ICLT News
Attention: Year 4 Parents
Due to COVID restrictions, I am unable to hold an information evening about Bring Your Own Device 1:1 Program (BYOD) for Year 5, 2021. Instead, you will receive an information booklet Week 1, Term 4. If you have any questions prior to this time, you are welcome to send an email to info@spcdow.catholic.edu.au.
Thank you for understanding.
Social Media e-Safety
As a parent and an educator, this topic is near and dear to my heart. Every week that passes, the social media landscape changes and keeping up with the changes can be a nightmare. As parents, we need to keep up with the developments of technology. In today’s ever-changing society, I believe we can’t use the excuse “I don’t understand this stuff!”. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 I haven’t been able to hold any face-to-face parent workshops on site so I have compiled the following list of tips to remind you and your child on how to use their device appropriately when using social media.
- Teach your child about respect. Respecting themselves and respecting others when online. Give them the skills to make good decisions.
- It is extremely important to understand yourself and teach your child that whatever they post online is permanent (this includes texting!). Private doesn’t always mean private. A challenging concept for students to understand is that photos they post online are no longer owned by them but the social media platform they post it on e.g Instagram and they can do as they wish with that photo. My motto with my own children is 'If you wouldn’t show it to Grandma it shouldn’t be on your device.'
- Lead by example. Practice what you preach if you want them to navigate their digital life safely.
- Explain to your child that communicating verbally is completely different to communicating online. If you happen to say something verbally that you later regret, you can usually fix this over time. If you happen to post something online that you regret, that content may never disappear and you may never be able to fix it.
- Be present and aware of what your child is doing online. This includes the websites they might be looking up out of curiosity - we need to remember they are children. At school, we have a filter system that blocks inappropriate sites however this system doesn’t block content at home. Don’t allow your child to use their device/s in their room behind a closed door unless you regularly keep an eye on them. You have to find a balance between trusting your child and parenting.
- Review the privacy settings of each app. You’ll probably want to make sure they’re not sharing their current location. Don’t do this secretly, be open and have the conversion with your child. Remind them it’s about being safe while online.
- Make sure your child knows to come to you with a problem as soon as it occurs, so you can help them. Things can get out of hand quickly online, as pictures, texts and posts can go viral within minutes! Let them know that coming to you is the only option and that you will always listen to their concern.
It’s important to remember as parents we don’t need to be an expert about technology, but you should know how different social media networks operate, what content is on your child’s device and be a role model for your children on how to be respectful and responsible online.
These holidays I would like to challenge you to have a technology free day/days or even a week with your child. I encourage you to have an open discussion with your child about the apps they use, the privacy setting for each app, flick through their camera roll but ask them for their permission. If need be, together set some expectations around using their device/s. It’s important that we don’t have a negative tone towards the use of technology as it is an amazing educational resource but like with all things we need to learn how to use/operate these things appropriately and as a parent we are the best role model for our children.
Below are some websites I recommend you view;
Screen time tips https://www.esafety.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-06/EC-ESP-screen-time-tips-flyer_0.pdf
Parental control tips https://austparents.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/parental-controls.pdf
Filter systems for home https://www.commsalliance.com.au/Activities/ispi/fff
Best wishes for the coming holidays.
Andrea Martin
ICLT Middle Leader