Thursday, December 31, 2009

Social Networking

I blog for the same reasons that many others do: I am looking for solutions, I have funny things to say that I want to share (sometimes funny odd, sometimes funny ha ha), or I need to vent and my family doesn't want to hear it anymore.

Like many, I do this anonymously out of fear of retribution. In my case, not because I have seen retribution at my school, but it would not be out of character for it to happen.

There are other outlets for social networking: myspace, facebook, linkedin and probably hundreds of others that I am too lame to know of.

I used MySpace for the sole purpose of connecting with an old student as I guessed (correctly) that she was there. It was worth it.

I use Facebook to connect with family and friends. The young ones (college age or younger) post the most - but I see family pictures and learn of milestones this way. I don't post much above the level of "It's a beautiful day". Again this is out of fear as a a young teacher has had her career ruined over a picture of herself with a glass of wine on Facebook.

LinkedIn I use to connect with former co-workers and to keep a foot in the business community. Unless I suddenly write a book or something, I cannot imagine posting much of anything here.

I asked a not-close-friend, more than an acquaintance, not a relative who is having difficulty in the job market to link to me in LinkedIn, figuring I have other similar contacts from people still in the business world who might be able to help. I learned that I am not considered a business friend, but a facebook friend. It was an education. On one level, I was slightly insulted. (I am not sure why, I know this person hears banjos when I talk as the South is full of those who are not quite right) On another, this is not someone I trust in my Facebook (for the reasons stated above) even though I never say anything.

Isn't it interesting how we compartmentalize our lives?

Wishing all of us a better economy, more dedicated students, distracted administrators (so they leave us alone), and witty postings! Happy 2010!

1 comment:

Madeleine said...

All of your reasons for keeping your education blog anonymous are the same as mine.

I don't want to hear from an angry administration. Any students I discuss are given fake names.

It's important to have a place to vent, just as it's important for us to read about others' experiences. Thank goodness for teachers' blogs - they make my teaching job much more tolerable.