What Do People Think Of Me?

Pete started our ICT lecture asking us to write down how we think our course mates perceive us. We are all great friends and enjoy a lot of ‘banter’ and so I thought I knew what they would write about me, so my page looked like this:

I know that at 24, I am not old! However, as the oldest in the class they like to bring my age up as often as possible, so I thought this would get mentioned! I am a friendly person, and like to think that they see me as this, and I am pretty sure they see me as a hard worker, as I try to put my all in to each lesson, and they can see my blog and extra curricular activities.

We then had to go around the room and write down something on each other’s page, about how we perceive them. This was really interesting and I was expecting my page to look the same as I had written – “old, friendly and works hard”. I went around the room and it was interesting to see how people perceived each other.

Mine ended up being: 

As a future teacher, who is concerned about the way she comes across in a professional manner, I was pleased with the comments, although I couldn’t help think that actually, it made me come across as quite boring!

However, I agree with every comment! I am super organised, but like to think I am fun. I believe I am professional as I have taken on Pete’s comments over the past two years to change myself from having a ‘student presence’ online, to a ‘professional presence’. I work hard – I have a part-time job at the University and I take on as many extra-curricular activities as I can, from being elected as Secretary for the Plymouth Education Society, to taking part in the 1oo Word Challenge. I’m glad that my hard work does show to others!

I am a student, in my twenties and I do like a drink – I won’t deny that! I am determined, and I think this can be seen with how hard I work. I am really pleased that people think I am friendly and good to talk to, as this is how I try to be, but I am not surprised that I was told I am mature – probably too mature for my own good at times!

I liked the full of life comment as I try to be full of life and take every opportunity that comes my way, and its nice that someone thinks I am “really cool” but I’m sure this one isn’t true!

The point of these activities was for us to see how we perceive ourselves, and how people perceive us and how these are similar and how they differ. We then had to write a few words to describe how we want to be as a teacher:

As ‘Miss Parkin’ I want the children to see me as supportive and friendly; someone they can learn from, but who also makes learning fun and exciting, by creating memorable and new, creative lessons.

We then had to write down how we would like to be seen in the staff room, and which areas of ourselves we might need or want to ‘hide’ from our colleagues. 

Having worked full time since I was 17 until I started University, I know how important it is for your work colleagues to perceive you in a certain way, and that this isn’t necessarily the way that you are in your personal life. However, I have also made some of my best friends through work and this wouldn’t have happened had I not been myself.

Personally , I am a fairly sensible person, and I don’t think there is anything I would need to ‘hide’ from my colleagues in a professional environment. Saying this, I did put down that I would ‘hide’ liking a drink and how I can be opinionated. Although, I don’t see either of these things as bad qualities – I like to go out occasionally on weekends, and that is actually all I do at University – I’m not one for drinking three or four times a week, and so, I don’t think this is something that I would ‘hide’.

I do have opinions and I do like to share them, but again, I am a mature and sensible person and I know when it is a good time to share these opinions and when not to!

We then had to Google ourselves… we have had to do this before and Pete managed to find out the address of a girl in the class, and then found out the colour of her curtains by going on Google Maps, and so I was slightly worried about doing this! However, I was really pleased that all I found was:

Since beginning University, Pete has mentioned a few times about our internet presence and our digital footprint, and I have been working to make my personal accounts as private as possible, and create a professional internet presence for myself.

I was happy to find that my Twitter and blog were the main things I found about myself, and I didn’t find anything personal from a basic search of myself.

Again, being quite a sensible person, I would not put any pictures or comments of my personal Facebook page that I wouldn’t want to be found by a prospective employer. However, we see more and more often these days, the mistakes that people make in putting photos and comments on what they think are their private accounts, which eventually lead them to trouble.

Only earlier this month did a teacher get disciplined forcomments and photos made on her Facebook profile. 

When I started University, I had set my Facebook as private, but I had a personal Twitter page and I probably had photos that I wouldn’t want my boss to see. In these two years, I have dramatically changed and I now have deleted my personal Twitter, and I have my Facebook as private as can be. I have deleted any photos that I am not happy to have on my profile, and now the results when searching for my name are my professional Twitter and my blog, which I think is a great result to have!

Today really did make me think about my internet presence and made me consider my Facebook account more in depth – I have been considering deleting it for a while, with the only things keeping me there being the photos and the ability to create groups to help with my University work. I spoke to Pete about this and he suggested that I could have two accounts which is something I might look in to – a personal one, for photo sharing and staying in touch with family and friends that I don’t get to see very often, and a professional one for talking to colleagues and for helping with university work. I’m interested to know what others do.

I’m happy to say that my online presence is now mostly @amyparkinbed and I’m going to work my hardest to stay that way!

Following today’s seminar, I would be interested to know how people reading this, and who follow me on Twitter, perceive me, so please comment!