Mrs. Metz

NewsFlash Content:

May 14, 2012 Trek for Tech is Friday, May 18th. If you would like to donate to our technology fund, please send your donations in with your student or drop them off at the office.  The cost of maintaining and upgrading technology in our school is immense.  We must have current technology to educate our students properly and get them ready for high school.  Currently we need to replace our servers and switches as they have passed the seven year mark. We also need to replace some of our Smartboard setups in the classroom.  This includes the Smartboard, projector and laptop in some cases.  Please support us in any way you can.  No donation is too small.  Thank you! March 16, 2012 The following article is from Common Sense Media: Digital Life: Our Kids' Connected Culture 5 Essential Facts of Digital Life
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Kids are the creators. It’s all about participating, communicating, making music, images, videos, and posting written content. And the content that’s there? Kids must be able to know if it’s credible or not.</LI><LI>
Everything happens in front of avast, invisible, and often anonymous audience.</LI><LI>
Once something is out there, it doesn’t go away.Everything leaves a digital footprint.</LI><LI>
Information cannot be controlled.Anything can be copied, changed, and shared instantly.</LI><LI>
Distance and anonymity separate actions and consequences.Kids think they can get away with unethical or unacceptable behavior because they don’t see immediate consequences.</LI></UL></DIV></DIV>
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<H4>Kids Use Media Differently.</H4></DIV>

We may think of our kids’ online, mobile, and technological activities as “digital life,” but to them, it’s just life. Their world is as much about creating media as it is about consuming it. Media devices have converged and become extremely powerful and portable. Phones aren't simply for phone calls but for listening to music, sending texts, filming videos, snapping and sharing photos, and accessing the Internet. Our kids use their computers, to do their homework, but they also use them to socialize, stream video, created movies and songs. And they can communicate or connect 24/7 from just about any location What’s at Stake?

We want our kids to make great decisions so they can take advantage of the powerful technology that fills their lives. But in order to make good choices, kids must know how the digital world works. The very nature of their constantly connected culture means kids must understand the concept of privacy so that what they post and create won't hurt them or embarrass them at some point down the line. The fact that much of digital communication can be anonymous means that consequences can be separated from actions which can lead to irresponsible or unrespectful behavior. Much of the task of childhood involves figuring out who you are. But in digital life, anything said or posted can live on indefinitely and create undesired reputations.
The stakes are high because our kids' technological abilities can eclipse their maturity and judgment. Unrestricted access to information and people can mean age-inappropriate contact and content or it can mean a wealth of information and experience. The difference between a great experience and an iffy one lies in the decisions kids make. Just as kids learn to swim, eat properly, or drive a car, they need to know how to live in the digital world responsibly and respectfully. Their ultimate success depends on their abilities to use digital media to create, collaborate, and communicate well with others. Those who really know how to use digital tools will be able to harness their awesome power.
  
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<H4>Advice for Parenting in a Digital World</H4></DIV>

