Social Media Tips for Educators

 It's rare to find an adult who isn't on some social media platform (even my 75 year old parents use Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat). Teachers and those who work in education are not an exception. But because teachers are pretty visible, and because they work with children, they are sometimes held to a different standard on social media. I'm not here to debate if that is right or wrong (because that's a pretty big discussion). Instead, I would rather share some tips that are considered best practices for teachers when it comes to social media.

• In my personal opinion, this is one of the most important things you can do -- maintain separate accounts! For instance, I have a separate Twitter account for work and for my personal life. They don't "follow" each other, either. I want them to be separate entities. When I want to Tweet about how excited I am about the new season of Ozark coming out, I want to do that from my personal account 😁
• The next big thing I think you can do is use those privacy settings! While my work Twitter is public, my personal Twitter and all my other social media accounts are locked down pretty tightly. I also check the privacy settings every few months, too, in case anything has been updated or changed. 
• When it comes to your personal social media accounts, avoid "friending" or "following" students and parents. This can just blur the lines between personal and professional. In a small town like Channahon where many of the staff are also residents, this can be challenging. In this case, if you do end up connected personally on social media with students or parents, be extra mindful of your online postings.
• Avoid talking about work in your social media posts. Yes, we all have bad days at work, but because our work is with and about children, it can seem really negative when we post about our jobs. Be especially mindful of posts like, "The kids really felt the full moon today," or other such posts. They're likely meant to be harmless, but some people, unfortunately, will interpret this as bashing on kids, and all that will happen is you will find yourself in hot water.

These are just some commonly accepted practices. What suggestions or tips do you have? Add them in the comments! I've got swag for all who offer their ideas!