Online Films of Teachers Have Schools Scrambling

This is a really interesting article because it brings to light an potentially new problem onto the education scene. I had never thought about the possibility of a student (or students) filming a teacher in order to portray them in a negative light. On one hand I think that keeping in the back of our minds that anybody could be watching might help improve teacher actions and overall demeanor in the classroom. But at the same time I also realize that everyone has moments where they lose their temper. The balance is to minimize the negative actions and words that students hear and see teachers do and see. For me, I know there will be times when I get frustrated and might lose my cool. To a certain point I can control how I convey that frustration in the classroom. If the frustration is with the students then showing them a little sternness may not be such a bad thing. However, if the frustration is a result of something that students have no control over then it is important to realize this fact and not use students as a target.

While schools try to figure out what to do about the situation with students posting videos online, I think it would be beneficial for teachers to realize that their actions do not affect them only. Obviously, the students who are filming these teachers feel they have been wronged in some way. As a teacher it is important to treat each student fairly and equally.

Source:
Abdollah, Tami (2007, February 9). Online films of teachers have schools scrambling. Los Angeles Times, Retrieved February 15, 2007, from http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007702090449