Connected

Sometimes I worry that the internet is creating a culture of meanness.  One only has to look at the comments of just about any newspaper article to see horrifying meanness happening because it can. For example, I made the mistake of reading the comments under the story about the dad who stopped a bat from hitting his son in the head at a minor league baseball game.  Commenters were ripping into the 9 year old boy because he was looking at a phone.  Turns out, it was the boy's first baseball game, and he was texting his mom a picture to show her how much fun he was having.

Why would grown people feel the need to hate on a 9 year old boy celebrating his birthday with a day at the ballpark with his dad?  What do people get out of that?

I have found, however, that the internet has made it possible for me to make connections with people across the country that I would have otherwise never known.  Many of these connections were forged way back when on the English Companion Ning when it was a much smaller community, then migrated to Twitter where I had conversations and chats, and then, after meeting face to face at conferences, also ended up on Facebook.

These connections have made me a better teacher.  They have shown me different viewpoints and ideas and help me to see the world in a new way.  They have offered support when I needed it and celebrated with me as well.

I hesitate to list all of the connections I've made as a result of my social media use.  I'd be too afraid to leave anyone off the list!  These people know who they are.  I hope.

Maybe I should tell them. :-)