Teachers in a blog spot (Lifestyle; March 26,2006)
Pictures of Ayumi Hamasaki and BoA on the front cover of Lifestyle caught my attention,but what caught my attention even more as I flipped through the pages were the headlines "Teachers in a blog spot".
The article talks about teachers who have blogs and the need for them to watch what they post online. I quote, "You expect teachers in real life to be role models, so teachers should try to be likewise online, otherwise no one will respect teachers".
After reading the entire article, I felt sorry for the teachers who need to be wary of what they post online in fear of students stumbling upon their site and not liking what they read. I quote from the article of what Vanessa, a student, have to say regarding this, "Younger students may stumble upon teacher's blog and not like what he said. This may affect their attitude towards that particular subject."
Truth be told, I believe that it is perfectly fine for a teacher to blog openly and discuss issues in his life such as his class full of students. What Bernadette Chong said in article is true.” Teachers are human too. Like any office worker, they will bitch to de-stress."
What a person blog online is based on his own life 'drama' where he is the lead star. He need not alter the events that took place just to please the few who feels uncomfortable and would be affected. Would a director and producer stop making a movie just because a handful of viewers do not fancy the story? What occurred, occurred in his life and he should be given the right to freedom of speech while blogging even though he is a teacher.
I understand that as I have quoted earlier that teachers should be role models online too; otherwise they would lose their respect. However, the respect of a teacher is rightfully theirs. Though respect needs to be earned, a certain form of degree of respect for teachers is immediately given to them. They are elders to students and they are the ones who pass on knowledge to the masses. Therefore, I believe that they do not lose their respect so easily like blogging frankly online.
A report on a GP teacher who posted her students’ grammar mistakes had caused a furore among students and teachers. Though this act received much disapproval, I believe the act actually did more good than harm. It may seem harsh to some, but in truth the student learns his mistakes through this ‘harsh’ manner which certainly will leave a scar in his memory. With such a sour memory, the student will definitely not repeat the same mistakes. Humans learn how not to repeat mistakes after going through unforgettable consequences that surface due to these mistakes. This is exactly how the student learns how check his grammar before handing in his assignment in the future.
I believe that it is about time that students learn how to accept comments from other parties, be it good or bad. This in fact, I believe, prepares the students in facing the real world once he steps out from ‘school-world’ where he has been protected from the harshness the actual world offers. Students should be able to handle criticism from teachers be it be told online or otherwise and act maturely in response to what have been said. If one cannot accept such comments coming from a superior at this stage, how will he handle it once he is working and receive non-stop harsh, direct criticism from superiors in the working field? It is definitely better to start young and inculcate independence where one will not be affected easily unlike what have been said above by Vanessa.
Hence, I say let the teacher’s blog and bitch online about their lives, the people around them and their students. They have the right to freedom of speech like any other person therefore they need not be held within expectations and rules when blogging on their own online diary. People too should respect what others have to say whether or not it is in their favour. Respect for teachers should not be easily stripped just for blogging in a very frank manner. I say let the students stumble upon teachers blog and read horrible things that the teacher have to say about them. Let them be in another’s shoes and let them see from another point of view for a brief moment. Then on, they will learn that it is never easy, stop and appreciate the people who are overworked, stressed and underpaid. From there, they will mature and in the process be more open to other’s opinion. They will learn how to accept the beliefs of others in the multi-racial, cosmopolitan and opened society
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posted by melala @ 12:31 pm
11 comments
11 Comments:
Blogging by itself isn’t the only thing that made it so popular. It was the input that really mattered. Hence, it’s no wonder how blogging is still a highly prevalent interest of not only the youth, but also the adults as well. Of course, having a blog is considered a kind of a personal responsibility in a way. This is because the author has to stand by what he or she says in his or her blog, and also has to be able to defend his or her opinions and not become cowards who hide behind the anonymity of in the blogosphere.
