Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Opening Pandora's Box?
A question for you, oh loyal readers. This morning, I received a friend request on Facebook from one of my former Underwood High School students. I taught this student general physical science from 2004 to 2005, and it appears that he has since gone on to become a college freshman. This is great news, and I wish him all the best.
However, in the past, I have always tended to draw a line between my personal and professional relationships...especially where Underwood was concerned. (Hence the need, after all, for creating a largely pseudonymous blog.) Acknowledging this student's friend request would give him access to information which I would generally prefer stay among my own peer group, not necessarily my former students. In addition, taking this step could just unleash a flood of potential additional student friend requests, some of which might be from people with whom I did NOT get along particularly well in class.
I'm mildly torn on the subject. On the one hand, this was a nice student, the gesture was likely taken in good faith, and other teachers (at least one) have already acknowledged a similar request. On the other, such an act would disrupt the happy separation I had established between my private life and Underwood High.
Any thoughts as to whether I should accept or ignore the friend request?
A question for you, oh loyal readers. This morning, I received a friend request on Facebook from one of my former Underwood High School students. I taught this student general physical science from 2004 to 2005, and it appears that he has since gone on to become a college freshman. This is great news, and I wish him all the best.
However, in the past, I have always tended to draw a line between my personal and professional relationships...especially where Underwood was concerned. (Hence the need, after all, for creating a largely pseudonymous blog.) Acknowledging this student's friend request would give him access to information which I would generally prefer stay among my own peer group, not necessarily my former students. In addition, taking this step could just unleash a flood of potential additional student friend requests, some of which might be from people with whom I did NOT get along particularly well in class.
I'm mildly torn on the subject. On the one hand, this was a nice student, the gesture was likely taken in good faith, and other teachers (at least one) have already acknowledged a similar request. On the other, such an act would disrupt the happy separation I had established between my private life and Underwood High.
Any thoughts as to whether I should accept or ignore the friend request?
Comments:
Well, you could always limit the information this student can see by only letting them see your "limited profile." I'm pretty sure you can pick exactly what people on that list would get to see. So, that's one way of accepting the friend request but blocking a lot of info. Doesn't do anything about the possibility of disruptive students "friending" you and potentially being disruptive on your wall, etc (though you could always delete those people... or just deny the known disruptors from the start). I dunno. Just some rambling thoughts.
I think it's wise and good for teachers, even former teachers, to have a no-friending-students policy. But Colin's right -- you have a lot of control over what various "friends" can see and do after you accept them, if you're willing to put in the time. I've recently been exploiting the option Facebook gives you to put your "friends" in various "lists" and then control what the "lists" have access to. If you don't want to offend this person, and/or you anticipate this happening in the future, you can create a list just for former students or not-real-friends or whatever and then set your privacy settings accordingly. They won't see the "list" designation or know they're being blocked out; they'll just think you have a really lame Facebook profile!
I allow students to friend me only once they've graduated; it's my way of welcoming them to adulthood. I don't seek out former students, but if they find me, I welcome them. It's actually a good way to continue mentoring them... they never friend their parents, but I'm right there when their status updates say they are homesick at college, or having trouble with classes or whatever, so I can offer support. You could do a limited profile -- I don't, but then as a general rule I don't put things on my page that I'm worried about anyone seeing -- peer, employer or otherwise. That's your call, but I do recommend seeing how your students turn out... it puts your teaching in a larger context, which I quite like.
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