I spend a lot of time in SLP Facebook. Like a LOT of time. Like most of the time when I’m not at work or sleeping. I’m in a handful of groups for things like movies or podcasts, but mostly, it’s all speech and language pathology. I’m on Twitter and Instagram and Snapchat, and they all have cool features.
Facebook is . . . not unproblematic, I get it. But Facebook, right now, is where my community lives.
SLP Facebook?
Everyone’s on Facebook!
It must be so useful, right?
Most people use their real names! Of course they behave well to peers!
Not so much.
Professional Facebook can be full of troll and bullies and generally nice people who have a particular topic (or two) that they’re willing to start a fight about.
SLP Facebook is simultaneously the best and the worst. A great (very pointed) write-up of the issues involved is in the recent ASHA Leader magazine, called “Social Media: It’s Different For Professionals.” As the administrator of several SLP groups, I really appreciate the level of thought and detail. They go in depth into the ethical issues and pitfalls of SLP Facebook.
So you should definitely read that. Tonight, however, I am not about depth.
I asked several hundred of my SLP friends (the type B SLPs, or SLBeeps) for things that get said on SLP Facebook. With their permission, I wanted to make one bingo board. That seemed silly and fun. As dozens, and then hundreds, of answers rolled in, I was staggered by the level of insight (and possibly pent-up resentment) my friends had. Thanks, SLBeeps!
Presenting: SLP Facebook Bingo.
SLP Facebook Bingo Basics:
Leading Questions: if you’re asking, you may already know the answer.
Things people say to escalate (whether they know it or not)
Administrators try to stop people from putting “follow”
Things administrators say
How do you recharge after moderating a spat?
Reality, even insular SLP Facebook reality, can be strange. And harsh. My favorite brain break (on Twitter, or instagram) is reading We Rate Dogs, in which the author receives pictures of dogs and declares them all 11/10 or better. It’s adorable and much funnier than it has any right to be.
Part of the original virality of the account came from a beef the writer had with a guy named Brandt. Brandt complained that they couldn’t ALL be good dogs, and that going over 10/10 rendered the whole concept useless. DogRates fired back with “I don’t see what the problem is, Bront” and “They’re good dogs, Brent.” The response was so good-natured and silly that even Brandt came around (very) eventually.
Which reminds me:
(In your head, fill in the name of your personal Brent.)
