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Terms of use

Welcome to TeachersConnect!

 

By using or accessing our services on teachersconnect.com, teachersconnect.online, the teachersconnect community on circle.so, our mobile app, or any other platform (“Services”), you agree to these legally binding terms and conditions (“Terms”). You also agree to our Privacy Policy and any applicable platform user agreement.

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we do, we will post the updated Terms on our website, which will apply to you from then on. By continuing to use or access our Services after the update goes into effect, you agree to be bound by the new Terms.

Creating an Account

You can browse parts of our website and app without registering for an account. But to use most of our Services, you will need to sign up for an account. When you do, below are the commitments you make to us:

  • You will not create an account if you are under 18 years old.
  • You will not create more than one personal account.
  • You will not create an account for anyone other than yourself or your company.
  • You will not provide any false personal information.
  • You will keep your contact information accurate and up-to-date.
  • If we disable your account, you will not create another one without our permission.

You are responsible for all activity on your account, and for keeping your password confidential. If you find out that someone used your account without your permission, you should report it to us at hello@teachersconnect.com.

Your Responsibilities

We do our best to keep TeachersConnect safe, but we can’t guarantee it. Your help is invaluable to our efforts. Below are the general commitments you make to us about your use of our Services:

  • You will maintain the confidentiality of your account information.
  • You will accept responsibility for all activities and transactions that occur under your account.
  • You will not solicit login information or access an account belonging to someone else.
  • You will not impersonate or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity.
  • You will not license, grant, sell, resell, transfer, assign, distribute or otherwise commercially exploit or make available to any third party our Services or the content you access through our Services (the “Content”), except in accordance with these Terms.
  • You will not modify or make derivative works based upon our Services or the Content.
  • You will not violate the Family and Educations Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in any way through your use of the site.
  • You will not tamper with the information, accounts or postings of other users.
  • You will not upload viruses or other malicious code.
  • You will not use robots, spiders, scrapers or other automated means or interface to collect the content or information of other users, or to otherwise access the TeachersConnect website or app, without our prior permission.
  • You will not transmit any unauthorized commercial communications, such as spam.
  • You will not represent that TeachersConnect endorsed you or your content without our permission.
  • You will not bypass or circumvent measures employed to prevent or limit access to any area, content or code of the TeachersConnect website or app, except as otherwise expressly permitted by law.
  • You will not do anything that could disable, overburden or impair the proper working or appearance of the TeachersConnect website or app, such as a denial of service attack.
  • You will comply with all applicable laws when using or accessing our Services.
  • You will not facilitate or encourage any violations of these Terms.

Changes to Services

We constantly change and improve our Services to better serve our users. In turn, we may add, alter or remove features and functions from the Services at any time without prior notice if such change does not negatively impact your payment obligations.

Support

We will provide support and use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the Services are provided as advertised.

Termination

You are free to stop using our Services at any time. We also reserve the right to suspend or end our Services at any time at our discretion. Suspension or termination does not relieve you or any person or entity of its obligations under these Terms prior to such suspension or termination.

Intellectual Property

Neither these Terms nor your use of our Services grants you ownership in our Services or the Content. We own all intellectual property rights in and related to our Services, the Content and any suggestions, ideas, enhancement requests, feedback, recommendations or other information provided by you or any other party relating to our Services or the Content.

Disclaimer of Warranties

WE MAKE NO REPRESENTATION, WARRANTY OR GUARANTY AS TO THE RELIABILITY, TIMELINESS, QUALITY, SUITABILITY, TRUTH, AVAILABILITY, ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF OUR SERVICES OR ANY CONTENT. WE DO NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THAT (A) THE USE OF OUR SERVICES WILL BE SECURE, TIMELY, UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE OR OPERATE IN COMBINATION WITH ANY OTHER HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, SYSTEM OR DATA, (B) OUR SERVICES, OR THE QUALITY OF ANY PRODUCTS, INFORMATION OR OTHER MATERIAL OBTAINED BY YOU THROUGH OUR SERVICES, WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR EXPECTATIONS, (C) ANY CONTENT WILL BE ACCURATE OR RELIABLE, (D) ERRORS OR DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED OR (E) OUR SERVICES OR THE SERVER(S) THAT MAKE OUR SERVICES AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. OUR SERVICES AND ALL CONTENT IS PROVIDED TO YOU STRICTLY ON AN “AS IS” BASIS. ALL CONDITIONS, REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS, ARE HEREBY DISCLAIMED BY US TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