Teach kids the skills they need to use technology wisely and well.It’s hard to gate-keep in a world with no fences. Parents have lost control of the flow of information to our kids who see too much, too soon. We no longer hear conversations or see what our kids create and share with others. Since we cannot cover their eyes, or shadow them everywhere, we need to teach them how to see and how to behave responsibly.
Help them self-reflect before they self-reveal.This doesn't come naturally to kids -- and certainly not in a world where anyone can be a rock star on YouTube.
Explain the essential facts of how the digital world works.They understand cut and paste. But wait until it happens to them!
Keep an open mind.We don’t see the world the way our kids do. We don’t help our kids when we judge their lives through the lens of a non-digital world. It’s important for us to understand that our kids will spend their lives in a connected world where everyone participates in communication and creation.
Don't be afraid.Parents can’t afford to be technophobic. Our kids adopt technologies faster than we do.That means they’re often way out in front of us. This fact upsets the parent/child relationship.So get in the game. Have your kids show you how to do something if you don't know.
Share wisdom.Kids don’t understand the implications of their actions. But we do. We have to remember to extend our basic parenting wisdom to the digital world. We teach kids to use their words, play nicely with others, respect their teachers – now we have to extend that to a vast, invisible world.
Pass along your values.One of the most important jobs of parenting is instilling in our kids the values we cherish. But in a world where actions are often divorced from consequences, where kids can be anonymous, and where they aren’t face-too-face with the people they communicate our kids can lose their way. As parents, we have to be able to translate our values into the digital world and help kids understand the implications of their actions.
Seek balance.It’s hard to know how much freedom to give our kids. We want them to explore, enjoy, communicate, and create. We also want to be sure they are protected or they know how to protect themselves. If our kids are going to thrive with digital media, we must balance the negative with the positive, privacy with protection. As our children grow, they need more independence and privacy. But parents have to be sure kids know how to be safe and responsible before letting them loose. Our kids need to see both the possibilities and the perils so they can act responsibly and seize all that is wondrous and have it enrich their lives as people and citizens."Digital Life: Our Kids Connected Culture."Common sense Media. Common Sense Media, 2012. Web.           16Mar. 2012. <A href="http://www.commonsensemedia.org/advice-for-parents/digital-life-our-kids-connected-culture">http://www.commonsensemedia.org/advice-for-parents/digital-life-our-kids-connected-culture</A>. 
 March 7, 2012 
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<DT class=profile-data>We are still collectilng the metal tabs that you pull off soda cans for Ronald McDonald House.  By recycling these tabs Ronald McDonald House is able to raise money to support families of sick children who are receiving medical care at Children's Hospital.  This is a wonderful organization and they need your support.  If you have tabs to donate but do not have a student in school, please drop your tabs off in the school office.  Thanks so much for supporting this wonderful cause! 
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<DT class=profile-data>Sept. 16, 2011 
<DT class=profile-data>Follow the link below for some tips on talking to your child about cyberbullying.  This site addresses different ages separately and has good information for parents.  Keep your child from being a cyberbully or from being a victim of cyberbullying. 
<DT class=profile-data><A href="http://www.commonsensemedia.org/cyberbullying?utm_source=cyberbullying_sa09.16.11&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=standup">http://www.commonsensemedia.org/cyberbullying?utm_source=cyberbullying_sa09.16.11&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=standup</A> 
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<DT class=profile-data>In an article titled Standing Up to Cyberbullying by <A title="View user profile." href="http://teacherweb.com/user/caroline-knorr" jQuery1302263556031="88">Caroline Knorr</A> on <A href="http://www.commonsensemedia.org">www.commonsensemedia.org</A>, the author offers some common sense tips for dealing with a cyberbully.  These tips are printed verbatim below. 
1. "Sign off the computer. It's best to ignore attacks and walk away from the cyberbully." 
2. "Don't respond or retaliate. If you're angry and reply, then you might say nasty things. Cyberbullies often just want to get a reaction out of you, so don't let them know that their plan has worked." 
3. Block the bully. If you get mean messages through IM or a social networking site, take the person off your buddy or friends list. You can also delete messages from bullies without reading them." 
4. "Save and print out bullying messages. If the harassment continues, save the evidence. This could be important proof to show parents or teachers if the bullying doesn't stop." 
5. "Talk to a friend. When someone makes you feel bad, sometimes it can help to talk the situation over with a friend." 
6."Tell a trusted adult. A trusted adult is someone you believe will listen and who has the skills, desire, and authority to help you. Telling someone who fits that descriptions what's going on isn't tattling -- it's standing up for yourself. And even if the bullying occurs at home, your school probably has rules against it." </DT></DL>
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<DT class=profile-data>Teach Your Child How to Deal with a Bully: 
<DT class=profile-data>Follow the link <A href="http://faithfirst.com/pdfs/TH-CatholicParenting-Bullying-R1.pdf">http://faithfirst.com/pdfs/TH-CatholicParenting-Bullying-R1.pdf</A> to the Faith First website to read this parent resource. 
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<DT class=profile-data>Michael Dermody, MEd. spoke to the parents and faculty about cyberbullying and Internet safety for students.  If you were unable to attend this very informative talk, visit Mr. Dermody's blog at <A href="http://www.smartsafe.blogspot.com/">http://www.smartsafe.blogspot.com/</A>. 
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