Week #3 Blog: Internet Safety in our Technology-Filled Classroom

I work in a Title One school in Alabama and our technology is limited, but it is growing. We have Mimio boards, laptops, computers, Elmos, and projectors in our room currently with hopes of getting more laptops for the students in the future. Our high school is in the process of becoming a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) school, but it is just in the beginning stage.

 

I love using technology in my classroom. I am always looking for new ways to use it in my classroom. I am always showing my students, in first grade, how to look up educational videos on APTPlus and National Geographic for kids. We love these websites; we use them in our science and social studies class all of the time. I show the students how to get to the websites by typing the web address in while the students spell the website for me. This helps them to remember the websites for themselves and it shows them where they need to type it in as well.

 

We use websites during math centers. We have several favorite websites: www.abcya.com; www.us.educationcity.com; and www.aaamath.com . The students know how to type in the website of their choice and log on to their individual games. I have the students type in the website every time to help them remember the website address, helps the students become more confident in their exploration of the Internet, and helps them with their technology terminology. We use websites in everything we do even spelling practice: www.spellingcity.com.

 

I use technology in my classroom everyday and this brings one major problem: Internet safety. I start telling my students and parents about Internet safety on day one in my classroom. I try to find current, up-to-date, information for the parents and for the students in print and online. I have computer rules in my classroom that each student must follow in order to continue to use the computer. I show videos to the students and we discuss Internet safety rules several weeks before anyone is allowed to use the computer and we continue to review the Internet safety rules throughout the year. Here is one of the videos I show in my classroom about Internet safety:

 

 

 

 

On Google Reader, I have been finding more information to add to what I already know and use in my classroom. I found 5 wonderful and easy steps to use in my classroom to help my students with Internet safety. I found a wonderful blog by Vicki Davis about Internet safety and I have adapted it for my classroom and I feel this is information every teacher should have, know, and share. I have attached the link to her blog: www.coolcatteacher.blogspot.com

This is the Internet safety link: http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2009/09/5-steps-to-online-safety.html

 

I use websites from the computer and my mimio board for assessments, instruction, practice, and reinforcement of skills, but as a first grade teacher my favorite technology is videos and games on the computer. I love websites where my children can listen, learn, and interact with valuable resources. Our favorite way to end a day of learning is to log on to the computer and access the website www.storylineonline.net which has actors and actresses read stories to us while we look at the pictures. As educators, we know this helps the students hear the correct pronunciation of the words and how fluently they should read, but the students think they are just listening to a great book.