For Digital Citizenship Week (October 18-24), join other educators on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #HaveTheTalk. With 92 percent of teens going online daily and nearly three-quarters of kids age 0–8 using apps, having The Talk is an essential rite of passage.
Common Sense Media recommends 5 easy steps for having The Talk:
- Prepare yourself:Read up on issues like cyberbullying, digital footprints, online relationships, and more to better understand what your students are experiencing every day.
- Cover the basics: Take a class period (or more) to have your students engage in educational apps/sites and student-directed experiences through programs like Digital Passport (grades 3-5), Digital Compass (grades 6-8), and Digital Bytes (grades 9-12).
- Dive deeper: Scaffold students’ learning by having The Talk throughout all grade levels -- it’s never too early to start.
- Engage families: Distribute the Common sense one-pager, The Talk (in English or Spanish) to families so that they can reinforce learning at home.
- Encourage others: Share what you did with your students on Facebook or Twitter to encourage other educators to get involved. Use the hashtags #HaveTheTalk #DigCit to spread your impact.
This topic will also be a part of the Tech & Learning Live @ New York on October 24 conference. At this session, attendees can listen in, ask, and join a panel of educators as they discuss how they use social media to help your students become good digital citizens. Read more here.