Services Disclaimer and Liability Waiver
TeachersConnect provides access to a variety of wellness services, including but not limited to hypnosis, guided visualization, Reiki healing, and other alternative modalities (“Wellness Services”). By participating in these Wellness Services, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

  1. No Medical or Therapeutic Advice
    The Wellness Services offered through TeachersConnect are intended solely for general well-being and relaxation purposes. They are not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Participants should consult their healthcare providers before engaging in any Wellness Services.
  2. Voluntary Participation
    Participation in Wellness Services is entirely voluntary. You agree to assume all risks, including but not limited to physical, emotional, or psychological effects, arising from your participation.
  3. Release of Liability
    To the fullest extent permitted by law, you hereby release, indemnify, and hold harmless TeachersConnect, its affiliates, officers, employees, contractors, and agents from any and all claims, liabilities, damages, or expenses (including legal fees) arising out of or in connection with your participation in Wellness Services.
  4. No Guarantees
    TeachersConnect makes no representation or guarantee regarding the effectiveness or outcomes of any Wellness Services. All services are provided “as is” without warranties of any kind.
  5. Third-Party Providers
    TeachersConnect may facilitate access to independent third-party practitioners for Wellness Services. TeachersConnect is not responsible for the actions, omissions, or services provided by these third parties.
  6. Jurisdiction
    Any disputes arising from or related to Wellness Services shall be governed by the laws of the State of Florida, and any claims must be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Leon County, Florida.

Limitation of Liability

IN NO EVENT WILL WE BE LIABLE TO ANYONE FOR ANY INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES OF ANY TYPE OR KIND (INCLUDING LOSS OF DATA, REVENUE, PROFITS, USE OR OTHER ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE) ARISING OUT OF, OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH, OUR SERVICES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE OR ACCESS OUR SERVICES OR THE CONTENT AND ANY INTERRUPTION, INACCURACY, ERROR OR OMISSION, REGARDLESS OF CAUSE, EVEN IF THE PARTY FROM WHICH DAMAGES ARE BEING SOUGHT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Waiver

Our failure to enforce any of these Terms does not constitute a waiver of such Term unless acknowledged and agreed to by us in writing.

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, excluding its conflicts of law rules. Any dispute related to the Terms, the Privacy Policy or our Services will be decided by the state and federal courts in Leon County, Florida and each party will be subject to the jurisdiction of those courts.

Your use of our Services may also be subject to other local, state, national, or international laws.

 

2.Privacy Policy


Your Privacy Matters

TeachersConnect is a network of educators that provides safe, trusted access to mentorship, collaboration, and instructional resources. We take the words “safe” and “trusted” very seriously.

As educators use the network, TeachersConnect examines usage data, looks for patterns in the data, and creates reports that we provide to institutions and companies (collectively, our Partners) who aim to improve their resources and services for teachers. The usage data we share is de-identified; no teacher action will be attributed to a specific teacher in the data reports. TeachersConnect is dedicated to giving teachers easy access to the tools and people they need to succeed as a teacher and grow as an educator. Having a supervisor, employer, professor, or colleague track a teacher’s individual usage without permission is 100% antithetical to that, and we take this promise of individual privacy very seriously.

Our Partners use the de-identified data for a variety of reasons:

  1. Teacher Prep Programs
    1. Develop a feedback loop of information to improve curriculum and program delivery
    2. Help their alumni grow comfortable and strong in the very complex role of “teacher”
    3. Gather evidence for institutional accreditation
  2. School Districts
    1. Target professional development opportunities based on the expressed needs of their teachers
    2. Identify instructional leaders among the teaching faculty
    3. Boost teacher retention rates
  3. Professional Development and Curriculum Providers
    1. Understand the challenges classroom teachers are facing so they can design products and services that meet their needs
    2. Justify the revision of current product and service offerings
    3. Propose brand new product and service offerings

Additionally, Teacher Prep Programs really want their graduates’ email address to find out how they did in preparing them for the classroom and to offer them continuous opportunities to grow as a teacher. As a result, we share with them some basic demographic information that helps them determine whether they’re meeting their goals as a prep program:

  1. Name and email
  2. Name of district and school
  3. Position (e.g teacher, math coach, principal)
  4. Grade level and subject

This is the only information they’ll receive about you with your identifying information attached.

