This past December, the 9th grade spent an afternoon in a special Advisory session discussing Social Networking and the type of “digital tattoo” they want to leave. As the Educational Technology Coordinator at NWS, I led the lesson in collaboration with the 9th grade teachers and Megan Reibel, our school counselor.
The large group of 100 students met in the Commons and listened to a panel of six Seniors (current and previous peer mentors) talk about their experiences online. The seniors answered questions that included:
- What do you know now about social networking that you wish you’d known in 9th Grade?
- What’s the best thing about having a digital life? What is the most challenging thing?
- How are you different online than you are face-to-face?
- How do you stay true to yourself online?
We heard honest stories of students sharing too much information, replying impulsively to posts, and forgetting that the person they were texting/posting could be hurt by their comments. The seniors also informed the group about the benefits provided from the amazing access to resources and being able to connect with people remotely and work collaboratively.
The seniors have varying levels of digital presences online—some avoid social networking sites entirely and others struggle to balance the time they spent online with time need to get school work done.
After the panel discussion, we opened it up to Q&A from the wider group. Among the pearls of wisdom were “don’t de-friend your Aunt… you’ll regret it!”, a cautionary tale answering a question from a 9th grader who felt overrun with friends.
We discussed some of the basics of Facebook friending and interacting:
- Make sure you actually know the person in real life before you become friends on Facebook
- Before you post something on Facebook or text it, imagine saying it to that person’s face
- What you post online is public, permanent and persistent – think before you click
We watched a short video about living in a connected culture.
We then watched and discussed a video about the hazards of sharing too much online—a case study of a college student whose photo (self-titled "Drunken Pirate") on MySpace led to the college delaying her graduation with a teaching degree.
Next, in their small advisory groups, the 9th graders created collages using magazines, scissors and glue, tasked with answering the question “What kind of a digital life did they want for themselves?” Some of these collages will be on display in the NWS library this month, so please come by and check them out. Advisors reported that this activity opened up the discussion for deeper conversations about the nuances of representation and technology.
Finally, we reconvened in the Commons to share some of the collages and watch a fun and informative video, Facebook Manners and You.
The goal of this Social Networking Advisory session was to begin a conversation with students about what their lives are like online, how to have a digital life that you are proud of, and how to learn from others as they navigate this changing landscape. It is a worthwhile and ongoing conversation that includes all of us.
If you are interested in accessing more resources on how to talk to your children and/or students about their digital lives, please check out the resources on my Teacher Page.
We anticipate holding a Parent Forum on Social Networking and Teens next year. Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions.
Comments
Post new comment