WhatsApp groups in your child's school

heldel00

Just curious about this...
Do most classes these days have a WhatsApp group for parents? By this i mean a group that has been set up by parents and nothing "official" to do with the school.
Was out with a friend a few days ago and her phone was pinging away. She told me that two parents have taken issue with teacher over something that happened at school and group discussion hadn't stopped since.
Of course people are quite entitled to join/ have whatever group they like. I'm sure there are benefits - organising birthday parties, forgotten homework etc.
But....as a teacher, this makes me feel quite uncomfortable.

beauf

Show her how to use the mute option. Very handy for large groups which have lots of updates.

SteM

My wife is in two separate WhatsApp groups for our young lads class. Seems to be the norm these days from what I've seen.

SusanC10

Both of our Kids are in Primary School and I am in 2 WhatsApp Groups - 1 for each Class.
To be honest it's mostly chat about Homework, Tracksuit Days, Occasions like Carol Singing and we organised getting group gift vouchers for the Teachers.
I find it really handy for keeping up with what is going on at school as our Kids go on the Bus so I am rarely there anymore.

beauf

Such groups generally have a few sensible people on it advising people to be careful what they post. Many over share.

Otherwise they are generally very useful if used properly.

Very common now for all group activities in and outside of school's. Adult sports and clubs do the same.

heldel00

Oh I can definitely see the benefits. When my children start school i won't be leaving off or collecting them so a handy way of keeping informed.
As long as they don't become "teacher bashing" threads then i suppose what harm.

splinter65

Have nothing to do with any of these groups unless you’re completely confident that everyone in the group is competent.
A friend of mine is in an arts and crafts group that organizes themselves for meetups and social nights out etc via WhatsApp
Currently one of the group is threatening the others with legal proceedings claiming she was defamed in the group chat over her drunkenness at a night out.
Yes there was some slagging the day after but it wasn’t meant in any harmful way and now she’s talking about solicitors letters. Crazy stuff.

Big Bag of Chips

A WhatsApp group is just the modern day standing at the school gates and talking! The thing about a group like that is there will be very vocal people with ridiculous notions, and then there will be others who are the voice of reason. The vocal ones will be vocal regardless of whether it's on a WhatsApp group or on a night out in the pub. Some people love to give out, and if you are a teacher there's a very high probability you are regularly the subject of conversation . It doesn't all have to be bad though. But you can be sure if someone has a gripe about you other will hear about it, one way or another.

WhatsApp groups come about quite naturally. I am in various groups. I'm in a group with mothers of my children's friends, helps for organising things, sometimes we might discuss school! I'm in a group of parents of my junior infant child. That group was set up to be a handy contact for all parents if something came up and a parent was delayed etc.

touts

The Irish Times has been running a special investigation into this phenomenon for the last few weeks.

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/ross-o-carroll-kelly

beauf

splinter65 wrote: »

Have nothing to do with any of these groups unless you’re completely confident that everyone in the group is competent.
A friend of mine is in an arts and crafts group that organizes themselves for meetups and social nights out etc via WhatsApp
Currently one of the group is threatening the others with legal proceedings claiming she was defamed in the group chat over her drunkenness at a night out.
Yes there was some slagging the day after but it wasn’t meant in any harmful way and now she’s talking about solicitors letters. Crazy stuff.

Put nothing online or in writing that you wouldn't want to see on the 9 o clock news.

That said these groups are not meant to be for idle chat. They are for information sharing. If someone starts using it to chat tell them to start a different group for that.

Big Bag of Chips

beauf wrote: »

That said these groups are not meant to be for idle chat. They are for information sharing. If someone starts using it to chat tell them to start a different group for that.

Who says?! I'm part of very many group chats through various different groups, clubs, activities. And yes, a lot of what is posted is information regarding training, events etc but a lot is also chat. Light hearted stuff that keeps the group 'social'.

splinter65

beauf wrote: »

Put nothing online or in writing that you wouldn't want to see on the 9 o clock news.

That said these groups are not meant to be for idle chat. They are for information sharing. If someone starts using it to chat tell them to start a different group for that.

The group started out with the best of intentions
“Hi everyone the meeting on Friday 20th will have to be postponed till Monday 23 due to a double booking in the hall. See you then”
Soon developed into
“Anyone up for a couple of drinks in the abbey inn tonight? 10ish?”

beauf

It's up to the group to police itself

beauf

Big Bag of Chips wrote: »

...
Who says?! I'm part of very many group chats through various different groups, clubs, activities. And yes, a lot of what is posted is information regarding training, events etc but a lot is also chat. Light hearted stuff that keeps the group 'social'.

It makes the information impossible to find. Imagine you're in 10 groups of 20 and each one has a load of banter. So much spam. I have all my groups on mute because of this.

In reality some of the group's are much larger some of them have 100 or more in them.

beauf

Actually some of the football club ones have hundreds of people on them.

heldel00

beauf wrote: »

It's up to the group to police itself

This is the bit I'm uncomfortable with. Those that have an issue with a teacher are usually the most vocal and less likely to heed the advice/ moderation of more sensible folk.

Big Bag of Chips

But that is the case whether in a WhatsApp group, or in the post office. You could say a WhatsApp group might be better in that it's contained. And people are more likely tyo reply in a group and say where the person is going wrong etc.

One on one giving out is much more likely to give a vocal person momentum, because every time they meet someone new, they get to retell their story, and embellish it!!

beauf

heldel00 wrote: »

This is the bit I'm uncomfortable with. Those that have an issue with a teacher are usually the most vocal and less likely to heed the advice/ moderation of more sensible folk.

The same issue exists in the schoolyard, or any other medium.

At least on WhatsApp there may be a record of it. Which constrains people a bit.

Nothing you can do about it anyway,