Take a Shelfie Not a Selfie


I've talked about the  Art of the Shelfie before, but I had a recent rant I just wanted to share with you. I started with "Hey girl" as a nod to the "Hey girl" meme and my preoccupation with the hit book, "Girl, Wash Your Face" by . It was really just to get your attention, I know educator guys might benefit from this rant, too! I'm equal opportunity judgey.

You know what's great about having a professional Twitter & Instagram? You can just focus on the kids. (It should already be our focus, right?) But it's sometimes kinda comforting to hide behind the kids. Social Media shy? Take pics of your kids being awesome & post them. Not sure about photo consent? Take pics over their shoulders, they'll recognize their shoulders, hair, & hands!

To quote the wise Dalton in the cinematic Oeuvre that is the movie Roadhouse: Opinions vary. Of course it's OK to take a selfie now and then! But when the focus is off the kids, I question. Do you want kids to see that you're as self-obsessed as they can be or should you model a generous focus and an outward pointing lens?

No One is Making You Take Selfies......or let me say it this way....

Frankly, when I scan over a librarians or teachers social media timeline and it's a lot of pics of themselves? Yeah, I roll my eyes and probably don't follow them.

Turn the camera around girl & take pics of your students, your classroom, your library, your school, your co-workers, your world.

Not you.

I usually only take pics of myself when a kid comes back to visit from High School or College or if a kid asks to take a selfie with me. It also sometimes happens at conferences, I get a little tongue tied about that but always am flattered & a good sport.

And you think that I would be better at doing selfies, since I've been doing them since like MySpace, right? But I always look at where I'm hitting the button and not the actual camera. Doh!

It's not that I don't think that I'm adorable and that I'm not you know, totally vain. Cause I probably am. I kinda hint at that in my Twitter profile, right? It's just that I'm seeing WAY too many of our faces lately, and not our kiddos faces.

It's as bad as having your own hashtag. Have you ever noticed that as "ridiculously humble" as I am that I don't use a #DaringLibrarian or #GwynethStories hashtag?  THAT is kind of presumptuous, self-involved, and vain. I'm just sayin.

Ok, I guess I'm passionate about this subject because I usually try to sound more supportive and not so judgey.

Push the positive, and Change the World. vThis is a great quote!
Tough love, baby.  Because, I swear some people could benefit from it. Can I also include all those people still using Comic Sans? Don't get me started! But still, I may wipe out some of this post later. Esp. if my Mom sees it. She wouldn't approve - clutch my pearls!

(Suspiciously touched up rare selfie with visiting former student - thank you PicMonkey!)

Related Posts:
 

12 Insta Easy Instagram Library & Literacy Promotion Ideas


Say Yes! To a School Instagram! 

Was I too judgy? Or is it judgey? Either way, what do you think? I must be feeling better to get so hetted up and ranting! LOL I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments - pro or con! I can take it!


Thanks for Visiting!


Cheers dears!


Twitter: @GwynethJones - IG: The Daring Librarian. Future Ready Teacher Librarian & Tech Leader. Mover, Shaker, Blogger, International Ed Tech Keynote Speaker, Blogger, & Google Certified. Author of the award winning Daring Librarian blog. ISTE Board of Directors PK-12 Representative 2010-2014 - Creator of Content. Meme & Trope Archivist. Coastal Cottage owner. Geek. Ridiculously Humble.


Comments

  1. Rebecca GomezFebruary 4, 2019 at 11:29 AM

    I think this is great advice, judgey or not!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @GwynethJones - The Daring LibrarianFebruary 7, 2019 at 6:51 PM

      Thanks, Rebecca! I really appreciate your comment. If you're on Twitter or Instagram, I'd love to follow you! -- Tag me & let's connect. Cheers! ~Gwyneth

      Delete
  2. Librarian TiffFebruary 4, 2019 at 3:34 PM

    I do love to take a good selfie...and I post quite a few on my FB and Instagram. I have different accounts, though. @librariantiff is more of me, my travels, etc. and @aldrichknights is the library & much more student focused. I think it's all about what you intend a particular account to be...and the good thing about social media is that if people don't like it, they don't have to follow it!

    Miss you, friend! <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @GwynethJones - The Daring LibrarianFebruary 7, 2019 at 6:54 PM

      Hi Tiff! Miss you, too sweet friend! ;-) I totally agree with what you said. I love seeing your pretty face and your exciting travels on your social media accounts. I really went on a rant, didn't I? LOL I was talking more about professional social media accounts. I guess I just want to suggest that we not forget to focus on our kiddos maybe more than ourselves.

      But as always, opinions vary.

      Cheers dear!
      ~Gwyneth

      Delete
  3. LynnFebruary 4, 2019 at 6:25 PM

    Even though I’m not a teacher, oh, I completely share this rant! What is with all these grown adults and their preoccupation with... themselves?!! Believe me, it’s not just educators. Unless we are kids, we are NOT kids! So come on people, we allllllll know what you look like! Point the camera the OTHER way!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @GwynethJones - The Daring LibrarianFebruary 7, 2019 at 6:58 PM

      Hey Aunt Lynn! Thanks so much for your sweet comment. And you are a teacher in many ways -- at least to me! (You taught me how to put on make-up!) But thanks for your support and your perpetual thoughtfulness! Love you! ~Gwynnie

      Delete
  4. ElizabethFebruary 8, 2019 at 2:15 PM

    For me, it is all about the kids. The kids also look soooo much better than I do in the pics. On the library website, students can search past years' activities. I love looking at the old pics and watching the kids grow up from 12 years old to 18. I agree with you. I don't need more pics of me, but I need dozens of pics of the kids. Elizabeth pftstalibrary.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @GwynethJones - The Daring LibrarianFebruary 9, 2019 at 12:44 PM

      I agree with you 100%. But then again, I usually do because you are made of awesome and I admire you greatly. I just left a very vulnerable & emotional comment on your excellent blog because it touched me greatly. It brought smiles and tears. It inspired and taught me something important. I am not good at human emotions and I am sometimes not daring (ha ha) or brave with being vulnerable. I may need to work on that. OR I could always just keep on being emotionally awkward and deeply shallow. Where it's safe.

      Delete

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