Another week, which means another weekly reflection!
I loved listening to Jesse Miller’s presentation and discussion with us, it made me think about my social media presence and how it can affect my safety as a teacher candidate. I’m happy Emma S. asked the question about content creation and what happens when you’re a teacher AND content creator. I create content on Instagram and TikTok, it’s mostly centered around sustainable fashion, advocacy for inclusivity, and chatter about mental health. I don’t post anything I’m ashamed of or widely inappropriate (there is some swearing, which isn’t appropriate for a classroom but this isn’t being done in the classroom so). I’m worried about more conservative and republican people seeing my content while I’m a teacher because as someone who’s queer, plus-size, a woman, and ethnically mixed, I don’t think I’m everyone’s cup of tea (not that I want to be either but something I’m very aware of). I googled myself after class to see what comes up when someone searched my name, I did a pretty good job of wiping it clean of any personal accounts I wouldn’t want students or parents to see. Let me know what you think, this was what came up.
I tried to make sure I’ve changed my name from my accounts, not using my first or last name because those are the names people will see the most. I opted for an Instagram handle that was adjectives and nouns instead, harder to find me and helps my followers/audience know what I like to post or talk about.
I never heard about networked citizenship before, I had no idea it encompassed so many different areas: digital identity, digital rights, digital literacy, use of communication networks, and security of self. I already knew that safety played a big role but I was unaware of the others! What I, unfortunately, have heard was all the gross and icky encounters that happen with teachers and students. It triggered something inside me when we talked about it because I know so many classmates or former classmates who have dealt with some creepy teachers!
It made me think about our application system for teacher candidates and education in general. I wonder if the systems we have now truly reflect teacher candidates who want to be good teachers and commit to lifelong learning (I think that is the most important quality for an educator to have, you can’t be an all-knowing master of education like the Watcher in What if… I got rejected from the education program twice because my grades weren’t the best. I saw many others get into the program who got into it for the wrong reasons (either thinking it seems “easy”, they want their summers off, or liking the power dynamic and control of it) and it made me so frustrated (I’m still very frustrated)! I asked my Instagram followers if they’d ever encountered an educator that made them feel uncomfortable or gave off creepy vibes. I had about 40% who said they never encountered this, which made me genuinely happy but then 60% said they have or someone they know has, and that made me disappointed but unfortunately, not surprised.
Anyway, this weekly reflection has gone a little sour and south, so here’s a video that makes me laugh and it’s about teachers, of course!
Kimiko
