An Educator’s Digital Presence

Cassie Marotta Elementary Education Major, Grove City College, Pennsylvania

Have you ever googled your name to see what results a potential employer or fellow educator would see? As a preservice teacher, you must consider how others may perceive you if they do. If necessary, you should know how to address any negative impressions and promote a positive digital presence. Here are three strategies you may want to consider.

Strategy 1: Create a strong first impression

Today, it is common for employers to search social media to learn as much as they can about candidates. What they discover on the internet may determine if you even get the chance to make a good impression at an interview. Therefore, it is critical to monitor and control your digital presence.

Take the time to google yourself. Critically examine your digital presence from a stranger’s point of view. Ask yourself, “How would I appear to others including parents, coworkers, and potential employers?” As a student, you may not have considered how your digital presence impacts your career options. Now is the time to delete undesirable content, if possible, and begin building a professional digital presence.

Strategy 2: Create a professional website

Setting up a professional website is a simple, but essential, task for preservice teachers. It can serve as a platform for clear communication with students, parents, and, most importantly, potential employers. When creating a website, include your resume, clearances, projects, and contact information. Organize all this information in a single location, which is appealing to employers. Include examples of your classroom expectations and share highlights of your pre-service and student teaching classroom experiences.

Remember that by creating a personal, professional website, you are control of what others will see about you when they google your name. A well-crafted site can go a long way toward creating a very favorable first impression.

Strategy 3: Build a Personal Learning Network (PLN)

Social media is an effective way to expand your personal learning network (PLN). Educators do not have time to “reinvent the wheel.” There is no need to compose every lesson plan or activity from scratch. You can use your PLN to connect with other educators to share teaching ideas and resources. Twitter and Instagram are excellent platforms and are very effective to connect with others in the field. Following specific hashtags and engaging in live chats are great ways to initiate these connections while exploring teaching ideas and resources.

In addition to social media, podcasts will allow you to share practical resources you can use in the classroom. Merely listening to a podcast on your daily commute may provide you with a new perspective on an issue, an idea of how to engage students, or a way to spark a new interest.

Building your PLN does not have to be time-consuming. Begin by simply engaging others for a few minutes a day. What you learn will help you take control of your digital presence and may even help you network with school district hiring officials.

Quick Question:

Why should anyone care what I do online through social media?

Quick Answer:

As a teacher, you are held to higher moral standards than professionals in other fields because you are entrusted with the welfare of children. That trust is gained through your professional and personal behavior. If your personal behavior on social media casts any doubt on your professional competency, you may lose the trust of administrators, parents, school board representatives, community members, and students – all of whom you are accountable to as a teacher. Teachers live a public profession and that includes what you do on social media.