As the blogger population keeps growing steadily, most bloggers have misinterpreted the use of a blog as being similar in terms of how one would use a personal diary- to record one’s thoughts and feelings on the passing day or on others in a discreet way. However, what’s the point of trying to maintain privacy when the main issue of publishing a blog is for other fellow bloggers and internet surfers to read what you write? This theory can be applied in context to the article, where students somehow find out or stumble on their teacher’s blogs, resulting in a loss of privacy.
In my view, blogs are merely a tool to put across whatever that you want to put across to so that it reaches the masses. But of course, there are limitations as to what you can write about and what you cannot write about. Just like how some Singaporean teenagers made flaming remarks and comments on their peers which clearly crossed the line, measures had to be taken into place.
Teachers are human beings too. Sure they can rant all they want on their blogs, but I feel that no matter who owns a blog be it teachers, students or anyone else, a certain unmentioned boundary must be maintained. Others may argue about how freedom of speech gets jeopardized through this “censorship”, but honestly, how many of us here are able to appreciate what we call “freedom of speech”?
Besides, there are people who feel uncomfortable with the way how certain teachers try to liven their blog up by being "sarcastic" or just plain funny by posting stuff on their students and their apparent antics in class. The blame hence cannot squarely lie on just the teachers alone for trying to use their blog in a certain way, but rather, it also lies with the mentality of students and how they view such comments.
To add on to melati's article:
I feel that besides blogging, there are other ways that teachers can express their frustrations. teachers are supposed to be role-models to students, however, we should always bear in mind that role-models are also humans with feelings, like the students. Thus they also have the rights to feel frustrated and need an outlet to express their feelings. Being a blogger myself, i know that these teachers can blog and lock their blogs with a password, keeping their personal blogs at a private level.
"when I blog, i'm very conscious that my students read it, so i blog as a teacher" i feel that blogging as a teacher doesn't give much freedom as a person to express how you really feel. you're basically just expressing how you feel like how any role model would feel. if there is a need to blog, i agree with what Bernadetter Chong says: "keep everything anonymous" This way its much better as there wouldn’t be so much of hurting other’s feelings unintentionally.
As for some teachers pointing out grammer mistakes and stuff like that online is good in away, despite being an embarassing thing for us young students, we learn faster that way. (we are very afraid of being embarassed) and we will learn from our mistakes faster. In this aspect, i agree with what Melati has to say.
Blogging is the trend now and i must admit, it is a good way to express yourself vate or anonymous to prevent others from misunderstanding. The internet is a large connection altogether. It is easy to locate someone's blog. Be it teachers or students, it is always better to be cautious when posting negative or unpleasant posts. Surely there are also other ways that these teachers can express themselves if they want to talk about their students? Perhaps bitching, within themselves and laughing about it ?
Well at least that works for some of us students.
320 words.
Regarding the mistakes made by the students that were posted online, I think that the blog just serves as a medium where the teacher tries to highlight the students' gramatical mistakes. Not expecting that it would backfire on her, she posted the mistakes with a responsible teacher's intention- that is to teach, correct and educate. Her blog was merely her 'teaching tool, so let us give her a break.
Talking about teachers blogging, I am quite sure we all have the zeal to 'convey' interesting bits and pieces to someone, be it pen or verbal, but we should all know our limits in revealing more than enough of our private lives to anyone.
Well, if you ask me, teachers should reveal little and conceal more about their personal information, because logically who would want their private affairs to be known to most of their social circle. If willingly disclosed, that obviously would not be considered as "Private" anymore.
As a student, I would be shocked and keen to pry, if I Mr Lee blogs about his wild night out at Zouk with XYZ and the story goes... ( Sorry Sir, just illustrating ) We will tend think, "Wah, this teacher cool man. We go friend friend with him" , and this would have degenerated the exemplary teacher-student relationship.
Therefore teachers should reveal enough to get closer to students but not reveal too much that the hierarchy no longer exists, teachers must always be an image to look up to. They not only educate theory but also moral structuring such as inculcating moral values and instilling good habits just by displaying good character/behavior themselves to be set a role model for their students.
But realistically we must not forget that they, the teachers, are only human and cannot be perfect, so the more humane side of them should be kept from students as much as they could.
