thing #22 nings

I am not a big fan of social networking at this time; I may become one very soon as it seems as if everyone else is doing it; my wife, daughter, family, and friends. I looked at the ning "teacher lingo" http://teacherlingo.com/blogs/default.aspx?GroupID=14 . I liked the separate catagories that it is divided into. However, I don't see very much useful information in there; blogs about the commuter train crash and Tiger Woods. I guess I am very old-school in one regards; I feel that there should be some distance between my students and me. I really don't want them to know too much about me. I feel that teachers need to keep a "professional distance". I have seen many new teachers come into the profession and try to be friends and buddies to the students and for the most part, have failed miserably. I feel we need to keep that professional image. By letting the students get too close, we lose some of that. I may join a social network one of these days, but I will be very careful about what I let the students "see" of my personal life.