Practicing good digital citizenship is an ongoing theme at
Blanchard. As students learn to use
digital technologies to communicate, collaborate, and complete school
assignments, they must also learn to use the Internet safely and appropriately.
Recent library lessons for grade 5 students have focused on learning
responsible uses of digital tools. We
have discussed safety, privacy, netiquette, and cyber bullying, including the
potential consequences of inappropriate online behavior. The students revealed
that they have a wide range of online experiences, and shared some very
thoughtful suggestions for how they can leave positive “digital footprints.” In December they will use an online tool to
produce comic strips demonstrating their understandings of digital citizenship,
which we will share with families and the rest of our school community.
While this lesson was designed for 5th grade
students, we continually discuss digital citizenship with all grade levels, and
encourage parents to do the same. Children with access to the Internet are
never too young for discussions about Internet usage, or too old to need adult supervision with online tools, and
frequent reminders of safe and appropriate behavior. Luckily there are some terrific online
resources for educators and parents. You
can check our Technology page on the school website (http://www.boxboroughschool.org/tech)
for some helpful information. One
excellent resource is Common Sense Media, which produced this video with tips
for dealing with cyber bullying: prevention.http://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/cyberbullying-prevention-tips-for-kids
If you have any specific questions or concerns about helping
children become good digital citizens, please don’t hesitate to contact
me. Thank you for your ongoing support.