This way there will be no room for any friendly or even undervaluation of teachers, pure mentor-pupil connection is perhaps the most rational in my stand. (300+ words)
Freedom of speech, isn't that what we are trying to practice? How then, are we going to practise freedom of speech when blogging about our personal probelms is considered to be bad? I think teachers should have a right to write about their personal probelms in their own blogs. A blog is an online diary. The difference between an online diary and a normal diary is this, the online one can be read by others while the normal one cannot. There you have it, a blog is an online diary, where you write your personal problems or feelings/attitudes towards somethin or a particular event which you think really bothers, concerns or even excites you, and let others read about it. It's a form of sharing your experience, letting others know what you do or how you feel. Why would people even bother to blog when their entries are not read? If their entries were not meant to be read, go use a normal diary, pick up a pencil and start scribbling your troubles into a book where nobody would know about, comement or possibly understand.
Teachers are humans, humans have problems and emotional difficulties. Huamns are social animals, we like to talk and share about stuff that disturbs us. We want to let others know what we are feeling and we want others to feel how we feel. Blogs are there to allow humans to express themselves. If being a teacher would mean the right to blog whatever they want to is taken away. Would that also imply that teachers, once being teachers, are no longer human? To take away a person's freedom of speech is wrong, even more so if taken away from a teacher or even a lawyer, social worker, you know, people who work with people. Gosh, this people meet different people every day. They meet people who are great, who are nasty, who want to help them, or even people who would backstab them whenever and wherever they can. Teachers need to express themselves. They cannot just bottle up all their woes and anger in them. They might explode. You might explode too if you do that.
In the article, i quote "You expect teachers in real life to be role models, so teachers should try to be likewise online, otherwise no one will respect teachers." Come on, this is crap. I think the Vice Principal who wrote this is crap. If teacher are restricted to what they blog online, is that healthy? should we follow that? I say no! Let the teachers blog what they want. Let them express themselves, complain to us about the bad people in their school, and the good ones. Scold the bad ones and praise the good ones, show the students that you care. Talk about why you scold the bad ones, tell them what they did wrong, tell the people reading the blog what the student has done wrong. Share your thoughts, feelings and concern.
If the teachers make their blog public, it will mean that they have to ensure that their entries will not jeopardise their status as role models. So if they do not ensure that, it will their fault if they lost the respect of their students. However, if the students stumble upon the teachers' blogs and they do not like what is posted, the students have no right to complain about them. Teachers are human too. They need to vent it out on someone or something. Teenage students being emotional, may place themselves in inmportance and everything or anyone else just do not matter. Living in a high-technology age, we prefer to easier ways of getting things done. In this case, it is easier to type than to write. Plus, we save paper, do we not? Saving paper means saving trees but that is a whole new chapter. Sadiq commented, "Why should we blog in the first place if we did not want others to know about it?" and I feel he is right only to a certain extent. Well, a blog is a diary and the owner of the diary has full rights to post whatever he or she feels about a particular matter and the readers must read it with discretion. I agree with Melissa about students who are "complaining that they have been “victimized” by their teacher and demand that something be done about it" are selfish. It is always about them, them and them only. It is annoying. Get a life, people. Prakash commented that "how many of us here are able to appreciate what we call “freedom of speech”?" and sadly, I will have to say that there is no such thing as freedom of speech. Seeing how good it feels to be on the giving end but hurtful on the receiving end, it makes me think that maybe, the traditional method of writing in a diary should be the best resort for emotional people.
I fully agree with Melati. Firstly, we live in a democratic society where freedom of speech and expression is allowed unless they are seditious. But I can hardly see how seditious a teacher’s comments can be unless he/she intentionally goes all out to flame someone.
The point is, as long as the entries are not filled with malicious comments intent on humiliating or hurting someone, there is no need to kick up a big fuss. And I do not think any teachers would go to that extent unless they want their jobs to be at stake.
Teachers being humans, have emotions too. They also need someone or something to hear them out. Are they to be like robots, void of any human emotions? If that’s the case, then we are only seeing machines every day when we attend classes. Does being a teacher mean that all their basic rights privilege such as expressing their feelings and doing what they want such as going out to a club with their friends are all void? Why are we as society, so quick with double-standards? Others can go out for a night at the club while teachers who do that are quickly picked out and criticised?
