It sickens me to read about teachers misusing their privileges and being accused of engaging in inappropriate dealings with students. Similarly, it upsets me no end that these horrendous people end up making life even harder for well-meaning, caring and decent teachers.
Male teachers will be completely aware with what I am saying. It is hard to be a male teacher (especially Primary teacher) in an age where there are daily stories doing the rounds about teacher sexual abuse. We have to be careful to the point of obsession. Whilst female teachers wouldn’t hesitate to talk to a student alone behind closed doors, a male teacher cannot afford to. Whilst female teachers cuddle and get kids to sit on their laps without the slightest of hesitation, male teachers wouldn’t even extend their hand for a handshake. I am not trying to complain about this. In fact, I am a big advocate of these rules. It’s the fear of being falsely implicated that makes it a struggle.
And it’s not just male teachers who are effected by these evil people. They have also taken technology like social media, which I hear has incredible benefits as an educational tool, and prevented good, hard-working teachers from freely using it to assist their students.
One in 10 misconduct cases from schools involved teachers using social networking sites like Facebook to start inappropriate relationships with their pupils, it was reported.
n 43 of the 336 cases referred to the General Teaching Council for England last year for “unacceptable professional conduct”, teachers had used online forums, emails and websites like Facebook and Twitter to contact children.
A total of 14 were suspended and 18 were given prohibition orders, according to the Guardian.
The figures also revealed a wide variation in school policy over social networking websites with some banning teachers from having accounts while others allow staff to be “friends” with pupils.
The GTC registrar, Paul Heathcote, told the Guardian: “Often the use of social media by teachers can be positive and make a valuable contribution to a teacher’s practice, to pupils or to the school.
“Only if the use of social media by a teacher is relevant and serious enough to potentially affect a teacher’s registration is it likely to progress to a hearing.”
I would argue that it has become too risky to use Facebook as an educational tool between teacher and student. And we know exactly who to blame for that.
Tags: Beal high school, Benedict Garrett, Education, facebook, General Teaching Council for England, Internet, Karl Hopwood, Lee Butcher, life, Male Teachers, misconduct, Parenting, Paul Heathcote, social media, technology, Twitter
Topical Teaching 
January 25, 2012 at 12:35 am |
Those that abuse their trust create problems for those who are professional and intent on doing a proper job. At one point in my career I was an itinerant behaviour teacher. This necessarily involved one on one work with students of both sexes. I always ensured that when I needed to work in this way I took the student to a place where we were in public view, but where we could have a lesson without interruption. Some schools have glass enclosed rooms off the library where one can be in full public view but able to conduct a private discussion. Otherwise I would use a picnic table in the school quadrangle. In another role where I was working with students returning from suspension I had to collect the children from home, take them to school and give them breakfast before beginning lessons. I had to have a teacher’s aide present at all times. If there was no teacher’s aide or another teacher available the students had to stay at home. It’s a minefield for male teachers but with proper procedures things can work. I remember a well respected and much loved grade 2 teacher who would ask her students if they needed a hug before they went home. She suffered from MS and had gained a lot of weight. Her students loved her. Sadly she passed away at the age of 38.
January 25, 2012 at 6:26 am |
I am not sure if using Moodle.org will also be inappropriate, but it encourages a virtual learning environment.