Likewise, any reports that compare one institution to another will be created without identifying information and only in the spirit of inquiry and programmatic improvement.

Frequently Asked Privacy Questions

I’m an educator or a teaching candidate and I use the network of mentorship and collaboration. Who sees my information and in what form do they see it?
When another member views your profile, they see your first and last name, your profile picture, and all other profile details you’ve entered except your email and password. In addition, your posts appear to other users in your profile and others have the ability to search for your activity on the site (e.g. contributions to a discussion, files you’ve uploaded, public questions you have asked).

Can I change the name that people see for me in the community?
Yes. You can customize this in your user profile.

Will my employer/supervisor/school leader have access to what I share on TeachersConnect?
All comments or files posted on TeachersConnect are attributed to their authors by default. It is possible, based on where the content is posted, that all members of the community can access what you have shared and see your attribution to it. If you want to send a message that is only visible to certain people or post anonymously, we recommend these two options:

  1. Send a direct message to as many people as you want using the “Messages” area.
  2. Use the anonymity feature to ask a question.

Do you share my personal information with anyone?
The only personally identifiable information we send is listed below and the only institution that could access it is your Teacher Preparation Program.

  • Name and email
  • District and school name
  • Position (e.g. teacher, math coach, principal)
  • Grade level and subject

Aside from that, your personal information is shared with no one.

Can I have access to usage information about me?
We’ve heard that some of you would like a report on your TeachersConnect activity because you’re curious or because you’d like to use it to show a colleague or supervisor how you’re contributing to a powerful community of teachers. We can’t do that yet, but stay tuned because we understand why you’re asking for this.

Will anything I post in TeachersConnect show up in a general Internet search of my name?
No. The content published in the TeachersConnect community is inaccessible to the general public.

Occasionally, we publish a question or an excerpt of a conversation on our social media channels (e.g. On Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, email etc.). When we publish content from TeachersConnect outside of the Community, we remove any personally identifiable information (e.g. name, district, school, etc.) from all conversation participants. We publish this content for two reasons:

  1. We want to make sure no question goes unanswered. Sometimes this means reaching out to educators outside of the TeachersConnect community.
  2. Your meaningful questions and thoughtful contributions are powerful symbols of teachers’ serious professionalism and our goal of making sure that all teachers get the skill, confidence, and joy they need to become great and stay great. Publishing the questions and conversations on social media helps convey that message, raise our profile, and strengthen our collective work.

Can I post content from TeachersConnect on social media?

Yes, as long as your intent matches the intent described above–to help a teacher solve a problem or help elevate the profile of teachers or TeachersConnect–and as long as you follow the same rules described above: You are prohibited from publishing questions and discussions from the TeachersConnect community anywhere else (e.g. On Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, email, the wall of your school, etc.) unless you must remove all personally identifiable information (e.g. name, district, school, etc.) from all conversation participants.

Failure to observe these fundamental rules that are designed to protect the privacy of you and your colleagues and to make sure teachers feel safe asking ANY question, may result in the removal of your TeachersConnect account.

What other kinds of information do you collect?
TeachersConnect collects general usage and engagement information about everyone that uses our network.

How do you use the information you collect?
Primarily this information is used internally to understand how the network is used and provide data that informs development initiatives to improve our service to you. Sometimes this information is also used in generalized reports to Teacher Preparation Programs and other partners. Except in the case of the exception noted above, the data is always reported anonymously and in the aggregate.

Who owns the information you collect?
TeachersConnect.

How long do you save information about me?
You should assume that any information we have will be stored indefinitely.

