Yakima WA just got acquitted for an inappropriate sexual relationship with a young man, whom she claimed she was trying to help with her many text messages and phone calls. The community thinks she was guilty of something, and she'll most likely never teach again. On the other hand, kids have their own phones these days, and it's a good way for the teachers to get in touch with them. My daughter's math teacher also coaches cross-country and really wanted her to be on the team since she did so well in track. So, he called her a few times before school started. He's a great guy, a wonderful role model to all the kids, and it was entirely appropriate. One of the pitfalls of personal cellphones for kids is that parents are no longer aware of who is contacting their child or teenager. Banning all contact by cellphone seems to be an over-reaction, just like all the other zero-tolerance school policies.They seem to be set up to save school administrators from using their brains and common sense. As far as Facebook, I think that a professional distance is called for in that arena.
i think it's a good idea if for no other reason, because it gives teachers an "excuse" not to friend their students. kinda like when you'd tell friends that you'd love to go drinking and breaking windows, but your mean old parents grounded you. i also think it's a bad idea in general for teachers to participate in facebook with their students-too much potential for bad things to happen which may or may not be the teacher's fault. phone number is a different story.
I don't do the facebook thing at all. To me, it's just too creapy and it's way to much personal info to be giving out on a web page. Besides, my ego isn't so big that I need to have others continually stroking me.
facebook is nothing but problems.....i would not friend a student...nor do i see any reason to give a student your cell or home phone...if a parent needs to get in touch with you...he can call the school....i would not engage in afterhours contact that was not a school event... why in the hell would you give a kid your cell phone..that is simply poor ass judgement in my book
