In today’s society, it is very difficult to keep our lives private. Nearly every move we make has the potential to appear on some sort of social media platform. Even if we are not the ones posting it. Even more difficult is the responsibility of educators to help students understand how something that has always been a part of their lives can have such a major impact. In my opinion, teachers have two major responsibilities when it comes to social media: to encourage students to use it responsibly and to model appropriate behavior.
In order to teach and encourage students to use social media responsibly, we must be sure they understand the significance of using discretion in their posts. This includes, but is certainly not limited to, the appropriateness of posts and ensuring they are not engaging in cyber bullying. Manning (2020) provides several ways in which teenagers may cyber bully. It can be through exclusion, gossip, silent treatment, belittling, and even conditional friendship. She describes these behaviors as a way to “assert power and control over others and maintain a pecking order” (Manning, 2020, p. 95). Parents and teachers alike must be aware of these behaviors and do what is necessary to help students understand their severity.
The other responsibility of teachers is to model appropriate behavior on their own social media accounts. Not only can this help teachers to accomplish the aforementioned responsibility, but it can also save their careers. “Once you post an opinion, you give up control” (Fagell et al., 2019). Many educators have ruined their careers by not using discretion when posting. They have published inappropriate posts, written something negative about their students, or simply just posted their opinion. Teachers must understand that the moment they become teachers, they are immediately under a microscope. Even though your account may be private, somebody knows somebody that knows you. Be careful what you post. If not for yourself, definitely for your students.
References
Fagell, P., Starr, J. P., Kim, R., Ferguson, M., Marshall, K., & Russo, A. (2019, July 10). Teachers and social media: A cautionary tale about the risks. Retrieved November 09, 2020, from https://kappanonline.org/fagell-teachers-social-media-risks-compliance-specialist-corruption/
Manning, C. (2020). Peer to peer: Helping teens navigate friendship in the age of social media. Metro : Media & Education Magazine., 205, 92–95.