Parent-Teacher-Community Communication
Parent-teacher, parent-child, teacher-community, teacher-student...we are all working to mold youth into active and responsible citizens but sometimes we don't work together. I know in high schools it's pretty uncommon for a regular classroom teacher to have an open dialogue with parents about a students behavior socializing online. We might discuss distractions (video games, videos) and overuse of technology during work periods or class instructions, but I'd say that is the extent of the conversation for the most part.
That being said, with new technologies, it's important that all of us work together to guide students towards safe practices. I think at a high school level, the best way to do this is through guidance, community initiatives and administration. For example, we have community members like York Services host parent information nights on things like: Being Digital Citizens, Bullying Prevention, Drugs and Alcohol and I have seen information posters up throughout our school. As a SERT, I'll email parents of the students on my caseload when I see these things come up and I think it might be useful, but that's me only reaching a handful of students. I'm not sure how this information reaches the rest of the parents, as I doubt the students are relaying the information. I don't think enough of these workshops are hosted and I think it'd be valuable to have more.
I think as high school teachers we are available for parents via email or phone and do a fairly good job of keeping them up-to-date with issues or concerns pertaining to their child's academics. I think if we want to bridge the teaching and work together to guide students to wise, ethical, safe behavior when working, learning and socializing online we need to have guidance or teacher designated groups who collaborate and using Twitter, Blogs, or Instagram accounts post valuable info-graphics, learning opportunities, articles etc. These teacher groups could have community members that they reach out to for support and ideas for what they can post. It might be something they update, occasionally - every few weeks or once a month. We could put these handles or links in the weekly bulletins that are sent out and on the course outlines so that parents might become more aware.
That being said, with new technologies, it's important that all of us work together to guide students towards safe practices. I think at a high school level, the best way to do this is through guidance, community initiatives and administration. For example, we have community members like York Services host parent information nights on things like: Being Digital Citizens, Bullying Prevention, Drugs and Alcohol and I have seen information posters up throughout our school. As a SERT, I'll email parents of the students on my caseload when I see these things come up and I think it might be useful, but that's me only reaching a handful of students. I'm not sure how this information reaches the rest of the parents, as I doubt the students are relaying the information. I don't think enough of these workshops are hosted and I think it'd be valuable to have more.
I think as high school teachers we are available for parents via email or phone and do a fairly good job of keeping them up-to-date with issues or concerns pertaining to their child's academics. I think if we want to bridge the teaching and work together to guide students to wise, ethical, safe behavior when working, learning and socializing online we need to have guidance or teacher designated groups who collaborate and using Twitter, Blogs, or Instagram accounts post valuable info-graphics, learning opportunities, articles etc. These teacher groups could have community members that they reach out to for support and ideas for what they can post. It might be something they update, occasionally - every few weeks or once a month. We could put these handles or links in the weekly bulletins that are sent out and on the course outlines so that parents might become more aware.
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