Maintaining clear separation between your personal and professional life, including social media.
At a glance
When: A student tries to connect with you on personal social media.
Remember: Frame it as your standing rule, not a rejection of the student.
What strong practice looks like — and why.
The scenario you saw
A student you work with closely sends you a follow request on a personal social media account. What do you do?
Before you read on — what would you do here? Picture your move, then reveal how strong practice handles it.
You decline, and if the moment is right, you say something simple and genuine to the student — "I keep my personal accounts separate from school" — so it doesn't feel like a rejection of them as a person.
Why this works
A student's follow request sets a real relationship against a clear professional line, and the discomfort is what pushes people to either accept (to protect the bond) or silently ignore it (to dodge the conversation). Neither serves the student: accepting erodes the boundary that keeps the relationship safe, and ghosting can read as personal rejection. You decline, and if the moment fits you name it plainly and kindly — 'I keep my personal accounts separate from school' — so the line is about your practice, not about them.
What to look for
Recall is where it sticks — a few quick scenarios.
Reading is useful, but recall is where it sticks. Three short scenarios, low-stakes, no scoring — about 3 minutes. You can stop any time.
Start the practice set →Short on time? Start with the first one.
A family or colleague gave you a gift — and you're trying to figure out whether to accept it, decline it, or escalate.
NASP (National Association of School Psychologists)
Covers appropriate relationships with students and families, including digital communication.