The students are so excited to get their hands on their laptops today. Be a part of their excitement tonight by asking them some questions that will connect you to what they did today. You will impress your kids with your super geek knowledge and you can get them to help you with your own tech issues:
Which web browser do you prefer (Safari or Firefox)?
Can you show me how to add a printer?
How long does your computer last before you have to plug in?
With all the new movies, videos, games and music coming out, it’s difficult for parents to keep up with all the new media out there. How are parents supposed to know what is appropriate for their child? Common Sense media, a non-profit company, has a new app and website for reviews on software, movies and more.
Check them out at graphite.org or check the iTunes store.
When I work with beginning teachers, there is a leap of faith moment, where I ask them to trust in the process, put in the work and then the magic happens – poof. But the real Wizard of Oz was not a lights and magic show. He really was a facilitator who used a little of what he had, but mostly tapped into the strengths of others to help them achieve their goals. The potential was already in the lion, the tin man, the scarecrow and Dorothy. The true magic of the wizard was in planning a strategy to help them to really believe in their own potential.
In the fall when we roll out our 1:1 laptops, it may seem like smoke and mirrors; magic encased in metal and glass. But all of us behind the curtain at Kula Waena are planning a strategy to tap into each child’s full potential. One way that starts is through the SAMR model. The short video tells you what it is, and just know that behind the curtain, our planning and implementing is framed with this model in mind.
E lauhoe mai na wa’a; i ke ka, i ka hoe; i ka hoe, i ke ka; pae aku i ka ‘aina.
Translation: Paddle together, bail, paddle; paddle, bail; paddle towards the land.
This parent tip sheet from Common Sense Media helps families with strategies for keeping their kids safe online. 100% of our kids are online via email and 72% have profiles on social networking sites (Harris Interactive, 2009). However, young teens sometimes act impulsively and that is natural for their development, but it could spell trouble when it is paired with the anonymity of the online world. Get informed, get proactive and find the original tip sheet here.
The family media agreement is a great way to discuss media expectations and establish guidelines for responsible device care using this family media agreement sample. This is the grade 6-8 contract, but find K-5 and 9-12 media agreements on this same link.
“The Bachelor/Bachelorette,” “Real Housewives of ____” “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”. . .the steady interest in reality television blurs the line between truth and fiction. Social media can provide that same skewed sense of reality for teens. Find out what you as a family can do to support your teen in developing and practicing media literacy skills as well as helping teens to analyze the gender issues they see on TV as well as to encourage them to not perpetuate harmful stereotypes. This particular article can be accessed here.
Digital TattoosWhat if Andy Warhol had it wrong, and instead of being famous for 15 minutes, we’re only anonymous for that long? In this short TED talk, Juan Enriquez looks at the surprisingly permanent effects of digital sharing on our personal privacy. He shares insight from the ancient Greeks to help us deal with our new “digital tattoos.”
http://youtu.be/Fu1C-oBdsMM
TED (technology, entertainment, design) is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Get access to thousands of TED talks by the most intriguing people around the world – all for free.
