I agree that the first and last names being visible to all teacher members would be cause for me to reconsider joining. One of the things I consider to be very positive about DDN is the fact that we can post completely anonymously.

I would not mind giving my first and last name to moderators in order to prove that I am a teacher, this does seem logical but with the number of teachers there are around who could legitimately apply all anonymity could be lost.

Also what would constitute a teacher? Would it include students teachers, kids dancing at our studio's who are taking their first class? ETC

My vote would be no...you have to have a class you are in charge of yourself or have lots of experience in the past as an employed teacher.

The way we approve applications in the ballet professional form and other pro areas is based on application, bio, and former posts. If we see the person has posted in the forums and knows what they are talking about and can prove they are a teacher they'd be approved. That is harder for people with no posting history, but maybe we delay their application until they post in the regular teacher forums for a bit?!? I don't know.

I think it would not be too hard to determine who is a real teacher with the internet these days. Most studios where I live list their teachers and the classes they teach, many also offer a teacher biography on the webpage.

I would not pay to use the teacher board. It is extremely useful at times but I don't believe I should pay so much for something that I do not use every day.

We only had to reveal our identities to ddn for approval for the SO board. Once we were on, we could/can choose whether or not the other SO's know us or not.

There are some SO's that do not reveal their identities, even on the private board. We just know them by their user name.

I think that should be the same with the teachers. Provide your ID to the staff of ddn, but then they can remain anonymous to the other teachers in the group, if they do not want to reveal themselves.

OK, so the consensus is allow anonymity within the group. People have posted reasonable explanations for this, so I am in agreement. In a way, that makes the development a little easier, but it does remove some control from the group.

So the review committee will be one or more of:
- the moderators
- possibly a group of trusted teachers if the workload necessitates

Aside from the initial batch of teachers joining, I don't anticipate a sudden deluge, so perhaps it is doable with just the mod team. If not, they can let me know and we can approach teachers about forming a trusted review group.

It'll be very similar to the way applications to the advanced ballet group is handled which the mods are familiar with.

Thanks for the feedback, everybody. Feel free to chime in if you have more to say.

Linh

That to me seems fair and very reasonable.

So far it sounds like a good compromise... that being said, I still don't think I'll be joining the private teachers' boards. Not that I don't trust our awesome mod squad, but it's very important to me to keep my real-life identity separate from my online identity, and I'm just not comfortable revealing my real name and identifying information to anyone online. I just hope that the private board doesn't grow and grow as the public boards die. DDN has been a really valuable resource for me, and I'd hate to see most of the best information blocked from those of us who want to maintain anonymity.

PowerPointe wrote:

So far it sounds like a good compromise... that being said, I still don't think I'll be joining the private teachers' boards. Not that I don't trust our awesome mod squad, but it's very important to me to keep my real-life identity separate from my online identity, and I'm just not comfortable revealing my real name and identifying information to anyone online. I just hope that the private board doesn't grow and grow as the public boards die. DDN has been a really valuable resource for me, and I'd hate to see most of the best information blocked from those of us who want to maintain anonymity.

All of the SO categories are private, with the exception of one..."Ask an SO". That category is visited and posted on all of the time. It's quite active.

I think PLENTY of teachers have issues that are not private and the primary areas will still get the lion's share of the posting.

I know I haven't been posting long (I've been reading much more than I've been posting), but I just can't join this private board. My personal identity is too important to me. And, I don't for a second think that a $20 fee would deter one of my parents from trying to gain access with a fake bio just because they were nosy and wanted to see what was in this private, secret forum. At least with things the way they are now, anything they can read...so can I. I would be prepared for any discussion that would arise from something they might would see on here (this has never been an issue in the past, but I know I have students who browse DDN). Aside from me not revealing my personal identity anywhere online (this is just my personal feelings - and I am the same on any site that I go to. My personal FB page is locked down and not able to be found by anyone outside my circle of personal friends. I try to remain as anonymous as possible online)...my studio does not have a website. I am the studio owner (and not seeking access to the studio owner board for the same reasons as stated above).

I've gained a lot of great ideas from the Teacher's board. I've seen some things that I haven't thought of as far as teacher's issues that arise in other studios that I have been able to prepare for and prevent from happening in my own studio. As others have said, if I came to this site and saw that there were private boards, I would have left immediately.

I also think it is important to note that hiding behind a private board isn't always the smartest thing. I'm sure it doesn't need to be said, but nothing you post on the internet is private. If someone truly wants to see what is in there, they will. And how certain are you that those with access aren't sharing the posts/threads with other people? If you are afraid to post things on the public boards, then they are probably better left for private messages or not posted at all.

