5 Internet Safety Rules to Share With Your Kids

July 29, 2013

 

cyber

Courtesy of Millionaire Hoy:

 

1. Never give out any personal information

The internet can be a very misleading place for a child. When they think of the internet, they think of games, funny video and pictures, and having a great time; not internet predators. Internet predators leverage the happy perception children have of the internet and come off as nice people in order to pry information from unsuspecting children. Let your children know that they should never share their real name, address, school, city, parent’s information, or any clues that can lead an identity thief or pedophile to your child.

2. Downloading is off limits without supervision

Downloading is one of the most popular activities on the internet, but it can be dangerous. Make sure your children understand that while downloading wanted files, they might be downloading unwanted things as well. Virus authors, identity thieves, and online con artists know that parents are hip to most of their tricks and are now targeting free children’s gaming sites, because they can easily fool children. Let your children know that they never allowed to download files unless you are there to monitor their downloading.

3. Strangers are still strangers even if they are online

As I stated earlier, children look at the internet in a very different way than adults and children make friends very easily. It’s likely that your children know not to talk to strangers in the real world, but online adults can pose as children. It may be hard for your children to understand this and they might not even be aware why an adult would want to pose as a child. Let your children know to be suspicious when making friends online and tell them to let you know any time they make a new friend.

4. Keep your passwords private

If your child makes a friend online, they might be led to do things that they wouldn’t do, if not for the sake of friendship. A child might feel that they are betraying their child if they don’t do what’s asked and online predators will take advantage of this situation. It’s important that your child never reveal their online passwords because online scammers can compromise their accounts and gain private information associated with the account.

5. Bring any suspicious or uncomfortable information to your parents

If your child encounters something online that makes them feel uncomfortable or someone that makes them feel pressured, it’s important that they know to bring it to your attention immediately. If your child is sent pictures in poor taste, contacted by someone that’s asking uncomfortable questions, see something disturbing online, or are linked to a strange website, they need to know to stop what they are doing immediately and let you know about the situation.

 

Click on the link to read Introducing the App that will Give Parents Nightmares

Click on the link to read Teachers Who Rely on Free Speech Shouldn’t be Teachers

Click on the link to read Bullying is Acceptable when it’s Directed to a Teacher

Click on the link to read Punish Bullies and Then Change Your Culture

Are Educators Being Conned by the i-Pad?

July 29, 2013

new age

There is no doubt that the i-Pad is a handy tool to have in the classroom.  But is it really essential? Essential to the point that if schools don’t supply them they are doing a disservice to their students?

It is my opinion that i-Pads are merely icing on the cake. Without a great teacher and a dynamic and engaging curriculum the i-Pad is just a costly tool with negligible impact. My fear of recent reports spruiking i-Pads in the classroom is that the education system may be being conned by a cleverly constructed marketing campaign and that teachers might make the i-Pad the focus of their lessons rather than a complimentary resource.

Remember the pressure on schools to fit every classroom with an interactive whiteboard? What did that ultimately do to student performance and their digital nous? Arguably not very much. Many teachers still struggle to use their SmartBoards effectively, with some using it for not much more than a big screen to play movies off.

There is no doubt that i-pads can be a valuable tool for teachers, but are schools and parents that can’t afford them doing a disservice to their children?

Children risk falling behind other pupils at school because of a ‘digital divide’ caused by parents having to invest in tablet computers.

The devices, such as iPads, are increasingly considered an essential part of education by headteachers.

But the cost – typically several hundred pounds – means parents already struggling with tight family budgets have to rent or buy them in monthly instalments.

Those that are unable to afford them at all face the problem of their children missing out on the benefits of technology.

Headteachers are keen on the devices as they believe they can save money on equipment such as books and are a convenient way of researching or storing work.

Earlier this month a survey revealed free education was a myth as parents typically spend tens of thousands of pounds putting their children through the state system.

This includes £130 on technology for every child each year – and the sum is likely to keep rising.

 

Click on the link to read The Best Phonics Apps for iPads

Click on the link to read Should Teachers be able to Text Students?

