Sixth Grade Parent Meeting

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Sixth Grade Parent Meeting

• Monday, October 27, 2008

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Looking Ahead

• Grades and Comments.
• Halloween Dress, 10/30.
• Final Tailgate, 10/31
• Science Share, Thursday, 11/6.
• Mid-quarter 2 ends, Friday, 11/14.
• Drop-in
• Turkey Train, Tuesday, 11/18.

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Technology Discussion

• Sixth Grade Parent Meeting

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Think about this

• 76 of parents don't have rules about what their
  kids can do on the computer
• 65 of parents believe that kids do things online
  that they wouldn't want their parents to know
  about

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Discussion Points

• Email
• Text Messaging
• Internet
• Social Networking Sites
• Mobile Phones
• YouTube
• Suggestions for Parents

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Email

• Free email accounts are available from dozens of
  providers online.
• Email is not private.
• Because of its impersonal nature, email can lead
  to problems when students send inappropriate
  messages.
• Know your childs username and password.
• Keep your usernames and passwords private.

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Online Bullying

• Bullying is defined as persistent unwelcome
  behavior and can include anything from teasing,
  deliberately ostracizing someone to assaults and
  abuse.
• The impersonal nature of email makes an ideal
  tool for bullying.
• What should children do who are bullied online?

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Internet

• Every computer has a distinguishing IP Address
• When you visit a website it is recorded in the
  history and with a cookie
• Spyware is software that covertly gathers user
  information through the user's Internet
  connection without his or her knowledge, usually
  for advertising purposes.
• You can check the history by selecting the
  history shortcut (looks like a sundial)
• You can check the cookies by opening the
  Documents and Settings folder located on the
  C drive of the My Computer icon

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Parental Computer Controls

• Schedule Internet access
• Block MySpace and other time wasters
• Stop inappropriate chat and child predators
• Receive email and mobile alerts
• Stop illegal file sharing
• Monitor where your children are going online

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Social Networking Sites

• Access to free webpage creators has never been
  more simple. People can put private information
  on personal webpages with little or no effort at
  sites like myspace.com and facebook.com
• To join, children must be at least 13, but they
  can easily lie about their age.

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• http//www.facebook.com/
• Facebook attracted 132.1 million unique visitors
  in June 2008
• It is currently the 5th most visited internet
  site in the world

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Features of Social Websites

• Profiles with personal information
• Friends and Networks
• Pictures and comments
• Walls
• Status

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(No Transcript)
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Private vs. Public
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Dangers of Social Networking Sites

• Private information made public
• Exposure to inappropriate language and behavior
• Online Bullying Exclusion
• Posting inappropriate images and content

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Mobile Phones

• Text messaging is a service that allows people to
  communicate via short messages
• Camera phones allow users to take pictures and
  video When used responsibly, these services can
  be positive and fun
• Negative uses

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YouTube

• YouTube is a video sharing website where users
  can upload, view and share video clips.
• Unregistered users can watch most videos on the
  site, while registered users are permitted to
  upload an unlimited number of videos.
• Some videos are available only to users of age 18
  or older (e.g. videos containing potentially
  offensive content). The uploading of pornography
  is not allowed.

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Tips for Parents

• Dont prohibit your child from using technology.
  Instead, help them become responsible users.
• Keep the computer in a central, common location.
• Take the time to understand the things your child
  is doing on the computer.
• Know your childs usernames and passwords.
• Make sure there is no inappropriate content or
  personal information (phone number, address,
  picture) on your childs profile or webpage.
• Cell phones with text messaging and picture
  taking capabilities may not be best for children
  this age.
• Discuss when online communication is best, and
  when it can lead to problems. Encourage
  face-to-face and phone conversations when
  warranted. Remind them that online conversations
  can be printed.
• Talk frankly with your child about your
  expectations, involve them in discussions that
  set restrictions like amount of time online and
  where they may visit.
• Let your child know that you will be checking
  their email and webpages and why you are doing
  it. Follow through and check regularly.
• Consider limiting the amount of time allowed on
  the computer/video games for your child.

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Last Child in the WoodsRichard Louv

• Alienation from the outdoors has negatively
  impacted physical fitness, long-term mental and
  spiritual health.
• Irony of the first environmentally educated
  generation without a connection to nature.
• Among other factors, time in front of the screen
  is a major contributor to this phenomenon