Digital Reputation and Our Responsibility as Adults

My students had the opportunity this week to visit with a nonprofit organization at their facility. For this experience, I placed students in groups based upon their interests. Once at the facility, students worked together within their group to make a decision and create a solution for a given problem.

The groups that students were organized into were known as communities. So each “community” had their own issue that was presented by “city council” (members from our own community). These issues were anywhere from: should we place an age limit on energy drinks, what should we do as a community to help the growing vaping epidemic, to creating a digital footprint and cyber bullying.

For middle school students, these topics were very near to their heart. The topic that really made my students stop in their tracks was the idea of a digital footprint. Growing up in the 90’s and the early 2000’s, the idea of a digital footprint has come second nature. I have always been conscience of what I have researched and posted. Even in the days of MySpace! My students, however, have been told that items can be found, but I do not believe that they really understood the idea and the lasting effect of posts, snaps, and searches until this day.

This group in particular was given the task from the council to look into an app that would be mandatory for parents to place on their child’s phone to track the child’s digital footprint. This would allow parents to be aware of searches and posts that are made to help the child’s online presence to be more positive.

While students were not in favor of the app, they were very curious about this topic. Students became concerned that colleges and future employers can track searches, posts, and snaps. They began to research ways to prevent these searches. While “going incognito” was an option, students decided that the best option was to be aware of your online presence.

This made me think about my own online presence and that of professionals. If we are to be role models for the next generation, not only do we need to be aware of our physical presence, but also our online presence. As teachers, we need to realize that we are in a profession that is so different than others. We are on the clock 24/7/365. We have to constantly be aware of our actions.

I have the opportunity to live in the district that I teach. I shop at the same grocery stores my students and parents shop. I eat at the same restaurants. There isn’t a weekend that goes by where I am not recognized as a teacher. And while that is such a great, wonderful feeling, it is also tough at times. To know that I am a professional 100% of the time and cannot “let my hair down and party with the girls” can be daunting. We all have days where after work we want to let loose and vent about a bad day. As professionals, we cannot do this in public and expect to NOT be called out on it. Someone is always watching and listening. Pictures will be taken and posted on social media. Cruel things will be said (especially if you are recognized and associated with a specific school-even wearing school colors!). We need to be aware of WHERE these venting sessions take place and HOW they take place.

We, as professionals, also need to be aware of items that we search. ESPECIALLY on district technology. There is nothing worse than looking up a video in front of students and there is an ad for Victoria’s Secret on. Or other inappropriate material. This is another reason to always preview content and really plan lessons.

To end this post on a short note, I want to share advice that I was given as a first year teacher. “Anything on social media can be put on the front page of the news paper. If you do not want that post/picture/content on the front page with your name attached, don’t put it on social media.” Always remember that as a teacher, you are always being watched. Make your actions something that you would want your own child to see and follow. My middle school students are beginning to figure this out, as adults, it is our responsibility to nurture students’ digital reputation and, really, our own as well.

Check out this video from commonsense.org that my students stumbled upon during their research that really made them reconsider their own digital presence! https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/digital-footprint