As part of a new project, teachers will be taught to post correct, not “naked” photos

In Russia, they are going to launch a federal educational project for teachers, within the framework of which they will be taught to “correctly manage social networks”. To raise the status of the teacher in the eyes of children and parents. Is it necessary for a modern teacher, given his already excessive workload? And will it help raise his image? This initiative raises many questions. “MK” found out how the teachers themselves perceive it.

Yana Lantratova, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Education, addressed the Ministry of Education with the initiative to “train teachers in the proper management of social networks”. As she explained, “the image of a teacher is made up of the skill of self-presentation, the ability to maintain communication with students and their parents, and the appearance of a teacher.” And a significant influence on his image is “provided by the skills of maintaining social networks.” The deputy cited the latest social survey data that every fourth student is subscribed to the pages of their teachers.

As you know, from time to time teachers get into scandals associated with the publication of photos on their pages that are not liked by the vigilant parents who discovered them. So, in March in Yekaterinburg, a teacher was fired from a boarding school for posts and personal photos on VKontakte. In some of the photographs, alcoholic drinks were seen (in the photo of the teacher meeting with her friends in a restaurant). In addition, as stated in the conclusion of the commission, statements were found in the posts, “defaming the state authorities.” As a result, the teacher was fired under the article of the Labor Code “Commission by an employee performing educational functions of an immoral offense incompatible with the continuation of this work.” It is unlikely that she will now be taken to any children’s organization with this stigma …

Also, everyone probably remembers the story that happened a few years ago with a teacher from Barnaul Tatyana Kuvshinnikova, who had to quit after publishing a photo in a closed sports swimsuit on her page – a girl, a brilliant teacher, is just fond of winter swimming. However, the school management saw “eroticism” in the picture. There have been many such cases…

The Ministry of Education reacted to this initiative in the following way: firstly, they reminded that there is already a digital literacy course for teachers, which they take as part of advanced training. And, secondly, since 2022, a council of blogger teachers has been working under the ministry, which includes more than two dozen teachers.

“MK” found out the “voice of the people”, that is, the teacher’s voice on this matter.

The teacher of history and social studies, Lidia Petrovna, assured us that the matter was not only – and not so much! – in the wild workload of teachers. And that “the image of a teacher is in his deeds, in his position, in the success of his students, and not in sleek posts and photoshopped photographs.” She herself does not have personal pages, only a general chat with her parents.

– Although some of my colleagues could use such courses! Maybe someone will stop posting too personal photos. In some strange outfits, with languid faces … In a word, “home video”. And then the children will take a screenshot and make fun of them in their private chats. For such colleagues it is really a shame. But it seems to me that a sense of relevance is instilled from childhood. And no courses will teach a person to be cultured, especially in a short time.

“I must say that such programs already exist,” Vladimir Bryukhov, deputy director for informatization of the Chelyabinsk Lyceum No. 35, a history teacher, a member of the All-Russian Expert Pedagogical Council of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, told MK in turn. – For example, there is a federal project in which, among other things, teachers participate and even win. In this project, in addition to the competitive component, there is a huge educational block that helps anyone who wants to improve their skills in maintaining social networks and blogs.

Do all teachers need to have special skills to manage social networks? Do teachers need social media at all? Probably, a Russian teacher needs a lot of things, but it seems to me that teachers should just be left alone already. So far, the average teacher has more and more worries, for example, this year each school must report on the activities carried out within the framework of the “year of the teacher”, and even with the publication of a photo report on social networks…

Not all teachers have pages on social networks and maintain them regularly, given their workload. There are fears that if this initiative is nevertheless supported by the ministry, then teachers will be enrolled there “on a voluntary-compulsory basis”, but will this be of any use? The Russian teacher himself is able to realize what competencies he lacks. Therefore, give the Russian teacher an adequate workload so that he has free time, and a decent salary so that this time can be spent with benefit. And then he himself will gladly sign up for blogging courses and self-defense training …

The initiator of the idea, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Education, Yana Lantratova, explained to MK:

– Nowadays, teachers have a unique opportunity to influence their students after school. And it would be great if teachers could intercept the agenda from the now popular bloggers, who often publish what children should not watch and listen to at all. Therefore, it is necessary to help teachers learn how to professionally manage their social networks, to make them attractive to students. And now the situation is such that in Russia dozens of teachers are fired every year due to complaints from parents about inappropriate content in their personal accounts.

Yana Lantratova said that, according to data from various studies, children subscribe to their teachers, constantly follow their publications, and trust them. “Let’s help educators become even more influential!”.

The deputy stressed that “training should be voluntary, so that such a project would not be an additional burden for the teacher and be implemented only if he wishes.”