Teachers, PLEASE show your face on screen at least sometimes when you teach!

[Anonymous]

My DC’s social studies teacher does not show her face on the screen during class. She scrolls through various slides and talks, but there is no human face on the screen. When she pauses and asks if students have questions, she puts up a solid black slide. She doesn’t even post a photo of herself somewhere. I thought DC was exaggerating when they told me this, but now that I’m checking into it I see it’s true. I get being camera shy, but how can 11-year-olds be expected to pay attention to a slide show for an hour, with no human face? Apart from attention, how can students feel any kind of connection to their teacher if they don’t see her face?

I feel so upset about this. Is it me or is this abnormal?

[Anonymous]

Is this a Share Screen on Zoom? If so the students should be able to see both. What tech is your school system using?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this a Share Screen on Zoom? If so the students should be able to see both. What tech is your school system using?

She’s sharing her screen on Zoom. When she is not sharing something on her screen, she just displays a solid black slide.

[Anonymous]

Why?
Why should she?
In FCPS, 90% of HS students don't turn on their cameras. DCUM parents scream about "privacy"... or they advise people to record any teacher who does anything they don't like and "report it to the principal." Why would any teacher show their face if there is not a solid reason to? Look at the presentation instead. Stop your freakish control issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why?
Why should she?
In FCPS, 90% of HS students don't turn on their cameras. DCUM parents scream about "privacy"... or they advise people to record any teacher who does anything they don't like and "report it to the principal." Why would any teacher show their face if there is not a solid reason to? Look at the presentation instead. Stop your freakish control issues.

It's her job. She's getting paid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC’s social studies teacher does not show her face on the screen during class. She scrolls through various slides and talks, but there is no human face on the screen. When she pauses and asks if students have questions, she puts up a solid black slide. She doesn’t even post a photo of herself somewhere. I thought DC was exaggerating when they told me this, but now that I’m checking into it I see it’s true. I get being camera shy, but how can 11-year-olds be expected to pay attention to a slide show for an hour, with no human face? Apart from attention, how can students feel any kind of connection to their teacher if they don’t see her face?

I feel so upset about this. Is it me or is this abnormal[b]?

I can’t imagine why this would make you so upset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why?
Why should she?
In FCPS, 90% of HS students don't turn on their cameras. DCUM parents scream about "privacy"... or they advise people to record any teacher who does anything they don't like and "report it to the principal." Why would any teacher show their face if there is not a solid reason to? Look at the presentation instead. Stop your freakish control issues.

It's her job. She's getting paid.

Yeah and she’s doing her job. I’m sure she’s putting in tons of time to prepare her lessons and everything else she has to do. So what if she doesn’t show her face? You can still hear her and she’s still teaching.

[Anonymous]

I teach at a university. I gave my students a survey last week about how online was going. MANY responded that they liked my rule that all cameras need to be on. (I can make that a rule because I work at a university and of course, if there are circumstances or a tech issue, I don't make a big deal out of it). For better or worse, we are social creatures and we respond better when we see other people. However, it is exhausting to be on camera like that all the time - for the students too. If they ever wanted a "no camera Friday afternoon", I'd be all for it.

In the spring, I was worried about my house and the decorations and the dog and getting judged. I tacked a sheet against the wall to make a backdrop. Now, I'm on zoom everyday with my real wall behind me and my pandemic haircut. So far, so good...

[Anonymous]

I think you should let the principal know. There is no way they would condone this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC’s social studies teacher does not show her face on the screen during class. She scrolls through various slides and talks, but there is no human face on the screen. When she pauses and asks if students have questions, she puts up a solid black slide. She doesn’t even post a photo of herself somewhere. I thought DC was exaggerating when they told me this, but now that I’m checking into it I see it’s true. I get being camera shy, but how can 11-year-olds be expected to pay attention to a slide show for an hour, with no human face? Apart from attention, how can students feel any kind of connection to their teacher if they don’t see her face?

I feel so upset about this. Is it me or is this abnormal[b]?

I can’t imagine why this would make you so upset.

It makes me upset because it’s creating a bad experience for my child and the other students. It’s alienating to not see a teacher’s face for the entire hour of instruction. There’s no personal connection, there’s no human face (literally) to the class, and the entire experience is mediated through static images. If you say through it for even 30 minutes you’d either fall asleep or go crazy. I have experience teaching and I can’t imagine doing this. Poor kids. I’m generally a big booster of teachers, but this is just terrible.

[Anonymous]

I had to teach my students to show the gallery on the side of the s teen using Zoom. Some had it set to do this automatically Others would lose the image of me, and I did not know this was happening as I could still see all of them. So maybe just let her know this in case it’s not purposeful.

[Anonymous]

Surprised by the reactions here — this would bother me too. Completely unprofessional. Hopefully it’s unintentional as a previous poster mentioned.

[Anonymous]

We are expected to be on screen most of the time in our work setting and I expect the same of teachers. It’s 101 professional courtesy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are expected to be on screen most of the time in our work setting and I expect the same of teachers. It’s 101 professional courtesy.

Eh my husband never has his camera turned on in his work setting. It seems to be just fine and everyone else has theirs off too. No one seems to think it’s a professional courtesy issue.

[Anonymous]

If they are using the chrome books, some of them aren't able to use the multiple programs and keep video up.