We have complex resources at our fingertips. Educators must use these resources in innovative ways.
The issues to consider and/or obstacles to overcome are:
Teacher willingness to learn, change, and use it
Varying student access to it (poor kids will be most impacted by this shift)
The gap between the have and have nots must be noted
The learning curve for staff, while already having an intense, time-consuming job
Student safety and education around how to use tools at their fingertips
Teacher training on how to respond to the rapid info
From a behavioral standpoint, a lot of police and DHS involvement at our site has stemmed from technology. Suicide threats, death threats, etc. Something to think about.
Question:
Is our "off and away" policy doing 12-15 year olds a favor or a dis-service?
You've brought up a good point. Most "major" behavioral issues at my site also stem from social media. This is a new territory for educators...where do we draw the line with discipline when students post threatening comments about themselves and/or others? I've had to stand my point and explain to very upset parents that if posts have an impact on the educational setting, we as staff, my step in and deal with the disruption. I believe educating parents and students about social media use, outside of the school setting, can greatly impact a student's education at the school level. Again, increased incidents and lawsuits have brought this topic into view...educating those associated with the school system must be kept informed about social media postings and their impact upon daily life at school.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if the "off and away" idea, and potential alternatives is ever discussed in your building. If so, what are the general responses? If not, how is your tech policy generated and managed? Does it all fall to you as the Student Manager? What, if any, are the parent responses to your issue?
ReplyDeleteAmy
The availability of a forum for expression that internet platforms provide give us access to both the strengths and weaknesses of our students. As a dean of students at Liberty HS too much of my time was consumed exploring the misbehavior of students on Facebook. Where in the curriculum do we teach students the etiquette of the internet?
ReplyDelete