Many things happened since the last Teacher’s Corner. I don’t always have the time or energy or emotional strength to post about them, because mostly they involve vulnerable kids in difficult situations. Today’s story is a different one. It’s one about a good kid from a good family (whatever that means) and a serious WTF moment.
Some of the boys in grade seven told me today that their classmate J (home sick) has my WhatsApp number. I was like “yeah, you’re kidding”. I thought they tried to provoke me, with J being at home and not there to defend himself, but then they went on describing my profile image in detail, and while “you with your family” may still be part of cold reading, “with some blue box around you” really isn’t.
I went straight to the phone to call his parents because I had no clue where he could have gotten hold of my private mobile number. the father cleared up the matter: two years ago we had a charity run through the local woods and as part of our volunteer group, his mum had access to my phone number. She’d then passed it on to her darling teenage son “in case of an emergency”* and left it at that.
Now I can only hope that he just bragged about it without sharing it. I’d hate it if I’d have to get a new number. But I know why “dual sim” was another criterion for the new phone.
Just in case any parents ever wonder why teachers are sometimes “like that”. Even if you are the nicest, most trustworthy people, your fellow parents have ruined it for good.
Back when I went to school, I had the phone numbers of several of my teachers. Granted, that was back when smartphones didn’t exist yet, and I could use my teacher’s phone number only for phone calls.
I got Google Voice for cases when I think my number might leak. It’s an easy way for an extra number without the cost of another SIM. (YMMV on availability). Doesn’t help you now, but something to think about once you do change phones.
Andreas
My landline is in the phone book, it’s not that hard to find, but the mobile isn’t for good reasons. I once shared it with a bunch of students for a project, but they were grade 12 and 13.
I’m glad I’m not one of those people who put very personal things in their WhatsApp status. There’s simply a level of professional distance that should prevail between students and teachers. Especially with our students. And their parents. Because as you can see, they really don’t know boundaries.
sqlrob
Thankfully I still have one lying around from a mobile data stick I needed when we moved in and didn’t have phone/internet yet. If I notice that my current number is being shared I#ll simply switch to that one and keep the current one as my professional number.
Giliell @#3
Yeah, I know about the necessity to maintain some professional distance. Things were different back when smartphones didn’t exist, and a phone number didn’t reveal any personal details about somebody.
Children didn’t really respect their teachers’ boundaries back then either. For example, I remember hearing my classmates gossip about whatever they had overheard about some teacher’s personal life.
By the way, I am starting to feel really old. I have no clue what is a WhatsApp.
I would never put anything on any social media that I wouldn’t want my students to come across.
This is why, aside from anonymously commenting on other peoples’ blogs, I don’t use any social media.