DEEP THROAT
Fred the Fish over at Are We Doing Anything Today? reflects on the anonymity of teacher bloggers and commenters:
I don't know that you need to know who I am to consider my teaching reflections. ...the anonymity of the blogosphere allows me to reflect publicly. It also enables people to vilify others, using language that I wonder ... would you say that to a person's face? A complete stranger?
Are teachers more likely to blog incognito than, say, any other sector of worker bees? What with colleagues, superiors, and students as potential readers, it seems as though teachers may indeed have more reason to remain veiled. On the other hand, it seems like employees in any sector of the workforce who share their deepest thoughts about their place of work put their economic futures at risk. Unless those deepest thoughts are only posts about how great their boss is.
But even then. Seems more prudent to stay under cover.
Just ask Dooce.
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Comments
It's too easy to get caught. Our profession is just too public. It's even in our contracts that our public behaviors can be grounds for job loss. What's a teacher to do? I still feel weird about posting my name and I have quit!!
Posted by: Pigs | June 14, 2006 5:47 PM
Just look at the teacher in Austin, TX that posted her pictures to the Internet and was fired. Sure we are much more in the public eye, unfortunately.
Posted by: David 40 | June 19, 2006 6:37 PM
You should be in the public eye. You handle people's most precious of possessions (metaphorically). We don't get to spend the day with you; all we have to go on is your reputations. When you sully them with your behavior, it is all we have to judge by. We have to put so much trust in you. You have to give us a break too.
If I, as a homeschooler, were to have nudie pictures of myself for viewing on the internet, you can be sure DHS would be knocking on my door too. I might loose my job as parent. Why should teachers be exempt from the same scrutiny? I agree that teachers should be allowed to have a private life, but you will have to keep it private. It is the profession you have chosen. Maybe you can do your ranting in the teacher’s lounge. Just like I can’t rant about wanting to (fill in the blank) my child online and expect there to be no response.
Posted by: Bette | June 22, 2006 8:11 AM
I respect that many bloggers would want to keep their identities private. If you are sharing reflections that pertain specifically to your school and how it works and/or particular students (this could be ranting or not), it is probably best. But, I've chosen to be public because I feel that I'm sharing techniques and general thoughts about education. I personally don't want to write about anything that might "get me in trouble" to the point that I would lose my job. It depends on your goals, I suppose.
Posted by: Tim Fredrick's ELA Teaching Blog | June 27, 2006 6:10 PM
I agree with Tim. I chose to start a blog so that I can communicate with my students and their parents. I think it has to do with your audience and the purpose of your blog.
Posted by: Angela | July 7, 2006 12:59 PM
Education should be about wisdom and not just about repeating information learned. Teachers all know this, but the law requires them to succeed in the arena of testing, and forget child development. I have no fear of speaking out because I am a retired teacher, so my voice is in their behalf.
Posted by: Deanna Enos | July 7, 2006 4:30 PM
Teaching to a test is the downfall of the learning process. Students who go on to higher education are not prepared for challenging and difficult work that is demanded of them. Instead of focusing on skills that will make students better learners, we yeach them skills to pass tests.
http://josephpolito.edublogs.org/
Posted by: Joe P | July 14, 2006 1:13 AM