As mentioned, if one does not want the world to read what they have penned in their blogs, they can always set up a password to prevent the unwanted eyes from prying into their lives. Privacy can be kept. I think this is a good enough measure unless the students out there are computer geniuses who are able to hack in but that is probably far and few between.
Students should also learn to handle criticism. They have been sheltered throughout their growing years. This is especially so now. I’m sure most of us have heard of parents complaining to the school or even the ministry over the smallest matter. If the child gets scolded or punished, the parents will complain. It seems that whatever the teachers do, they’ll end up losing, even when they do it for the good of the pupil. Moreover, students can choose not to read what the teachers have to say if they think they are unable to handle it. They are given a choice; no one is holding them at knife-point to read the blog entries.
I think it basically all boils down to how the teacher comes across in his blog. Is he being sarcastic, friendly or just teasing his students? Some teachers use blogs to build up rapport with their classes and also as a way to bond with them. Since most students own blogs, teachers could perhaps feel that by maintaining a blog helps to draw themselves into the students’ world and relate to them better.
Let us all be fair. Teachers have suffered much injustice with students and society in general always picking at their faults. Teachers are humans and humans are not perfect. They do make mistakes too. No one is infallible. I say let the teachers blog all they want. They have already sacrificed so much of their time and energies to their careers. Besides having to teach, they have to plan lessons, prepare exams, counsel students and also take care of CCAs and other school programmes etc. Many of them have to give up their own personal free time or even family time just so students can benefit. As long as they practice caution and good judgment, there should be no problem with them blogging away.
I guess this is the part where I , as a teacher, make some comments about this...
As Info Tech is making the world smaller, it is, at the same time, making privacy more of an issue. Imagine all of us cramped into a tiny "global" village - living in a world not separated by continents and oceans, but rather pulled together by deep-sea underwater fibre-optic cables.
Thus, many teachers who have grown up in a IT-packed world probably has lived in a world where everything under the sun can be found on the Internet. Hence, their notion of freedom of speech is that anything can be discussed - this notion notion often masquerading as being "liberal" and "straightforward".
More importantly, due to the fact this world has become smaller, we have become more competitive, always wanting to outlast, outlive (...uhm... sounds familiar, I could've sworn I didn't some up with that... anyway...) the other person with whatever and however it takes - hence becoming more selfish and ignoring consequences of our (negative) actions.
I personally believe that this matter about teachers blogging and making careless remarks is a perfect example of such. I agree with Louis- i believe that teachers by nature of their occupation have to be careful of what they say and do, regardless of where/how they do it. They have are essentially role models. Even they do not like that part of their job they have to consider the repercussions of their actions. And yes.. Louis, I believe that the student-teacher hierarchy must stand. As old fashioned it may seem, I believe that teachers' authority should be fused with a little friendship and not the other way around.
After reading Melati’s article, about teachers blogging and affecting both the schools and curiosity of the students, I feel that it’s rather ridiculous.
Well, teachers are human, just like anyone of us. I do not know about all, but most of us do have a blog, it is a place where we communicate to a 3rd party out there, who do not know us personally but is willing to view our daily problems and tag some remarks. Teachers do have their own problems, be it in their career or be it personal. The only thing that differentiates them from us is they are expected to set a good example to others.
Has anyone ever put themselves in their shoes before? Well, they are just human beings, who sometimes can be carried away by emotions, by things that spur feelings. Well, blogging is a good way to speak our thoughts as we need not have to pile up diary books every year, and typing it out is indeed more efficient and less time consuming than writing out.
However, I do agree that teachers should not post any names or initials to humiliate any students they are displeased with, they can comment on stuffs but as long as no names mentioned, the students should not feel bad as they are the ones to snoop into their teachers’ blog entries.
