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Elizabeth Auter, Elementary School Counselor at Minter

Padlet is so fun! I wish you got more than 3 free ones without a subscription. It's just a creative, engaging tool. I hope the district can provide full-access accounts for staff in the future.

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Elizabeth Auter, Elementary School Counselor at Minter

The cautionary skeptic in me LOVES this site, especially the Digital Well-Being Guidelines section that straight up says we need to be skeptical and protect developing brains. Technology can be so great, but the idea of kindergarteners having 1:1 access to ipads freaks me out. I cringe everytime I see an infant in their stroller playing with a smartphone because I know, based on what I've seen, that their use of the phone goes unchecked and is negatively impacting their development. I love how Humane Tech directly addresses how it's easy to use technology as a babysitter and how simple changes can be made to diversify and change the default.

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Elizabeth Auter, Elementary School Counselor at Minter

I've become addicted to my phone since the closure began. I really don't like it and I'm thinking of doing a phone cleanse where I take a whole week off with my phone turned off and hidden away somewhere by my husband. One of my first introductions to the concept of media's negative impact on sleep and relationships came from watching Screenagers, a documentary about phone addiction that many teenagers and their families encounter. It's super relevant and can be watching online through their website/youtube - check it out!

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Elizabeth Auter, Elementary School Counselor at Minter

Now more than ever this is such an important topic to talk about with kids. I did take one little issue with the article though, in the hate speech section, when it says "How can you tell if someone is trying to be funny or their words are intended to hurt?" This bothered me because it doesn't really matter if they were trying to be funny or not, a well-intended joke can cut deep. I teach my kids that we never know how our words will be received by others, even if we mean well; some topics we just need to steer clear of in relation to joking.

Anyways, last night I stumbled upon a Hulu documentary called Hate Thy Neighbor which is about a guy who "sees what can be learned about racism from meeting people around the world who dedicate their lives to hate." I plan on watching it soon to teach myself more about this topic.

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Elizabeth Auter, Elementary School Counselor at Minter.

This video got a big nod from me when it talked about how media balance is different for everybody because it's so true - 99% of the kids I work with engage in some sort of media consumption everyday, but the ways they go about it differ greatly. One commonality I have discovered as I've worked with kids of different ages from grades K - 5 is that they LOVE being read too. Anytime I whip out a story for a social skills lesson, it doesn't matter how hyper they are, they always zone right in! It's awesome and amazing. Chris Jardin at Purdy first introduced me to a book called Tek, a funny story about a cave boy who has a phone and a TV and what happens when he is forced to go outside when he would rather just play video games. I love this story because it teaches kids that they have choices and that taking a break and enjoying the natural world is just as awesome as the worlds on their screens.

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Elizabeth Auter, Elementary School Counselor at Minter.

This video is awesome. I actually discovered it a few months ago and included it in my weekly smore newsletter one week that was all about Digital Citizenship. As I was teaching myself more about digital citizenship, I came across this article that's actually written by Common Sense's senior parenting editor and media specialist. I find this article to be incredibly valuable, both as an educator who wants to foster responsible practices in my students and their families, but also as someone who will likely be embarking on the adventure of parenthood in a few years. I appreciate this article because it operates on the belief that kids are good and that trust and relationship will go farther than punishing kids for messing up on the internet. I love the idea of setting up guidelines with kids BEFORE they ever use the internet. As a counselor, the basis of everything I do honors the human relationship. Without a relationship with a student that involves trust and rapport, it doesn't matter how many awesome tools and strategies I have - relationship has to be there. Likewise, in order for kids to see the importance of digital responsibility, they'll have the greatest success learning about it with someone they know and have a good relationship with.

Side note, the narrator's voice for the Rings of Responsibility video reminded me of one of my favorite songs - take a listen!

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I really liked the pallet tool. I have personally learned about so many new technology durning the school closure. I don't know how everything will fit together yet, but Im happy to have another tool in my toolbox.

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I agree with Hannah, Im so excited that there is a group of tech insiders looking to see how our technology can be helpful instead of hurtful.

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I really love screen time limits with my teenager. She has learned to check herself and adjust her behavior. She knows that if her screen time remains higher than what we've agreed upon, I can adjust her phone so she cannot use her apps. I love that she can self regulate now. In fact, She will say to me Ive noticed your on your phone all day long. Should I look at your screen time? I think it's rude to be on your phone when there are actual people sitting with you. I try t enforces that.

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I think this an important and scary topic to address in school. It is true that some parents and kids feel there is an agenda behind being smart about your news sources. I think teaching students to recognize hate speech can help them separate the idea of opinions and truly harmful speech. I love the new sources for kids and teens. I also think teaching about "in group/out group" too be helpful with this.

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I think this a great video. Using eating is another great analogy. I agree with Stephanie that elementary students should be encouraged to be outside and move their bodies. Older students' need to be aware of how social media makes them feel. This is something I do as an adult.