What kind of reports do TeachersConnect Partners receive?
TeachersConnect provides reports that our Partners use for a variety of reasons including programmatic feedback, curriculum review, new-teacher outreach and support, and evidence for accreditation and compliance. The reports include information on what instructional topics tend to come up and when in the school year they arise; what time of day teachers tend to use the network and what kind of devices they’re using; where graduates are teaching and how long they’ve been there; and other evolving trends or patterns.

How do you collect the information for your data reports?
Information is collated from user contributions and usage metrics as members use the features of the TeachersConnect network.

Who sees the data reports about my institution?
When you enter an agreement with TeachersConnect, you determine the people in your department who should have access to the data reports. With the exception of certain TeachersConnect personnel who are involved in data analysis and product development, the people you assign are the only people who have the right to view the reports.

Is information about my institution ever shared with anyone else? If so, in what form will it be shared?
Many of our teacher prep partners are interested in seeing how they compare to their peers. To meet that need, we plan to create comparative reports that show information about other teacher prep programs without naming them or providing enough information to identify them. For example, you might get a report that compares your data with that of the other teacher prep programs in your region or the other program of your size. In such a case, the report would only include information that does not identify the specific prep program, or the information would be aggregated to call out trends and averages.

Who owns the information and the reports?
TeachersConnect. Our agreement allows you to use the reports in a wide variety of ways (e.g. department reports, academic research, accreditation reports, program evaluation), but the information is owned by TeachersConnect.

Can we reference the reports in our academic research and program evaluations?
Yes. And if there are other ways you’re hoping to use the information or if there’s other information you’d like to get, let us know. We want to be helpful.

What happens when we’re no longer a client?
If you choose to end your relationship with TeachersConnect, here’s what happens:

  1. Your graduates or members will continue to have access to a TeachersConnect account and will still to be able to use the services. They will, however, no longer have a direct line to you (e.g. your logo and announcements will not appear on their page; they may lose access to some of their mentors).
  2. You no longer have access to the data dashboard for your teacher prep program. All historical data related to your program and recorded on the network is kept by TeachersConnect.

Will any of the information be used for research purposes by TeachersConnect?
It’s possible. We are an organization of educators and former teachers. And we’re geeks. We’re driven to find ways to use the information to help improve the teaching field in general, and when the opportunity exists to do that, we’ll jump on it. Let us know if you’d like to propose a study with us. If we do use the information for research purposes, we will not include any information that identifies a specific teacher prep program without your written consent.

General Questions

Do you collect information that is not part of the reports to teachers or Partners? Why?
We’re always aiming to develop new initiatives and improve our services to teachers and our partners. In order to do this, we constantly examine how the network is used.

How do we inform you of changes to our privacy policy?
Any time we make a change to the information here, we’ll send you an email, make a note on the TeachersConnect network, and update this document.

What should I do if I have a question that has not been answered above?
Contact us by sending an email to legal@teachersconnect.com.

 

3.Social Media Policy

 

The purpose of the following document is to provide official guidelines for communication, participation and engagement through social media on behalf of TeachersConnect. The Social Media Policy aims to (1) Prevent misuse and abuse of Social Media accounts (2) Encourage understanding and use of effective communication on various platforms and (3) Maintain regular communication and engagement with followers.

 

General:

  • Be available
    • Having a social media presence means that followers, users, etc. will expect to have a direct line of communication to TeachersConnect around the clock. Respect this by keeping timely responses and reasonable availability as the number one priority.
  • Be transparent
    • Users may ask difficult questions in public forums that are uncomfortable to answer. Do not avoid or ignore these interactions, but rather respond to the best of your ability as a representative of TeachersConnect
  • Be relevant
    • Stay on brand in all communications. Keep conversations focused on the industry TeachersConnect has expertise in and be sure to communicate up to date and interesting content.
  • Be Professional
    • Avoid offensive rhetoric, set a positive tone. Be sure that grammar and spelling is double checked.
  • Be Friendly
    • Don’t get too personal, but be casual and approachable when speaking for the brand. Users should feel as if there is a person behind the screen so they can more easily relate to the brand.
  • Stay on brand
    • Everything that is posted on TeachersConnect social media platforms should keep the company mission and values in mind and be consistent across all channels.

