Monday, November 24, 2008

11.24.08

The Internet Safety parent meeting is creeping up on my calendar. Just a few weeks ago it was to be in January. Now, it is on the administration's team calendar for the first full week in December, early that week. So here I am procrastinating with the clock ticking. Which way do I take this meeting? The parents will have heard from a shrink about the horrors online, the pornography, the predators, all the gruesome stuff. My local independent schools got together 2 weeks ago to house an Internet Safety night open to anyone interested. About 110 people came, 20 were techies from the different schools. I was fascinated by what I heard. I love the new cell phone safety feature that parents can get now...though I can't think of the name. It works by having a list of preapproved numbers that are allowed to send and receive calls, send things to, and text. If a number has not be approved what is being sent or texted is sent to the parent's phone for approval. Kind of like a moderator for the cell phone. How awesome! My husband just started teaching middle school this year and was blown away during inservice. There was a huge 2 hour lecture on cyber bullying and what teachers are to watch for. This new bullying is or is close to the number one cause of teen suicide. How sad. But knowing what I heard, said, saw and all as a kid I could see how this form of harrassment would crush a kid's heart. Kids are kids. They don't know how these little actions can hurt someone over time. - Getting back on track - So this speech / presentation that I have to give...which route do I go? I want to show them tools that their kids are using. Teach them some of the cyber world. My problem? I'm not that swift in that world. I can travel it, leave my mark in it, but think and do as a kid? No. I guess to start off I am going to poll for opions and research. What tools are kids and teens using? Maybe show parents how to find out where to look on pages for content managing. We'll see.

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I have been in education since 1996 and never taught without technology!