Internet Safety...
For teachers:
Virginia Department of Education - Internet Safety resources.
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Technology/OET/internet-safety-guidelines.shtml
NetSmartZ Workshop
http://www.netsmartz.org/educators.htm
For Parents:
On the Internet, we have instant access to all of the information in the world! It provides a “library without walls” for our students. In our schools and in our society, we are struggling to deal with the infinite amount of information available, both good and bad. At school, technology is a part of every student's day, but it is only used under strict guidance and supervision and with numerous safeguards in place.
As Fairfield’s Library Media Specialist, I teach students that the Internet is like the Big City. There are great places to go and fun things to do! There are libraries, and museums, and fabulous shopping. There are government agencies and nonprofit organizations and churches and schools. There are friends and famous people to visit, theaters, parks, zoos and playgrounds. There is also the Dark Side of the city... alleys, gangs, violence, crime, predators, and dangerous temptations. You should not turn your child loose on the Internet any more than you would let them wander alone in a Big City! But the Big City can be an exciting and wonderful place if we know how to stay safe.
Here are my recommendations based on personal experience as a parent, and as an educator:
1. Never allow a child to have unsupervised Internet access. Keep the computer in a central and visible location in your home. Unplug or disable the computer (hide the cable!) if your child is at home alone. Even the most disciplined child will succumb to such powerful temptation.
2. Monitor your child’s Internet activity closely. Help them choose websites that are appropriate for games or homework. Ask questions about what sites they visit and who they are talking to online. Request their passwords for any accounts they have online and regularly check on them. This is NOT an invasion of their privacy - it is your responsibility as your child’s chaperone in the Big City.
3. Talk to your child about NEVER revealing personal information to anyone online. Even just revealing the name of their school can enable a predator to find them.
4. Keep parent/child communication open. It is possible for inappropriate material to pop up unintentionally on your computer. Your child should feel comfortable and secure in telling you if they are disturbed by something or someone on the screen. It is important for children to know that it is not their fault and that it is important for them to tell an adult about it. We teach our students to simply turn off the monitor and tell someone immediately if they think something on the computer screen doesn’t look right. Your child may already have had this happen at home and may be too ashamed to mention it. Ask about it!
5. Report any incident of online bullying to the school. Online bullying is a new phenomenon - it is much easier for children to be mean and threatening to others in faceless online interactions, but it is just as destructive to your child. Be aware of any unexplained mood changes in your child that may be caused by interactions with others online. (See link below for an excellent list of Tips for Parents)
6. Learn how to check the “History” of websites that have been visited on your computer. It is possible for your child to catch on and delete the History, so also learn how to look at your Internet cache, or temporary internet files to see if any inappropriate activity is going on.
7. Learn their language! If your child uses Instant Messenger, be aware of secret messages and abbreviations that are used to hide behavior. For example, “POS” means “Parent Over Shoulder” and lets the person on the other end know not to say anything incriminating.
8. Limit computer time. More than an hour or two a day is excessive. Make your child read books or go outside and play.
The benefits of the Internet far outweigh the potential harm. It is an indispensable tool in education and in the home. Embrace this amazing technology, but use it wisely!
~Mrs. Hembree
NetSmartZ Workshop for parents & guardians: http://www.netsmartz.org/netparents.htm
| tipsforparentsrev11.pdf |