- Don’t Friend Students. I accept friend requests from students, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t want seen on my front porch, but I hold hard and fast that they must initiate the connection.
- Don’t Post Complaints in Groups. A surprising number of colleagues will regularly post complaints about students, about teachers, about administrators. Even in a private group just for choral educators, I’m not OK with that. If you wouldn’t say it to their face, it shouldn’t be written down anywhere.
- Don’t Share Letters from Students. Like all teachers, and especially choral conductors, I get beautiful notes form my students. But you won’t see me posting them – anymore than you’d see me sharing love letters from my wife. This is private correspondence between my students and myself. I love receiving it, and it is not to share.
- Don’t Post Anything You Wouldn’t Say in Class. I live my life as if I’m an example to my students, and am always reflecting that when in public. I think about my social media in the same way.