 

Purpose

TeachersConnect uses social media platforms in order to

  • Inform and educate followers about product and company updates
  • Reach a wider, more diverse audience
  • Produce useful and interesting content
  • Communicate and engage with current and potential users
  • Engage in productive B2B and B2C conversations
  • Discover community needs and wants

 

RULES:

  • All accounts must be explicit in connection to TeachersConnect
  • Passwords should be secure
  • Access and publishing privileges should be reviewed and updated regularly
  • Do not use TeachersConnect social media accounts for financial transactions of any kind unless previously authorized
  • TeachersConnect accounts should reflect only the interests of the business and not personal interests of the users connected
  • Obtain permission before usage of copyrighted material and give credit where it is due
  • Do not swear, use offensive rhetoric or make insensitive jokes

 

Communication:

  • Check and engage on social media every single day because users are using the app every single day
  • Always use proper spelling and grammar and write in an accessible way
  • Allow your personality and voice to come through while maintaining a professional relationship- talk to users how you, yourself would talk to real people in professional situations. Don’t be afraid to make tasteful jokes, or be friendly.
  • Write about what you know and limit comments to areas of expertise, offer a unique perspective
  • If someone directly asks a question that you don’t have the answer to, be honest and do your best to find the correct answer. Be truthful if you fail.
  • Apologize immediately for misunderstandings, incorrect facts, or any wrongdoing
  • Withhold confidential information

 

Social Media Tools

 

Facebook

The world’s largest social network, with more than 1.55 billion monthly active users (as of the third quarter of 2015). Users create a personal profile, add other users as friends, and exchange messages, including status updates. Brands create pages and Facebook users can “like” brands’ pages.

 

Twitter

A social networking/micro-blogging platform that allows groups and individuals to stay connected through the exchange of short status messages (140 character limit)

 

Instagram

A social network for image sharing. Small captions and hashtags can be incorporated into posts.

 

Pinterest

an online service that allows you to share images through social networking that allows you to post ideas that you want to remember and share them

 

Forms of Communication

 

Direct or Private Messaging: Be friendly and personable. This is where the most personality can show through. However, remember that DMs are not truly private in that anything can be Screenshotted and shared.

  • Answer as quickly as possible
  • Add a personal touch- look into their accounts and things they’ve said and include something about them in your response. THis doesn’t have to be complicated, just something to show you know who they are.
  • Be casual and speak in the first person.
  • Give them your name so they feel they are talking to a person and see the conversation through so they are not jumping around to different people.

 

Public Comments/Discussions: Don’t shy away from discussions, jump in and be heard. TeachersConnect and it’s employees have expertise, original ideas and charming personalities, let those shine through to connect most effectively with users and followers.

  • Creativity and interests of the user should be evident
  • Ask questions about topics we are interested in learning more about–being open to learning new things will make users gain respect for TeachersConnect
  • Be nice to everyone, unconditionally.
  • Answer questions to the best of your ability, ask for help when needed, be honest if unsure.
  • Respond to concerns quickly and never blame the other person, be aware that Social Media will quickly become a place for people to ask for support in the app, step up and provide it.
  • Engage in conversations consistently by both starting conversations and joining other people’s communication.
  • If something someone said is particularly interesting or useful, follow up and continue to reach out to that influencer.

 

One way Content output: Research topics before producing content to be sure that facts are true. Write in a way that is accessible to majority of educated individuals.

  • Be aware that your content may be questioned and be ready to answer those questions
  • Have excellent grammar and spelling but don’t be forced or overly formal
  • Research each topic to be sure that the content you’re posting is either new or has an original perspective.
  • Create content that is good discussion material
  • Share content across all social media platforms
  • Everything should be revised by one other person

 

Role Definition:

For each piece of original content on a platform, one person should be the content creator. One person should be the second pair of eyes to double check that there are no double meanings, and that the content is true to the brand before posting.

  • Content creator: Creates original content for platforms to be posted.
  • Revisions: Checks original content created for errors, confusion, misleading information and brings up any and all concerns.
  • Support: Anyone can retweet, repost, repin etc. without the necessity of a revisor to look over the content. However, this should be done keeping the brand mission and values in mind and anyone who abuses this privilege will have their access revoked.

