Every Teacher’s Must-Have Guide To Facebook
If you’re a teacher, you would be well served by spending 3 minutes to read through this must-have guide. (We timed it out and it’s a bit under 3 minutes. It’s almost summertime, you can spare it for us!)
Don’t start scrolling down just yet!
Here’s how it works: there is a plethora of information on the Internet that can be useful for teachers but why search around when you can rely on EduDemic to do the digging for you. Know of another resource we don’t have here? Let us know on Twitter by including @edudemic in your tweet or on our Facebook page here. After all, we said this would just take 3 minutes to read, remember? That being said, let’s begin:
How To Set Up & Use Facebook
We are big fans of Scribd and were excited to see that Bernadette Rego created this fantastic Facebook setup guide with a teacher-centric focus.
A 10-Year-Old Explains How To Properly Use Facebook
How Teachers SHOULD & SHOULDN’T Use Facebook
Download this infographic in PDF form
The Types of People To Avoid On Facebook
Source: CNN
The Let-Me-Tell-You-Every-Detail-of-My-Day Bore. “I’m waking up.” “I had Wheaties for breakfast.” “I’m bored at work.” “I’m stuck in traffic.” You’re kidding! How fascinating! No moment is too mundane for some people to broadcast unsolicited to the world. Just because you have 432 Facebook friends doesn’t mean we all want to know when you’re waiting for the bus.
The Self-Promoter. OK, so we’ve probably all posted at least once about some achievement. And sure, maybe your friends really do want to read the fascinating article you wrote about beet farming. But when almost EVERY update is a link to your blog, your poetry reading, your 10k results or your art show, you sound like a bragger or a self-centered careerist.
The Friend-Padder. The average Facebook user has 120 friends on the site. Schmoozers and social butterflies — you know, the ones who make lifelong pals on the subway — might reasonably have 300 or 400. But 1,000 “friends?” Unless you’re George Clooney or just won the lottery, no one has that many. That’s just showing off.
The Town Crier. “Michael Jackson is dead!!!” You heard it from me first! Me, and the 213,000 other people who all saw it on TMZ. These Matt Drudge wannabes are the reason many of us learn of breaking news not from TV or news sites but from online social networks. In their rush to trumpet the news, these people also spread rumors, half-truths and innuendo. No, Jeff Goldblum did not plunge to his death from a New Zealand cliff.
The TMIer. “Brad is heading to Walgreens to buy something for these pesky hemorrhoids.” Boundaries of privacy and decorum don’t seem to exist for these too-much-information updaters, who unabashedly offer up details about their sex lives, marital troubles and bodily functions. Thanks for sharing.
The Bad Grammarian. “So sad about Fara Fauset but Im so gladd its friday yippe”. Yes, I know the punctuation rules are different in the digital world. And, no, no one likes a spelling-Nazi schoolmarm. But you sound like a moron.
The Sympathy-Baiter. “Barbara is feeling sad today.” “Man, am I glad that’s over.” “Jim could really use some good news about now.” Like anglers hunting for fish, these sad sacks cast out their hooks — baited with vague tales of woe — in the hopes of landing concerned responses. Genuine bad news is one thing, but these manipulative posts are just pleas for attention.
The Lurker. The Peeping Toms of Facebook, these voyeurs are too cautious, or maybe too lazy, to update their status or write on your wall. But once in a while, you’ll be talking to them and they’ll mention something you posted, so you know they’re on your page, hiding in the shadows. It’s just a little creepy.
The Crank. These curmudgeons, like the trolls who spew hate in blog comments, never met something they couldn’t complain about. “Carl isn’t really that impressed with idiots who don’t realize how idiotic they are.” [Actual status update.] Keep spreading the love.
The Paparazzo. Ever visit your Facebook page and discover that someone’s posted a photo of you from last weekend’s party — a photo you didn’t authorize and haven’t even seen? You’d really rather not have to explain to your mom why you were leering like a drunken hyena and French-kissing a bottle of Jagermeister.
The Obscurist. “If not now then when?” “You’ll see…” “Grist for the mill.” “John is, small world.” “Dave thought he was immune, but no. No, he is not.” [Actual status updates, all.] Sorry, but you’re not being mysterious — just nonsensical.
The Chronic Inviter. “Support my cause. Sign my petition. Play Mafia Wars with me. Which ‘Star Trek’ character are you? Here are the ‘Top 5 cars I have personally owned.’ Here are ’25 Things About Me.’ Here’s a drink. What drink are you? We’re related! I took the ‘What President Are You?’ quiz and found out I’m Millard Fillmore! What president are you?”
Important Resources & Recent News
- How to not allow students to see your Facebook profile (Facebook)
- TechBytes: iPad Security Breach & Facebook privacy (ABC)
- Lookabee’s Facebook Apps for Teachers (Mashable)
- When Young Teachers Go Wild On The Web (Washington Post)
- Online student-teacher friendships can be tricky (CNN)
- Are your kids safe online? Facebook, PTA want to make sure (CNN)
- Teachers and Facebook: “Don’t do it.” (AJC)
- Suspended teacher backed by students on Facebook (Canada.com)
- Top school fires gym teacher over concerns he ‘groomed’ teenage girls on Facebook (Daily Record UK)
- Deering teacher’s transfer inspires Facebook protest (Portland Press Herald)
- Facebook removes ‘hate’ page for teen (WOOD-TV)
Open Questions For You
What do you think about teachers using Facebook? Are both students and teachers responsible for online interaction? Should teachers create two accounts (one private, one for just students)?
Let us know what you think the comments and, fittingly, on our Facebook page.







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