Several MENC Collegiate students shared their opinions on this topic last week in Part 1. This week, music education professors were asked to share their insight about “professional online appearance” and give suggestions to future teachers on how to protect their online profile. 

The bottom line

As an educator who serves the public, Keith Koster advises that for music teachers, “Online professional appearance is critical. Future music educators must establish professional behaviors both on-line and off-line before they can begin their work in the classroom.”

Employers are looking beyond your resume

Professors agree most employers will look at what information is available about you online, including what’s on MySpace, Facebook, blogs, and other social networking sites. “While informally perusing Web sites seems to cross the line as far as I’m concerned, the line is blurred because of the immediacy of all of the personal, and in some cases, private information about us that is out there. I encourage future music educators to exercise caution about anything that they post on the Web,” Koster says. “You are an open book to future employers,” adds Carla Maltas. Eugenie Burkett believes that music education professors have a responsibility to guide future teachers “in how to use these tools effectively and ethically,” and makes a point to address this in her classes.

Use discretion when you post

Professor Carla Maltas also addresses the topic of online appearance with future educators. “Today, photos and comments linger for a long time, and may appear where you do not want them to,” she says. She advises:

• Don't publish things that you wouldn’t want to see on a billboard.
• Make sure that your email address is professional – use your last name and first initial.
   

National Collegiate Chairman Richard Sang agrees. “It's crucial that potential music educators be very careful in what they put online – privacy settings merely send up a red flag. While these postings may be fun, they can also be detrimental, and even potentially career ending before the career even begins. Even after the job is secured, stories of young teachers posting questionable materials resulting in lost jobs are becoming an alarming reality,” he says.

Use social networks in a positive way

Keep in mind that social networking isn’t all bad—Eugenie Burkett points out that these sites have many positive benefits: “Social networks such as Facebook can be an extremely effective networking tool as well as a great medium for promoting oneself.”

Connect with other MENC collegiate members from around the world by joining MENC Collegiate's facebook group, “MENC Collegiate Headquarters.”

Share your opinions about this article on the future teacher forum or email Shauna Leavitt.

What are future teachers saying about this topic? Read, 'What's Lurking in Your Online Profile:  Part 1'

What are Administrators saying about this topic?  Read, 'What's Lurking in Your Online Profile:  Part 3'

Contributors:

Dr. Keith Koster is the MENC State Collegiate Chairperson for Virginia and Director of music education at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA.

Dr. Carla Maltas is the MENC State Collegiate Chairperson for Missouri and Assistant Professor of music education at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg MO.

Dr. Eugenie Burkett is the MENC State Collegiate Chairperson for Nevada and Associate Professor and coordinator of music education at University of Nevada in Reno, NV.

Dr. Richard Sang is the MENC National Collegiate Chairperson and Music Education Professor at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, NY.

--Shauna Leavitt, January 23, 2009, © MENC: The National Association for Music Education