 

Rights:

  • TeachersConnect will remove any spam or commercial content not related or approved by TC
  • All derogatory content will be removed including but not limited to racist, sexist, threatening, insulting or unlawful content.

 

Safety and Security:

  • Do not give out personal information or private company information over social media
  • Do not click links or attachments from an unknown source
  • Be careful in choosing your social network
  • Assume that everything on any platform is permanent
  • If hacked: immediately change passwords, apologize and explain the situation to followers without placing blame
  • Keep private and confidential information private

 

4.Frequently Asked Questions FAQs

General:

What does TeachersConnect do?
TeachersConnect provides a safe online space for teachers to share classroom experiences and find mentorship and collaboration. Our goal is to ensure that every teacher feels supported by a broad community of teachers who understand each other.

 

I’m a teacher. How does TeachersConnect help me grow?
TeachersConnect is a professional learning community–full of teachers who want to connect, create, collaborate, and grow. Among other things, teachers ask questions and get answers, find other teachers like them, share interesting articles and resources, share teaching stories, and resolve teaching challenges.

 

I’m in education, but I’m not a classroom teacher. How does TeachersConnect help me?
TeachersConnect partners with many different educational entities that work with teachers. Our goal in working with these organizations is to make the voices of teachers heard in the broader educational community. We work with organizations like teacher preparation programs, school districts, and curriculum/professional learning providers to share insights and data that help them design powerful classroom resources and experiences.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a TeachersConnect partner please contact Dave Meyers at dave@teachersconnect.com

Do I have to be a teacher to use TeachersConnect?
The vast majority of our community members are practicing classroom teachers and people in training to become classroom teachers. We do allow school administrators, university instructors, instructional coaches, and other educators who work with teachers on the site. Those people are on the site to learn from, and grow with, teachers–not to administer or supervise on the site. We do not allow advertisers or people without ties to education. If you see an account that seems out of place in the community please report it to support@teachersconnect.com.

 

Could my principal/boss/instructor be on TeachersConnect?
Yes. Assume that anybody who works at a school or teacher preparation program could have an account. If you’re nervous about being judged on your contributions to TeachersConnect, we’ve got a few suggestions for you:

Post a question anonymously to the entire TeachersConnect network.
Specify a limited group of teachers and invite them to a private conversation.
Keep your posts professional and respectful at all times:
Only mention individuals when you want to call out their accomplishments or victories.
Show that you’re a problem solver. If you have a complaint, turn it into a specific question or invitation for others to solve the problem with you. Ask yourself, “Is a teacher likely to respond to my post by sharing a resource, tip, or offer to collaborate?” If the answer is “no,” see if you can restructure your post.
Avoid venting. Yes, you’re a classroom teacher, and you’re faced with hundreds of challenging and potentially frustrating situations every week, but venting online can leave others feeling helpless. Share your challenges, describe your obstacles, and be honest–but make sure your language doesn’t alienate others.

 

Can people without TeachersConnect accounts see the content on TeachersConnect?
No. TeachersConnect is a secure site. None of the information in the site will show up in a search engine query. It can only be accessed through the app by people who have created TeachersConnect accounts.

 

Where do my posts appear to other users?
Everything you post on TeachersConnect goes to a public ‘feed’. Any teacher on TeachersConnect can search through the content and find your posts. Your posts are also saved so you can retrieve them when you want them.

 

What happens when I ask a question?
Questions appear to other users in a dedicated space for questions and answers. Other teachers can scan through the list of questions and answer those they feel knowledgeable about. Questions and answers remain visible forever so new answers appear over time as more teachers provide new and different answers.

 

How do you direct the content that I am interested in to me?
TeachersConnect uses the interests you select to help dictate what content is most visible to you. The more interests you select the better we can personalize your experience in the app to make sure you’re finding people like you and topics that are most interesting to you.

Why doesn’t my teacher preparation program appear in the “Connect” section?
One of the goals of TeachersConnect is to help Teacher Prep Programs create lasting relationships with alumni. If you don’t see a community for your Teacher Prep Program, it is because your program is not yet one of our partners. If you want to let your teacher preparation program know that you’d like to see them on TeachersConnect, reach out to them!