I guess my opinion probably doesn't matter since I'm considered a new poster even though I've been around a long time. But I'm against the private boards for a whole host of reasons and won't be joining them. And if the discussions are primarily taking place in the private boards, my DDN days will pretty much be over.

i_am_me wrote:

All of the SO categories are private, with the exception of one..."Ask an SO". That category is visited and posted on all of the time. It's quite active.

I know I'm not a SO, so I don't have access to the private boards, so maybe they don't get as much traffic as the teachers' boards. However, I would not call "Ask A SO" active. I browse through every few days and typically there a handful of new posts. I see a better variety of "SO questions" posted on the teachers' boards (maybe they are more active so people think they will get the answers here???) With the variety of things a SO deals with (including issues that really could be discussed openly), I would personally not call them active.

I also agree that $20 (even annually) will not deter some people from trying to gain access. Maybe others have had different experiences, but I rarely see parents playing "gotcha" on the open boards. I find that most people post their questions generally enough that it would take a lot to figure out who they are. And while I like to think that I am an awesome Internet spy, only a handful of posters have left enough information for me to identify them... but usually it's because they posted a link to their website. So, I assume they were comfortable with everyone knowing. *shrugs*

I would probably join it? I am also an open book. My screen name and photo leaving nothing to be questioned. LOL...You will not catch me discussing things that could later come back to bite me. I say what I feel and I back it 100%. I generally only offer support/advice here. I have been less active as of late due to health problems, but I still read at least 2x per week.

My name and picture appear on the studio websites where I teach, so again...I have nothing to hide.

I love the latest proposal made my Linh...Great compromises

I adore the Mods and I feel as if they (along with extremely active members) would have the knowledge and insight on how to approve/weed out members. They know the bulk of the comments made here and let's face it...You can tell who is legit in their statements and who is not

As for the privacy factor of ourselves, yes...I totally agree that the viewing of 1st and last names or studio names would deter a lot of people from joining. The fee is not horrible-But I would prefer a one time fee as opposed to a yearly fee. I don't know or understand what it takes to maintain a site like this and what added work having this extra tab will create for Linh or the
or the Mods? So maybe $20 yearly is truly needed to protect our identities? Like I said, I don't know a thing about this stuff?

I would like to gain access to the tab so that I may view and advise on the topics, but truly don't know how much I would have to say personally in a new thread myself, since I do not discuss things of a delicate nature on the boards currently?

If a member is only a lurker, would they be weeded out? Would you need to contribute in the form of "new" topics in order to stay? Just something to think about everyone $20 isn't that much if someone really wants to get dirt on a competitor and then never post themselves. KWIM?? Again, food for thought

Let us know if this gets started and if so, how to pay our fee to join. I do not have paypal and will not pay with a credit card over the internet. I would prefer to send a money order or cash...

Sharon

I would not join. Many of my reasons have already been listed by other posters. If discussion starts to shift over to private boards, I would probably drift away.

The fact that I can discuss things in privat on the SO board, is the reason why I'm here so often.

^^ Me too.

I discuss on the public boards, but so many things require some level of discretion.

I really do think that teachers should have the capacity to do that as well.

If I was not an SO, I would want a private section for sensitive teacher discussions.

Because the SO board is closed, the members are a more intimate group. I only know a few by name and hardly know where they are all located, but I know a lot of their problems and they know mine. That creates a band.
Not everything we discuss on the closed board needs to be on a closed board, but sometimes I prefer to discuss/share it with the ones I know well, instead of the big crowd.

LINH, how about a trial month? Give teachers a chance to use a closed board for a month. They need to register (or not?), and it's for free for one month, just to give it a start. After 1 month they have to decide: pay and stay, or not.
Maybe even: the first 10(?) teachers who register, will not be checked, just accepted. This way the board gets a chance to start with some members.

lidwina wrote:

Maybe even: the first 10(?) teachers who register, will not be checked, just accepted. This way the board gets a chance to start with some members.

I understand the sentiment of what you are trying to accept, but that defeats the purpose of having a closed board. How would anyone be certain that those ten teachers/people (because we can't even be sure that they are teachers) belong there?!? I think any slack in the security will only drove those of us with reservations further away.

I would be willing to join based off of what Linh said/changed.

DaDancingPsych wrote:

lidwina wrote:

Maybe even: the first 10(?) teachers who register, will not be checked, just accepted. This way the board gets a chance to start with some members.

