This week’s sessions are provided by members of the Capability and Integrity Unit (formerly Ethical Standards) of the Department of Education. In general terms, as a teacher, you do not ever want to hear from these guys. It means you are in strife.
There are two distinct topics this week. The first looks at how teachers use social media and what is and is not appropriate. Some might think these topics somewhat obvious. Data would disagree. Social Media is the leading cause of investigations in recent years.
I look back and thank my lucky starts that there was no such thing when I was a beginning teacher…Yes, I have been teaching THAT long. In fact, even now I have a very limited social media presence and post to that platform rarely. If you must have it, you need to look very carefully at what it portrays about you and how parents and students might perceive your social media presence should they find it. What did you take from this session? What are you unsure about? What steps are you going to take or have you taken?
The second part of the session is around obligations of state school teachers with respect to the Code of Conduct for Queensland Government employees, and the Standard of Practice that helps contextualise this broad document for teachers.
What areas were news to you? Which ones concern you or do you feel may impact you during your career?
I am so happy that there are extensive policies/codes of conduct in place to protect students from predators. All of the social media ‘rules’ make me very nervous, especially in the context of small rural communities. I have little to no social media presence and endeavor to always act professionally and respectfully (online and in person). If I want to work in my current rural location I will be working where I attended school myself and eventually where my own children will attend school. I am conservative and religious with immediate family members currently acting as well-known local government officials. It gives me a great deal of anxiety to think about implications and issues I cannot foresee that might impact my ability to teach.
Hi Sophie,
One positive to what you are saying is that you are not judged on your family member’s actions, but your own. Being Christian and conservative is not an issue, just as being a non-Christian and socialist is not an issue…as long as what is posted on social media or espoused in the public domain does not demean, ostracise or vilify others with different views of lifestyles.
We all have opinions, views, biases etc. The challenge comes when you need to teach something (in the curriculum) that you perhaps strongly disagree with. Or even trickier, when you know the community you are living in will strongly disagree with.
That is a challenge.
Previous to watching/ listening to this recording I was aware how students will do anything to find you on social media. My dad who teaches at a high school for STEM says that even though his facebook account had the highest settings and continuously reminded his students in class that he would not accept friend requests, he constantly kept getting them and in the end de-activated his account because it was easier. Which on a personal note I thought wasn’t fair cause as we don’t live near each other he was then missing out on posts I would put up of his Grandchildren. But I can see why he did, because it really isn’t worth it.
I will keep my personal account but I do have a separate page under a completely different name where I do 1930-1950’s vintage photo shoots and where I post about my swing dancing journey that I will unfortunately have to say good bye to. It has been a big part of my life for the last 10 years as I live and breath the vintage life and its nostalgia but again, it really isn’t worth it (even though there is nothing sinister what so ever posted but people do have different beliefs and it is best to avoid this just in case).
Hi Hannah,
You don’t have to give up the person you are when you become a teacher (unless your are doing something illegal, which you are not).
Your dad must be a great teacher if kids were trying to friend him even when told not to!
I think that notion of only accepting requests from people you know and reinforcing with students that you will not friend them is the best way to start. You can then make a decision based on your experiences after that.
I dumped Facebook a number of years ago due to an incident because of someone else’s lack of security on their account and only really regret that now that my kids have moved away from home and are doing lots of great things…we have other ways of keeping on top of their achievements etc.
Thank you , this is an incredibly important presentation. At the beginning of the year I went through the DOE mandatory training which covered these topics and I have thought about them many times throughout this term. As a first year teacher it is crucial to keep these topics in mind.
I also live in a small town so I will constantly need to be mindful of my actions. During my service placement hours, I realised that one of the students in the year 9 science class actually lived across the road from me.
In the future, I will need to also be mindful of my children’s friends, and also the children of my friends as I no doubt will have interactions with them given there is only one state high school in town.
Definitely thought provoking videos.
Hi Kathryn,
This is totally unavoidable in a small community. Everyone has eyes on the schoolies and it is very hard to be anonymous. This has advantages and challenges attached to it.
There is a difficulty here that I will need to clarify – it seems like, in priciple, it is permitted for me to act as a tutor outside of school hours (avoidign tutoring my own students etc). However, if I am tutoring students from other schools, how am I to be in contact with them? Use of department email seems like a misuse, but private email seems like an issue also.
This is a really good question, Joseph. I will put it to Cath and see what she come back with.
Hi Joseph,
Please see response from Cath D’Hage from Capability and Integrity Unit.
Great question, thank you for forwarding the email from the student.
Tutoring – teachers can tutor children from their own school and even their own class if circumstances merit (for example, rural and remote locations). The Principal is the decision-maker and they must approve the arrangement.
Communication – We would suggest all communication should be through the student’s parent/caregiver. If a student asks a teacher regarding ‘tutoring,’ generally speaking the parent would be the person who is paying for the service therefore, it would be recommended the teacher makes contact with the parent/caregiver.
If for some reason, the parent then requested the teacher make arrangements directly with the student, the teacher would have to first speak with their Principal (and obtain approval) regarding that type of arrangement. Private email/SMS communication (without Principal approval) would be non-complaint with departmental policy/procedure. Using departmental email for a private business is not an option as that would be a breach of the Standard of Practice (using departmental resources for financial benefit).
I trust the advice assists.
Regards,
Cath