Click on the link to read 50 Ways To Use Skype In Your Classroom

Click on the link to read Top 10 Educational i-Pad Apps

Click on the link to read Top 10 Math Apps for Children

Click on the link to read The Pros and Cons of iPads in the Classroom

Women Teachers Lack Confidence in Teaching PE: Lord Coe

July 28, 2013

 

coe

 

Was Lord Coe being sexist or merely relating the findings of research? You be the judge:

Lord Coe was plunged into a sexism row last night after saying that most women teachers lack the confidence to take PE lessons in primary schools.

The former London 2012 chairman blamed their failings on training colleges that offer only six to ten hours of sports tuition over two years.

Although he was simply highlighting research carried out by a sports charity, his comments drew an angry backlash.

‘It is entirely unacceptable to be peddling such sexist nonsense,’ said Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers.

‘I’m sure Jessica Ennis and all those other female Olympians would be outraged by such views. To imply that female primary school teachers don’t have as much ability as men to teach sport isn’t right.’

But Lord Coe, the Government’s Olympic legacy ambassador, insisted it was not a question of ability, but one of training.

‘I was shocked by how little they get,’ he said.

‘Eight out of ten teachers in primary schools are women. And this is not remotely pejorative but I think that something like 80 per cent of them said they just did not feel confident taking physical education.

‘I am guessing that there will be a lot of men who will feel the same way.’

Lord Coe has long emphasised the ‘crucial’ need to provide better PE teaching in primary schools.

Click on the link to read my post, Do experienced teachers give enough back to the profession?
Click on the link to read, ‘Teachers Trained Very Well to Teach Very Poorly
Click on the link to read my post 25 Characteristics of a Successful Teacher

 

Nine-Year-Old Stands Up for His School (Video)

July 26, 2013

bow

 

Asean Johnson, take a bow!

In less than two minutes, nine-year-old Chicago Public School student Asean Johnson on Wednesday unloaded a heartfelt plea to save teachers while excoriating the Board of Education that signed off on last week’s massive budget cuts and teacher layoffs.

“One thing I don’t about this board is that you only give us two minutes to speak and you give these corporate businesses, what, an hour to speak?” the student said during his emotional speech (embedded above).

The Marcus Garvey Elementary student first roused school closing protesters during three days of rallies in May when he gave a blistering speech that decried the school closings as racist while imploring school officials to invest in and support schools rather than close them.

Johnson spoke during the public comments portion of the Board of Education’s monthly meeting, part of day-long protests by Teachers Union members, parents and students.

With tears sliding down his cheeks Johnson told the school board, “You are slashing our education. You’re pulling me down. You’re taking our educational opportunities away.”

Johnson called for parents and teachers to be in control of the board and for their voices to be heard. “Don’t let the bank control this board,” the 9-year-old pleaded. “You are saying this is all about the kids … I’m a student myself and I’m pleading and begging that you help these parents who are low-income. Give them what the need. Give them these schools.”

A tear fell from Johnson’s chin after the moderator asked him to wrap up his remarks. Before departing the podium, Johnson advised the board, “You need to go tell the mayor to just quit his job.”

 

 

Click on the link to read Inspiring Kids who Look After a Sick Parent

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My Teacher, the Pedophile

July 24, 2013

icky

Today, 25 years after my pedophile teacher abused my friends, he has finally been sentenced for his heinous crimes.

I was only 10 when I was first subjected to a teacher that would later be exposed as an evil pedophile. He taught me for 2 years, and I am relieved to say that I cannot recall being personally abused by him.

But my friends have been devastated by this man. One such victim, who has a daughter in my daughter’s class, has received ongoing therapy for assaults at the hand of this awful excuse of a human being.

Whilst I wasn’t old enough to know what a pedophile was and although I never liked the guy, I wasn’t aware he was abusing my friends until he fled the country in controversial circumstances. I do remember vividly him organising a party as a treat for us, purportedly due to our good behaviour. He arranged for the use of a classmates pool whilst the classmate’s parents were at work. We were so excited. Excursions tended to be of a boring, strictly educational nature. The thought of spending the morning swimming was so new and exciting for all of us.