I understand the sentiment of what you are trying to accept, but that defeats the purpose of having a closed board. How would anyone be certain that those ten teachers/people (because we can't even be sure that they are teachers) belong there?!? I think any slack in the security will only drove those of us with reservations further away.

Yes, you're right. But... (the famous but again), won't the first ones be the ones who followed this thread, have been active members for quite a while here on the teachers board, and are really interested in the closed board?
Newbies (biggest chance they are hardly teachers) will hardly know about the plans to start a closed section, let alone they will be willing to join. Aren't they still in the 'discovering DDN' fase?
Yes, it would be the best to check everyone. Of course. But (:)) how would someone feel after paying $20, and find himself to be the only one on the closed board?
I don't know how long it will take untill enough members have registered and paid before it becomes worth getting on the closed board for advice. Shouldn't the first ones be rewarded for their pioneers action? There might be little persons to discuss with the first time (weeks or months?). Maybe a start fee? The first month you pay $10 for the complete year. When you register after that first month, it's $20.

I hope there will be a closed section for teachers.

lidwina wrote:

DaDancingPsych wrote:

lidwina wrote:

Maybe even: the first 10(?) teachers who register, will not be checked, just accepted. This way the board gets a chance to start with some members.

I understand the sentiment of what you are trying to accept, but that defeats the purpose of having a closed board. How would anyone be certain that those ten teachers/people (because we can't even be sure that they are teachers) belong there?!? I think any slack in the security will only drove those of us with reservations further away.

Yes, you're right. But... (the famous but again), won't the first ones be the ones who followed this thread, have been active members for quite a while here on the teachers board, and are really interested in the closed board?
Newbies (biggest chance they are hardly teachers) will hardly know about the plans to start a closed section, let alone they will be willing to join. Aren't they still in the 'discovering DDN' fase?
Yes, it would be the best to check everyone. Of course. But (:)) how would someone feel after paying $20, and find himself to be the only one on the closed board?
I don't know how long it will take untill enough members have registered and paid before it becomes worth getting on the closed board for advice. Shouldn't the first ones be rewarded for their pioneers action? There might be little persons to discuss with the first time (weeks or months?). Maybe a start fee? The first month you pay $10 for the complete year. When you register after that first month, it's $20.

I hope there will be a closed section for teachers.

Despite my huge reservations, it sounds like there are interested parties. But if there is concern that not enough people will actually pay up, I can understand the need for a "reward" for the first people. However, if the reward is to skip the "background check", then I think many of us (with those huge reservations) will never follow suit. Despite the fact that there are many posters here who I have grown to love and trust, I would still want to know that they should be in that closed forum. I think it's even more necessary if identities are only known by the mods, because there's a trust factor that I have to give into. (No way for me to personally check out people.) I think that if a reward is needed (and I'm not sure if it is) that a better one should be chosen... at least if you want us nay-sayers to even begin to reconsider!!!

And I thought that the reward for being first was the one-time $20 fee rather than the annual $20 fee. If I should ever opt in, it may not be as one of the first, so I can easily see myself missing the "grandfather discount". But that's the price I pay for not being brave and going first.

I agree with DaDancingPsych. I still have reservations. If it is moving forward, I really do not like the incentive of no background check. I think the one-time $20 fee is the way to go. I'd make it available to more teachers, by having a date deadline, not just the first ten who apply...

I think the adjustments made by Linh about the $20 fee being a one-time fee and the new privacy rules would be enough for me to join the private section/board. I would not want my first and last name and the proof of me being a teacher (which could possibly be a picture or video of me teaching) to be seen by all the teachers on the board, but if it was just viewable to the mods or a small, selected group of teachers that would be okay. DDN has been a nice source of information for me.

My only question would be, how do you pay the $20 fee if you're not in the US? Would that be via Paypal?

Edit: Oh and I agree with NDow. I wouldn't like the idea of the first 10 (or so) members to get access without the 'background check'.I think it kind of defeats the purpose of the adjusted privacy rules.

One time fee and let in by mods...I could agree to that. I don;t want my whole identity out there but that seems ok. And I can deal with a one time fee, but the amount I pay out annually for fees (SOCAN, Cecchetti Membership, and various other organizations) I can't really spend more. So when and how will this come about?

I just paid my $19.95 fee on paypal! I hope I get accepted soon.

YumYumDoughnut wrote:

I just paid my $19.95 fee on paypal! I hope I get accepted soon.

Me too.