Post like the world is watching...because they are. Our 24-7 vocation.

“Academics themselves using digital media as part of their professional identities need to think carefully about how best to manage their private and public personae when doing so: how formal their self-presentation is, to what extent they make personal comments about themselves or others, the nature of images of themselves that they upload, to what extent they allow or respond to comments from others” (Barbour and Marshall 2012).

I’ve always thought that social media was a tool to be used for the good…to grow and to make a purposeful addition to the world. I’m a private person. I choose to use the power of social media to engage on a professional level to learn new ideas, technologies and to keep aware of directions in education beyond the scope of my school community. In fact, I think that my twitter feed is the best daily professional development that I can get my hands on!

The power of blogging for directed growth in the teaching profession cannot be understated. It makes us think about what we are thinking and to move in different trajectories. It has enough influence to kick-start our ideas or to get us into fresh frames and ideas so that we can always be moving in our practice.

It’s all about being purposeful when I am posting and blogging. I have always found it very helpful and inspiring to be studying content and then to be able to pull it all together for a piece of writing. I guess I love the writing process and when I think about what I am going to write…it makes me think even more deeply about that content.

Like the quote indicates, it is about thinking carefully about how you manage your public persona because we are in a vocation that is 24/7. I take that seriously and I am committed to it.

In the end, the power of our digital footprint has the ability to make great changes and enhance many relationships. May we all choose to use it for the benefit to all.