By: Rosanne Franco
The reporter asked me, “What do you miss most about Greater New Bedford Voc Tech?” I didn’t even hesitate when I answered – “Circulating throughout the school during early morning breakfast and lunch time.” I miss interacting with students, addressing their concerns, and listening to the ideas of staff members. I valued being part of something important, in other words, helping to educate the next generation of great Americans. I was motivated by the desire to ensure that my work was making their education better.
I had hoped that the reporter would ask me, “What have you learned through this experience?” Learning is such a basic concept and something we do each minute of our lives. The lessons I have learned in the 2015/16 school year were not developed by the Common Core Standards or found in any curriculum or lesson plan.
My work over the past few months is an outgrowth of one of the most important lessons I have learned. So, when the reporter asked me, “ What have you been doing these past few months?” I explained that I have been working full time to establish my digital presence. It is important for parents and the community to understand what our schools are doing. As an educator, I need to improve communication in every day matters to ensure that everyone knows what they can expect from me. This is how I built my foundation as a teacher, but it needs to be amplified in my work as an administrator because daily conversations with parents are rare.
Our youth have a better understanding than most adults in how to operate social media, but they are still learning the essentials of interacting productively. Students must be able to rely on adults for guidance. This is what I miss most about being at Greater New Bedford Voc Tech – the opportunity to provide advice and support to students. I worked to become more social media savvy so that I could talk with students who were often consumed with the negative aspects of social media.
As I continue to strengthen my online professional presence, I hope to engage students, parents, staff, alumni, and community members to think about how they are using social media. My goal as an educator is to make a difference and now that will include a positive presence on social media. In this I agree with Gandhi – “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”