Comment I just left on The Thinking Stick:
As you, and maybe some of your readers know, what you discussed in this post has been a very real experience for me. I have written on the subject a bit, but since I am exposed and looking for a new job, I am a bit reserved on how I approach the subject.
But let me try and sort some thoughts out here now:
We want, I think, as educators to teach our students to be resourceful, expressive, open, honest, members of a global community that is rapidly homogenizing and melding in terms of social norms, cultural taboos etc…This is true at least in the developed world, where access to Web 2.0 is at all time high. But then as educators, we ourselves are terrified of who and what we are.
In my case it was a picture that represented my thoughts on censorship that upset a parent, but it could have been my thoughts on social justice, politics, religion, or many other things that, apparently, I am expected to teach but not think or write about.
My point is that there will always be things that will upset a group of people when we are exposed on the web. So the questions is are we trying to use Web 2.0 and all these tools to connect people and tear down walls, or are we still trying to hide behind as many walls as we can?
I honestly feel that if an employer searches me out and sees my work on the web, from my youtube videos, to my flickr pages, to my personal and professional blogs, they should see a complete picture of the type of person I am. I am extremely proud of that person, I have been working on him for 33 years now. He is more than just a marketable teacher; he is a complete human being. Isn’t that ultimately what we are teaching our students? To be able to create themselves and be fully expressive using the Internet tools to not only better understand themselves, but also the people who cohabitate the planet on which they live.
Perhaps I am too naïve and idealistic, I have been told this before, but I am a firm believer that the point of all this technology is connection and exposure. I guess my idea of private and public is fading fast…is the world ready for that? Are our schools?
I have learned the hard way, that they are not, but with things changing as fast as they are, we have to be ready for it when it does. If we as educators are overly cautious to use the web, we cannot expect our students to use it to its full potential.
So if you have never read my work please google Jabiz Raisdana and if you are an administrator and need a teacher please get in touch.
I hear and feel for you. My first overseas post was in the gulf and I had the same type of first hand experiences. I was able to hold true to myself and eventually landed an opportunity in Japan. If you’re still available our school has an ESL/ESOL opening.
email me and we can chat.
Hi Jabiz – I saw your comment on The Thinking Stick and was curious, so started reading your blog(s). I am very dismayed by what has happened to you, and I’m very very sorry to hear about it — not only for you but for your students.
I used to teach in Doha (only a couple of years ago!), so I know *exactly* the kind of circumstances you are in. The Gulf is such a sensitive place and I’m not all that surprised about the situation — isn’t that sad? I can only hope that your situation leads to greater change and acceptance in the Doha community. Stay strong and close to your values; know that you’ve done nothing immoral. It is important to stand for something, and I can see you definitely do.
Incidentally, your online presence is loud and clear. Any forward-thinking administrator with half a mind could see that. I am going to search for you on twitter and elsewhere… Best wishes, Adrienne
Hi Jabiz. I can’t really say I can relate to your experience: I am rapidly realizing how incredibly unique is the teaching world in my country, how different (for good and bad) the situations you and I might fall into.
And yet, from your words, your passion for your job, the exacting attitude towards yourself and the consequent pride for what you are doing first of all of yourself, I feel sympathy, resonance, with what I think, believe, do.
So after all we might really be colleagues, we might really have something in common in spite of all the distances parting us.
Could I realize that the person I am reading about is really in tune with my thoughts, my ideals and ideas, had I only found technical information about him? Had I only seen the result of his working activity? I don’t think so. I wouldn’t have been able to see beyond the differences: I would have seen how far apart our worlds are, and that would have been it.
So I guess you are right to expose yourself and try and be connected. This is how your person(a) is projected on the net, and the more information there is, the more consistency and complexity can be appreciated.
Even by a (smart) prospective employer. Good luck.