I appreciate and understand the need for filters on school computers, I really, really do BUT it still proves to be one of the most frustrating things about my job and winds me up no end. It’s not so much actual filters that bother me, it’s the “wise person” who, somewhere (probably in an office), has taken it upon themselves to decide what is acceptable and what isn’t acceptable for me to use with my pupils and also the, apparent randomness with which this is done.
I’m writing this after a number of weeks discovering how randomly our blacklisted and none blacklisted seem to have been set. After the Isle of Wight Conference, I decided to rediscover my love of Voicethread. As I blogged about in a previous post, I used it earlier this year with a groups of Gifted and Talented pupils as an experiment, and I thought that after Jo Rhys-Jones‘ session at the Show and Tell I’d have another go at it. WRONG! Suddenly, with no warning, this site has been blacklisted! Why? How? Why is it so evil that it’s going to corrupt the minds of my pupils? (After is didn’t, previously!) It also seems that it’s been put on that list that the technicians seem unable to unblock (that’s the one labelled “numpty nonentity wants unblocking so unimportant”, in case anyone was unsure), as I’ve requested that it be unblocked several times to no avail (
It therefore seems unbelievable to me that Facebook is available (but then a member of SLT wanted that unblocking, so that went onto a different list entitled “important person wants unblocking so must do it immediately”).
In addition to this, the blocking seems to be done in such a haphazard way! Thinking about venturing more into video, I signed up for a 12 second TV and wondered about investigating Seesmic. Of course, I naturally pressumed that they too would be blacklisted (as they are in other schools I know of) but decided to try it out, just the same. Imagine my surprise when they weren’t!!! I just don’t get it!
Next I discovered the BBC Learning Zone Broadband Class Clips…great resource, ideal for use in a computer suite. Put the kids on, get them to watch and listen and answer questions, using it for Listening but a bit more interesting. Great idea but…WRONG. Kids could get onto the page where the video was BUT couldn’t view the evil, malicious video about a German day at school…heaven forbid that pupils learning MFL could do something that might stir up some enthusiasm for the subject.
How do “they” decided what is to be blacklisted and what isn’t? Why aren’t those awful translation websites blocked that they all go on and think will be their ticket to perfect French / German / Spanish etc…? Why can they still get onto music sites / game sites etc, etc…but I can’t let them use websites that are of real educational value?
As I said at the beginning of this post, I understand the need for filters, I really do but what I don’t understand is the haphazard way that websites are filtered. Is this a local phenomenan or is it more widespread? All I want to know is either that it’s going to be blocked because it’s a certain type of site or it’s not going to be blocked. I don’t want to feel that I’m playing some kind of guessing game trying to work out what to put my energy into investigating at home on an evening, before going into to work to try it and find I’ve wasted my time (with 44 teaching hrs out of 50 a fortnight, I don’t really ave the time to “play” at work). It’s the kind of thing which is beginning to sap my enthusiasm at the moment…but heyho, it’s nearly Christmas and maybe Santa will bring me a whole load of unblocked websites for Christmas this year.

It’s not often that I feel stongly enough to express an opinion (usually incase someone disagrees with me and I hate conflict) but anyway, this is something I feel very strongly about so here goes (sorry if I uspet anyone!)
Having pupils as friends on Facebook – Why???
I’ve just “befriended” a colleague of mine from work and on perusing their friends, discovered several of our pupils as friends. Now, I’m afraid I feel very strongly that pupils and Facebook don’t mix. From my point of view, Facebook is a place for me (and my friends) to share things we find funny / interesting etc and just to hang out and exchange silly messages in our status updates. It’s also somewhere I and can share my family photos and play Scramble – badly (although I wouldn’t say that I was in anyway addicted to this particular game). It’s something personal, and (to me) having pupils as friends on Facebook is almost as bad as them knocking on my door and asking to come in for a coffee / watch TV / come to the pub with me. It would mean that they were encroaching on my “me-time” and also that I couldn’t be “me” in my exchanges with real friends. Aside from all of this, one could lay oneself open to all kinds of problems by allowing pupils to be friends on Facebook…what if parents were aware and thought exchanges with friends / sending drinks or cocktails and such like were inappropriate and then complained to their child’s Headteacher, thus opening up a whole new can of worms? I don’t even want to go there!
Of course, now I’m in a bit of a difficult position, firstly do I mention my concerns to my colleague? Secondly, now I’m (innocently) semi-visible to pupils am I going to bombarded with friend requests…all of which I would refuse, of course? It’s a difficult one for someone who doesn’t like conflict, but, quite by accident, I’ve fallen into what could be a hornets’ nest!
The odd thing is, many of these friends are Yr11 (but not all) and of any of them were to request to be “friends” in September, when they’re safely out of our school I’d happily say “yes” because then I wouldn’t be dealing with them day to day on a professional basis and it’s nice to see how former pupils get on once they leave school.
Anyway, there’s my rant, maybe you agree with me, maybe you don’t…I’d love to hear other peoples’ opinions…(Oh and if anyone wants a quick gave of Scrambe, I do really like to get new – grown up – friends…I’ve lost 3 recently – not sure how that happened!)