Chemical Reactions Film

Beyond Digital Workshop Reflection

As I sit here thinking about what this video about Kids Growing Up Online I think about my own children and my students. I feel that there is a lot of truth behind the fact that parents need to have the power and be the gatekeeper behind any computer their children are exposed to. In education, teachers need to be the gatekeepers. We need to protect children from propaganda they may be exposed to while at school and making sure they are exposed to appropriate content and sites. As it is important to be the gatekeeper, there has to be a BALANCE! A balance and not being overly obsessive/possessive towards your children being online. Being online for this generation is mainly used to keep in touch with friends and to express themselves in a way others may not see them. It's a comfortable space for them. It is soooo important to build trust and friendship with your children. Without that they can hide anything from you and others. Learning to listen to your child and taking the time to understand their world is critical to teaching your child about life as well as learning from them. They are going to be the leaders and must be given the opportunities to build and develop their 21st century technology skills as well as keep up with the social skills of person to person interactions.

If you are interested see the program called 'Kids Growing Up Online' www.pbs.org

Covalent and Ionic Bonding