I remember him getting in the pool with us and playing around in a jovial and almost immature fashion (very different from the type of teacher he was in the classroom). I also remember him instructing us to freely undress together and that we should embrace our naked bodies as it is natural.  To demonstrate he stripped off in front of us in a casual and carefree manner. For some reason I have never felt comfortable displaying my naked body in public and I was a bit bothered by my teacher’s open display of nudity. I remember thinking it was weird for a teacher to be acting in this way. I was one of two children who decided not to undress in front of him and opted for a private spot instead.

When his secret was exposed and he fled the country, I remember my parents reaction. They sat me down in the lounge room with concerned expressions on their faces. They asked me if this teacher had touched me in a certain way or acted towards me in an inappropriate or threatening manner. I answered then, as I do now, that I cannot recall any such treatment. Unfortunately, some of my friends were not so lucky.

The truth is, that we were raised to have total reverence for our teachers and see them as perfect. I fear that I would have let my teacher do as he wanted with me had he tried. I did not know what a pedophile was and in those days parents didn’t discuss personal space and molestation avoidance with their children.

Today my teacher received a minimum sentence of 18 months and, after time already served in custody, he is eligible for parole in just three months! Try breaking that news to his victims who have waited for justice all these years.

The threat of such instances has made it difficult to be a male primary teacher. The constant stories of male teachers who have abused their responsibilities and offended against their students is a reminder to parents to stay alert. It means that we have to be more careful than our female colleagues when it comes to interactions and must avoid being alone in the classroom with a student.

But this is a necessary safeguard. Just think of the poor victims.

Teacher Fired for Finding and then Extinguishing School Fire

July 23, 2013

fire

If you can be fired for saving young children by extinguishing a school fire you can be fired for anything:

A daycare teacher in Florida was fired last week because she, of all things, put a fire out at her school.

Michelle Hammack worked at Little Temples Childcare facility in Arlington, Florida. While her students were napping last week, she smelled something burning in the school. Naturally, she went to check on the problem.

“I just leaned over and peeked around and there was a fire in the oven,” Hammack said. “I ran in there and opened it to try to put it out, and the fire alarm started going off.”

Hammack rushed back to her classroom, woke up her sleeping students, and took them outside. All other teachers in the school followed suit. After Hammack did a head count of her students, she went back into the school to make sure the fire hadn’t spread.

“When I got to the third classroom by the kitchen, I could see that it was just a contained fire in the oven,” she told the local CBS News affiliate in Jacksonville.

Hammack then grabbed a fire extinguisher, opened the oven, and put the fire out. The fire department then came to the school, inspected the then-extinguished fire, and told staff and students that they could re-enter the school.

But instead of being applauded for her handling of the fire, Hammack was fired.

“I fired her only because she left her room,” owner Olga Rozhaov said. “Even though children are sleeping, the teachers are supposed to be there.”

Like any one of us in her situation would be, Hammack is mad about being fired.

“It probably would have progressed had it not been put out before that. I didn’t start the fire. I put it out.”

But Rozhaov is standing behind her decision to fire Hammack.

“It’s not acceptable, and if anybody else does the same thing, I will fire again. I will fire them. No question,” she said.

Fortunately for Hammack, The Department of Children and Families is investigating the situation. Unless something we’re not being told about happened, you’ve got to think, or at least hope, Hammack will be getting her job back.

 

Click on the link to read Teacher Strip Searches Students in a Bid to Catch them Cheating

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‘Harrowing’ YouTube Video of an 11-Year-old Escaped Child Bride

July 22, 2013

Thanks to this incredibly brave and independently-minded 11-year-old, we will have greater awareness of the abhorrent practice of forced engagements of minors:

A harrowing video has been posted on online of an 11-year-old Yemeni girl who claims she ran away to escape an arranged marriage.

Nada al-Ahdal says she was only saved from the forced engagement after her uncle intervened.

‘Go ahead and marry me off – I’ll kill myself,’ she warns in the video, dated July 8, and posted on YouTube.

‘Don’t they have any compassion?’ I’m better off dead. I’d rather die.’

