Internet Safety Assignment

The sources that I read/watched and used were:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/view/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLTj3WBmY1k&feature=related

http://www.diigo.com/bookmark/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.netfamilynews.org%2F%3Fp%3D29924?gname=teaching-with-technology

http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,538-1-4830-1,00.html

http://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,5302-1-2769-1,00.html

1. The most important things I learned from the readings is that we need to remember the difference between real life and cyber life. Another thing is that we need to be involved in our children's lives, because many parents had no idea what their children were doing online. Most importantly though is we need to watch ourselves and make sure we don't fall into a virtual life.

2. What I have read will help me understand that I must be involved in my children's life and that I need to make sure I monitor what they use the internet and their cell phones for.  As far as my future students I now know that I need to help them be aware of the dangers of technology and how fast things can travel online or via text.  Once something gets in another person's hands, it is free game to be spread to everyone and everyone.

3. With this information I have learned I am going to try and strengthen my relationships with my friends and families by texting people less and trying to have more personal and face to face conversations. I am also going to try and warn my family about the dangers of technology and remind them about what really matters.

4. I am fully aware of the dangers that children face with cyber bullying and sexual predators. To prevent these things from happening I need to warn children of the dangers and even give examples of what has happened to people because of cyber bullying.  Also, I will address the root of it all and encourage kindness and respect. But most importantly I will tell them how to protect themselves and avoid cyber bullying and sexual predators.

5. (see the links at the top of the post)

6. I think as a teacher in this day and age I need to be most careful about my facebook and keeping it private especially from my students.  Many things can get out of hand and misconstrued on facebook.  Also, I need to be careful not to hand out a personal phone number to my students. As a teacher if I do run into any trouble it is best to not keep the issue secret but to address it and clear the air as soon as possible.

7. I think the most important thing I can do to help my students use the internet but in a safe way to teach and prepare them how to protect themselves. I also think that they need to hear stories and hear the scary effects that can happen from using the internet in a dangerous way. I need to always be reminding my students of internet safety and how to appropriately use technology.

For the sharing part I talked with a teacher that I job shadowed earlier this semester (who has teenage/ pre-teen children and of course teaches teenagers).  I mostly shared with him the video that I watched about a girl who committed suicide after a nude picture of her was sent around the school and she was constantly harassed because of it. We had a great conversation about how to keep students safe, and how building a trusting relationship with them can allow them to come to you for problems, but also it allows you to have more of a positive influence on them. It was easy to talk to him about the relationships he has with his students and how he tries to truly get to know each of them individually.  When he knows them on a personal level then they trust him and he is able to give them advice about life that they will listen to.  With these strong relationships, it can be more effective to try and teach students how to be safe with sharing things through technology.