Another thing in which I would like to comment about is class blogs, I think it would bond the spirit of the class, why? This is so as a class blog may not only be a forum where the class students participate in various discussions like the reading log blog we have here, also, important events like for example, one of our classmate has won some glorious stuffs, and such memorable incident should be blogged in the class blog. It’s the kind of memory as a whole, where you know, after graduation, there is this place, on the net where u can go and surf around to remind you of the wonderful times you had with your classmates.
Therefore, I do support the idea of blogging as a whole.
=)” 357 words
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Nowadays, blogging is among the most common and convenient ways to express oneself. It would be a normality for someone to have his or her own blog. Thus I feel that teachers should not be stripped of the rights to blog just because they are teachers and are supposed to be the role models for the student body.
Yes, I do agree that no doubt, the teachers are supposed to set good examples as they are supposed to be portrayed as the role models for the student body. However, this does not necessarily mean that they are not allowed to express themselves through blogging. As mentioned in the article, teachers are human beings too. This means that they too are entitled to express their thoughts and feelings through blogging, just like us students.
Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that teachers, who want to use blogs, should be mindful of their language and how they write their thoughts down in their blogs. They should also be careful with the contents of their blogs. To live up to their status as teachers, they should refrain from the usage of inappropriate language such as vulgarities, too. If a student were to stumble upon his or her teacher’s blog and finds unpleasant content in the blog, it would diminish the teacher’s reputation. The student will lose respect for that teacher.
Personally, I feel that if a teacher does not like a particular student’s attitude or is unhappy with the student’s work, the teacher should approach the student and have a private chat with him or her regarding the matter. To me, this would be a much better way than venting their frustrations on the blog and wait around for the student to chance upon the bad comments about his or her attitude or school work. It would be a more effective way to have a one-on-one chat and straighten things out, rather than bitching about things on the blog and thus delay the whole process of clearing matters up. It would also create lots of unhappiness and dislikes amongst one another due to the bad comments posted at the blogs.
On the other hand, students should also learn to accept bad remarks from their teachers regarding their attitudes or school work. They should not take things too hard and be harsh on themselves. Students should not feel demoralised if their teacher was to come up to them and comment on something bad about them. Instead, they should take those criticisms as constructive remarks and improve themselves, be it in the aspect of their attitude, or in the aspect of their school work. Those criticisms should drive them towards becoming a better student and a better person as a whole.
Thus, I feel that both teachers and students play important roles in the issue of the blogs. Due to the rapid improvement in technology, it is not unusual for even teachers to have blogs. Teachers should be mindful of what they write, and students have to be more willing to accept criticisms from their teachers.
I agree with Melati that it is quite a pity about the fact that teachers had to take notice on what they blog about in their personal blogs. I find that it is totally alright to express what they think from within. Everyone is different and we have different stands about different situations in life. Therefore, I totally agree that teachers have the right to express themselves in their own blogs!
In my opinion, I like teachers who have their own stand in situations. How can teachers be double minded all the time and accommodate to students in case the students badmouth them in their own personal blogs? This way, I would say the students are unreasonable, or that they have nothing else better to do.
As my past history teacher makes his own stand in situations, sharing with us his views, he inspires me a lot. Even though sometimes one can be biased, my teacher stands firm on his stand but accepts others’ point of view too. By doing that, he inspires me to make a stand in situations and be strong. Even though sometimes others think differently, we are all different. So we should accept other people’s opinions just like how they should accept ours.
However, to prevent such problems again, teachers can always change their names or to put passwords in their blogs too. In other cases, teachers should just keep their blog address in a low profile, not letting the public view it.
A good thing about teachers blogging is that students get to know their teachers well and they might even communicate better in classes. From there, the teachers might be able to control the class easier as there is a ‘personal touch’ between the teachers and the students overall.
Lastly, I agree with Melati on her point where she said ‘I believe, prepares the students in facing the real world once he steps out from ‘school-world’ where he has been protected from the harshness the actual world offers.’ Students like us should not just think we’ll be digging in textbooks all our lives. We should start looking out of the box and face the harsh world out there that seems ‘friendly’ but actually is not. Surviving in this current world is already very tedious, having the fact that food prices are slowly rising up and other factors that affect our survival.
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