She continues: ‘It’s not [the kids’] fault. I’m not the only one. It can happen to any child.’

‘Some children decided to throw themselves into the sea, they’re dead now. They have killed our dreams, they have killed everything inside us. There’s nothing left. There is no upbringing. This is criminal, this is simply criminal.’

In the video filmed in a car, she explains why she does not want to leave her family home saying: ‘I would have had no life, no education,’ she says in the video.

Click on the link to read The Call to Lower the Age of Consent in Order to Protect Pedophiles is a Disgrace

Click on the link to read Mother Forced Her 14-Year-Old Daughter to Inseminate Herself with Donated Sperm

Click on the link to read How Giving Your Children a Bath Can Get You on a Sex Offender Registry

Tips for Keeping Kids Engaged Over the Holidays

July 22, 2013

 

textas

Courtesy of thenewstribune.com:

1. Visit the library. Most libraries have summer programs in which kids can earn prizes for reading.

“Summer is a time when kids and teens can dig into things they’re interested in,” said Ellen Duffy, youth services coordinator for the Timberland Regional Library system. “Even more than helping kids gain and maintain reading skills, the library is about keeping the excitement about reading and learning and life alive and active. It’s about giving kids and teens opportunities to explore, to play, to make friends — to discover new characters and places in books.”

2. Encourage your kids to turn off the television, get outside and play with friends. If supervision is a concern, check with your local parks and recreation department for a playground program.

3. Keep healthful snacks around the house. Kids — especially those who are at risk of obesity — gain more weight during the summer, mostly due to snacking and lack of exercise. Registered dietitian and nutrition expert Keri Glassman has a wonderful list of healthful snacks for kids (including mini-pizzas and banana ice cream) at nutritiouslife.com/kids-zone/.

4. Give math meaning. There are plenty of ways kids can practice math around the house, from using fractions while cooking to tracking daily temperatures. For more everyday activities that reinforce math and other economic skills, go to familyeducation.com and click on “Stop Summer Brain Drain.”

5. Play board and card games. Many games encourage counting, strategy and problem-solving.

7. Create art. Keep those fine motor skills and creative juices in tune through art. Pick up a craft kit, consider signing your child up for an art class, or simply break out the sidewalk chalk on a sunny day.

8. Don’t forget communication skills. Suggest your child to keep a journal or write letters to loved ones. (Yes, the Postal Service is still operating, and using it might be a good way to sneak in a social studies lesson, too.)

 

Click on the link to read Seven Valuable Tips for Raising Your Child’s Self-Esteem

Click on the link to read Top Ten Compliments Your Children Need to Hear

Click on the link to read Tips For Parents of Kids Who “Hate School”

Click on the link to read 20 Reassuring Things Every Parent Should Hear

Click on the link to read Parents and Teachers Should Not Be Facebook Friends

Click on the link to read Introducing the App that will Give Parents Nightmares

Autistic Boy Gives an Inspiring Graduation Speech

July 20, 2013

 

 

As we leave here today I have a challenge for all of you. We are all different. Not less, just different. We all have things we’re good at, things we need to work on, and things we need help with. Whenever you see someone else who is different, instead of just judging them or being a bully, I challenge you to offer help and treat that person with the kindness you have shown me over the last six years. Remember, all of you can make a difference in someone’s life. You’ve already made a difference in mine.”

 

 

Click on the link to read my post on Girl Banned from Museum because Her Wheelchair May Dirty Their Carpet

Click on the link to read my post on Disabled Children: A Missed Opportunity for Us All

Click on the link to read my post on Meet the 14-Year-Old on his Way to Becoming a Nobel Prize Winner (Video)

Click on the link to read my post on Treatment of Autistic Children Says a Lot About Our Failing System

The Devastating Effects of Bullying (Video)

July 18, 2013

 

Comedian Michael Pritchard begins by entertaining a group of students before giving them a lesson on the effects of bullying they are never likely to forget.

 

Click on the link to read Tips for Parents of Bullied Children

Click on the link to read School Official’s Solution to Harassed Teen: Get a Breast Reduction

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Click on the link to read It’s Time to Change the Culture of the Classroom