 

Can I search for other teachers on TeachersConnect?
Yes. In the ‘Connect’ section of the app you can search for teachers by name, grade or subject they teach, or location where they teach. If you search for a particular colleague and can’t find him or her then you can invite them to join TeachersConnect.

 

Can I post anonymously?
You can ask questions anonymously in the Q and A section. When you do so the question cannot be traced back to the asker by anybody in the community. The purpose of this is to give you a way to ask questions that you might be nervous about asking publically. Note: Answers to anonymous questions are not anonymous.

 

Who can see private messages?
Private messages can only be seen by the people listed in the private message. You can click the settings button on any message thread to see who is in the message.

Is it ok to post photos or videos that include students?
No. Photos and videos of students are “personally identifiable information” within the meaning of the Family and Educations Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). As a result, they cannot be posted without the consent of the students involved.

 

Can I post copyrighted materials?
You are responsible for all material you post, including to the extent you do not have the right to use such material. TeachersConnect is not responsible, and you are required to indemnify and hold TeachersConnect harmless for, any liability related to your unauthorized materials.

 

Who is responsible for “bad” information/advice on TC?
We do not judge what is good vs. bad advice or information. TeachersConnect is a community for teachers that encourages discussion and the consideration of a range of ideas. What each teacher does with ideas or content they get from the site is his or her responsibility. Our philosophy is that uncovering “bad” information and having a healthy, positive, evidence-based discussion about it, results in a powerful learning experience–and is much better than disseminating “bad” information without any discussion.

We also recognize that there are very few absolute truths in teaching and learning, and we urge community members to be more curious than critical and to consider perspective, different classroom characteristics, and varied personal interests when joining a conversation.

If you see a post that you believe includes misinformation, we encourage you to respond to it by being positive, respectful, asking questions, and working hard to turn the discussion into a learning experience for you, the initial poster, and anyone else who is following along.

What happens if a post is disrespectful or unprofessional?
If you see a post that is disrespectful or unprofessional you can contact support at TeachersConnect to notify us. We reserve the right to take down posts at any time. In addition, if an individual makes multiple posts that we need to take down, we reserve the right to ban that individual from the community. Our decision is final.

 

Can I request a new feature for TeachersConnect?
Yes, you can make feature requests by emailing your request to support@teachersconnect.com. We track all requests and are constantly trying to improve TeachersConnect. We will notify you if/when your feature is built.

 

Reporting

How do I report a crash or problem with the app?
Please report crashes, bugs, and problems you encounter to support@teachersconnect.com. Our team will do its best to resolve issues as fast as we can so you can get back to teaching and learning.

 

Can I report someone acting unprofessionally on TeachersConnect?
Yes. If you see any posts that are unprofessional or disrespectful you can contact support@teachersconnect.com to report them. Our staff will consider deleting the post. If individuals are so unprofessional that we decide they do not belong on the community we reserve the right to ban them from TeachersConnect.

 

Can I report an account that I suspect is held by someone who should NOT be on TeachersConnect?
Yes. You can report it at support@teachersconnect.com and our staff will look into it. We reserve the right to ban users who do not belong on TeachersConnect.

 

Data

What information does TeachersConnect collect?
We collect your profile information and data about how you interact with the app, like what content you find helpful and how long you spend on specific pages.

 

What does TeachersConnect do with the information collected?
We use the information to tailor your experience to you and to limit the distraction of conversations that are not relevant to you. For example, if you teach AP Chemistry, we’ll make sure that your TeachersConnect experience isn’t dominated by strategies for early literacy instruction (unless you’ve identified early literacy instruction as a particular area of interest).

 

TeachersConnect also provides the data to organizations and companies who are working to improve education. For example, we partner with Teacher Preparation Programs to provide them with data to improve their programs. Please refer to our privacy policy for more information about what we do with the data we collect.

Can I use the data shared on TC for my own purposes?
Yes. From time to time we share trends and observations (always with de-identified data) with teachers in the TeachersConnect community, and as we grow, we intend to share more.

 

What data about me can the rest of the TeachersConnect community see in the app?
Your profile and posts are public on TeachersConnect. Other users cannot see your email address, password, private messages, or anonymous questions, but the rest of your profile is viewable by the TeachersConnect community.