But I am not going to write my last blog post (for a little while, at least) on the topic of melancholy memories, and wrenching reminiscences. I am going to write it about George Couros' presentation in class today (the second last class of my Education degree).
Topics up for Discussion:
- Defining a Mastery Teacher
- The Digital Footprint and Employability
- Professional vs. Private: An Identity Crisis
- The Right to Choose What is Shared When and Where
1. DEFINING A MASTERY TEACHER
Now, I think that George is right on the mark when he describes today's master teacher as one who connects with and teaches kids first and curriculum second. If you've read some of my former blog posts, you know that I am a firm believer in inquiry-based, student-led learning, and George seems to be a huge proponent of this shift in pedagogy, as well. He brought up some excellent points about how, as educators, we need to inspire our students to become lifelong learners, rather than learners who are externally motivated by superficial rewards like letter grades. I think that it is fabulous, simply fabulous, that he is a principal, and so has the ability to make this type of teaching and learning a reality for those within his division.
Click here for a link to Mr. Couros' "What Makes a Master Teacher" blog post
2. THE DIGITAL FOOTPRINT AND EMPLOYABILITY
So, not only did George talk to us about mastery teaching, but he talked to us about the role social media and online presence plays in getting a teaching job, as well. This was great because in a couple months, this is exactly what we will be doing, and so we really need all the help we can get. Basically, George drew our attention to the reality that Google is accessible for everyone - from parents to potential employers, and that these people are certainly going to use it to look into our lives. And, quite frankly, I have been hearing this spiel ever since I have considered applying to the Faculty of Education, and the recommended advice seems to go something like this: take the party pictures off social media, jack up the privacy settings, or better yet, delete social media outlets altogether.
However, though Mr. Couros was singing a version of this song, the lyrics were really quite different. He advocated for the active use of social media, and for, rather than falling off the world wide web altogether, making ourselves as easy to find as possible when our names get punched into the Google search bar. He said that when in the midst of the hiring process, the candidates who make it to the "job interview" phase are the candidates who have a positive digital footprint, rather than those with no digital footprint at all. And to an extent, I see where he is coming from. Principals want to see what teachers can share with both their school's students and their teachers, especially in regards to the hot topic that is technology. What better way to exhibit this than through technological outlets such as teacher websites, Twitter, blogs, and ePortfolios? And what better way to connect with other educators?
3. PROFESSIONAL VS. PRIVATE: AN IDENTITY CRISIS
However, where I really fell off of George's wavelength was when he included social media in this digital identity stew. I have both a Facebook account, and two Twitter accounts - but both my Facebook account and one of my Twitter accounts are for personal use only, and so they are not easily accessible through a simple Google search. George talked about how educators need to work towards melding their online personal life with their online professional life, since teaching is an occupation in which it is quite difficult to keep the two separate; after all, we are moulding the minds of the community's children - don't the community members have a right to know just what kind of people we are, both inside and out of school?
Now, I definitely do think that the public has a right to access information about me that is relevant to my life as a professional, but I just cannot accept that they have a right to access information about my private life. And I realize that I have entered into a field where a private life is difficult to have, but I firmly believe that it is a necessity since, though being a teacher is a huge part of my identity, it is not the only part of my identity.
4. THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHAT IS SHARED WHEN AND WHERE
It must also be noted that when I refer to my personal life, I do not mean it to be synonymous with "inappropriateness." I just feel that the content that I choose to share in these media outlets is content that is shared between myself and my friends and family, not people I have never made the acquaintance of. Just as I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing the funny things that happened at my part-time job, my family photos, or my relationship status with a stranger on the street, I don't feel comfortable sharing these things with anyone who has access to the internet.
This is not to say that I won't choose to share these things with my coworkers, and the students in my classroom, should I happen to get an interview based on the merits presented in my professional technological outlets - it is just that I should be able to make this decision, and not have it affect my employment outlook.
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