Technology Safety Tips

Keeping our children safe as they use more and more technology is a community endeavor that requires a joint effort of the families, the school, and most importantly the children themselves. Here at Caedmon we consider technology a tool that can be used to enhance a child’s learning and development. If used properly, these tools can be incredibly beneficial, but like all tools, improper use can lead to dangerous situations. This list of hopefully helpful hints was born out of a request by parents in attendance at the FACES discussion led by Dr. Holly Carter about kids and technology this past November. Many parents in attendance said that it would be helpful if the school could put together some tips for parents that reiterated Caedmon’s technology policies and gave parents some resources. Please remember that as this list has been created for parents of students of a wide age range, many of these tips might not yet be relevant to your family. However, the more prepared we are for the challenges soon to come, the better. Please do not hesitate to contact Mary Beth Vrazel or Nolan Crohn with any questions or concerns.

Set clear boundaries and discuss why those boundaries are in place. The world wide web is exactly that - world wide. Each website is a “place” that you need to know is safe before you allow your child to visit the same way that you would want to know all about where your child was spending his or her time in the non-virtual world.

Have an explicit discussion about never sharing personal information while surfing the web. Sitting safely at a computer at home - it is hard to imagine that there might be someone out there whom your child cannot see, able to find out whatever is on their computer - and these “some ones” could be people who do not know you or care about you. The following is a description of one of the ways Ms. Vrazel helps young children connect the virtual world with the “real world” that they live in.

Ms Vrazel uses Fairy Tales in library to help students make connections between the virtual and “real” world. The discussion begins with a discussion of why Fairy Tales are kept on the Non-Fiction shelves. The children learn how these stories were tools for parents to help keep their children safe and teach them how to behave in the world. Ms. Vrazel asks the students to think about why parents sometimes tell scary stories to their children. The two scary characters focused on in class are the “hairy man” (from Wiley and the Hairy Man) and “Baba Yaga” (from Vasalisa the Brave). The children typically realize that even though these characters were made up they served a very serious purpose. The stories illustrate that there is very real danger in the swamp and forest where the characters live and the parents need the children to stay away from those places for their own safety. Since our students are only beginning to have an understanding of what to be afraid of on the internet, these characters give them something to imagine as “the danger out there”. The children’s swamp or forest today is the technology, and “out there” lurking is the hairy man or Baba Yaga, so they must not venture forth without caution.

Remember that more and more devices such as video game consoles, cell phones, and iPods have internet access. The line between different forms of technologies is blurring and no longer can we view their use in isolation. In many ways, cell phones with web capabilities are potentially more dangerous than computers because they are extremely portable and can access the internet from anywhere with cell service.

Talk to your children about what they are doing on the computer and internet as well as with their cell phones. It is our responsibility to not only know what our children are using technology for but also to learn how to use it ourselves so we can best help our students make decisions that will keep them safe. Your own children are the best teachers of the technology they use that you could ever ask for. Don’t be intimidated by new technology. Just remember, if kids can learn how to use it so can you!

Discuss cyber-bullying. Calmly talk to your child about what cyber-bullying is and what to do if he or she is being bullied or knows someone who is being bullied. According to Caedmon’s handbook, cyber-bullying is characterized when the bullying occurs using a cell phone, internet, or other forms of technology. Some examples could include the sending of hurtful text messages or emails or posting hurtful pictures of someone else. See the section in the Family Handbook about behavioral expectations for more information.

Talk to your child about what to do if they are being cyber bullied or know someone who is being cyber bullied. As with all bullying we need to let our children know how important it is to talk to an adult if they are aware of any forms of bullying. Empowering ours students to speak out for others being bullied is as important as encouraging them to come forward if they are being bullied themselves. Cyber bullying is the danger associated with technology use your child is most likely to encounter. Visit the websites below for more information about cyber bullying.

Cyber Bullying Information for Adults Cyber Bullying Information for Kids

As often as possible, children should use a computer or the internet in the presence of an adult. There is no better way to keep our children safe using technology than direct supervision. In order to make this easier to do, Caedmon recommends that families keep computers located in a shared space such as a living room or kitchen. In school, the younger students may only use web sites that have first been introduced to them. Older students do use search engines under the direct supervision of a teacher. However, if students deliberately visit inappropriate sites or intentionally use improper search phrases they immediately lose all computer privileges.

Encourage the use of safe search options. Google allows users to “lock” their safe search option. Check out this video for directions how to turn on and lock safe search.

Although the ultimate decision is to be made at home, Caedmon strongly recommends against the use of Facebook and other social networks geared to teens and adults by our students. Social networks of this nature are not designed for children and therefore do not have the proper safeguards in place. Unless the social network is designed specifically for children it is simply not a safe place for your child to be. According to Facebook, the minimum age for membership is thirteen and Facebook in particular has a history of questionable privacy practices. Any information your child posts on Facebook is hard to protect. This includes personal information, pictures, and lots of other private information. We talk with the older students as well about how as they get older they need to be extremely careful about what they reveal about themselves online. Many teens and young adults have been suspended or expelled from school or fired from their jobs based purely on what they revealed about themselves online.

If your child does join a social network, as there are some that are specifically designed for children the ages we teach here, it is essential that an adult in the home joins the social network as well. This helps ensure that the adults in the household understand how to use the social network and can better monitor their child’s activities. Remember, it is the adults’ responsibility to learn and understand what their children are doing with technology.

Students should be reminded that the only “friends” they have on any social network should be people that they also know in person.

Children do need their privacy, but technology, including but not limited to computers, iPods, and cell phones should never be the medium for this privacy. The very nature of this technology is about connections and exposure and nothing anyone does using technology is truly private. Learn how to check your child’s web browsing history by clicking on the link and watching these videos. Check your child’s call log as well as sent and received text messages on his or her cell phone as well.

Familiarize yourself with the language your child uses to text or instant message. As your child gets older their messages will most likely get harder and harder to understand as they increasingly use abbreviations to make typing faster and make it harder for parents to know what they are talking about. Click on this link to Webopedia for an extensive list of common text and chat abbreviations. You will likely never come across many of these abbreviations but this could serve as a dictionary if you ever find yourself attempting to decipher a text or chat.

Use parental controls. Be aware that parental controls are not perfect and nothing is as secure as direct supervision. Children will be able to find tutorials about how to get around parental controls just as easily as you can find tutorials about how to set them up. However, parental controls are a useful tool as long as they are not relied upon to be a substitute for direct adult supervision. These links will take you to YouTube videos that provide a basic introduction to using parental controls.

Parental Controls: Mac Parental Controls : Windows 7
Parental Controls : Windows XP

Have a family discussion about manners and technology use. Remind your kids that if they wouldn't say it in person, they should not say it online. Also, talk about when it is an appropriate time to use your cell phone, computer, or iPod.

Visit http://www.commonsensemedia.org/ which provides helpful information to parents and kids of all ages.
Visit http:www.netsmartz.org/Parents another helpful website.
Use a search engine and do a search using a term such as “internet safety for kids”.
Visit Amazon.com and use a search term similar to the one above to find books and computer software available for purchase. Don’t forget to read the reviews provided by Amazon before making a purchase.

Ms. Vrazel and Mr. Crohn are always available to answer any questions, address any concerns, and of course to help the parents navigate this sometimes confusing and fast paced world of technology. Please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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