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I love the concept of the rings of responsibility.  I think the video uses an excellent analogy to demonstrate how your actions effect others.  I think showing the video and having a discussion will start to make students think.   They can then look for ways one persons actions affected others in literature they read.   I think this is a lesson that needs to be repeated often through the students academic career. 

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I love the concept of the rings of responsibility.  I think the video uses an excellent analogy to demonstrate how your actions effect others.  I think showing the video and having a discussion will start to make students think.   They can then look for ways one persons actions affected others in literature they read.   I think this is a lesson that needs to be repeated often through the students academic career. 

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This was my first time using Padlet, and I do like how there is so much information all on one screen, but categorized for organization. I also am concerned about the lack of control over what a student might post. Second graders are usually pretty tame, but they have the potential to write some hurtful things without realizing the full implications of their actions.

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I found this PDF on the Center for Humane Technology site, and found it to be helpful in identifying many things that we can be doing as parents and teachers to help our students cope with managing their screen time and screen dependence. There's even a neat "Hobby Tool" that helps people select a new hobby to help them spend less times on their screen.

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I really try to stay off of my phone in front of my kids as much as possible, but I'm not always successful. As Kate said, it's so easy just to pull it out and look up what you need, whether it's what time a restaurant is opening up, or what the weather will be that weekend. My husband doesn't have social media, but that man will spend so much time scrolling through Offer Up just to see what people are selling. It frustrates my kids (and me) when we'd rather be doing something fun or productive. For him, it's just a way to relax, but he's tuned out to the rest of the family and that's something he doesn't realize.

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I'm with Stephanie here where I feel like I'm not sure just how much hate content my students are exposed to, but it's something they will eventually see, so what can I do now to help them make good decisions in the future. We teach social skills on a personal level, so I suppose if we build the students' capacity to stick up for others and to call out those who are being mean, maybe that will set them up to better handle the online situations.

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I've been having conversations with my son lately about keeping a healthy balance with screen-time. He's 8 and would live on a screen if he could. My kids have certain times of the day where they have free access to the tv, but they do not have free access to tablets or computers. I limit that screen time pretty strictly, and that has caused some frustration for both of my kids. I've also tried to help them recognize when what they're playing online causes feelings like anger and frustration, and try to help them understand that those are good times to take a break. I know I've personally felt physical effects from too much screen time and have to make myself turn it all off.

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This brief video would be a great introduction in teaching my students that their actions affect others.  The younger kids are usually still quite egocentric, and the Rings of Responsibility is a great way to illustrate that the choices they make have an impact on others.

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I started using "Padlet" during the school closure, and I think this is a great tool for peer learning! I would love to use it with my students as well.

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I agree, with this pandemic, that the way we use and see technology has changed. I see some new norms relating to technology are something I would like to keep doing even after the Covid time is over, like some zoom meetings or my husband' teleworking turned out very productive. But, also we need to assure that human cannot be replaced with technology. There are many things only in-person interactions can do in many areas, especially in education.

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I related to the article so much. I think in a way I may be addicted to technology. Constantly we need to use technology in our personal life, school, work because pcs, smartphones and other devices are essential nowaday to send/receive information, submit, research, and almost everything. We got great convinvice from these, but when I think about it, I need to have completely devices off time in my whole family. I think that will create more quality family time in a day and relaxation for us.

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The article made me think a lot. It is a difficult topic to define where we can draw a line between a hate speech and freedom of speech. But, I think it is very important to talk with students about it and thinks together on how we can express our own opinions and points of view respectively, also to discuss about the difference between cyberbullying and hate speech is etc.

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I personally loved the video. I watched it in the previous unit and thought this would be a good video to share with children. I like the concept of the healthy media choice. Media totally could affect someone's mentality positively or negatively. I want students to be able to identify and choose what they need, what they want in a healthy way.  This is a video I totally would like to share with my students. Also the fun music and clear visual message in the video will make it more accessible for my to understand the concept.

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I thought it was a great way for us to think of ripples and rings of responsibility this way, connecting to the digital world. This is a good reminder for adults how powerfully the Internet could affect someone's life, community and the world, but also this can be a great learning opportunity for students to think about influence and responsibility in the tech world. It's so important to give students a time and an opportunity to consider what a successful digital citizen is.

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John Green Digital Literacy Crash Course

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John Green Digital Literacy Crash Course

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Introduction to Crash Course Navigating Digital Information #1

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Very important area of digital citizenship. I think for older kids it's important to focus on how social media impacts our mood. I know I have to limit my twitter time because it makes me angry. I've given up FT and Instagram and only use Snapchat rarely and it doesn't affect my mood. In fact making funny pictures can be a stress reliever. But the feeling of having to "keep up" with everything that is going on can be frustrating and give people that FOMO feeling.

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Great resource I was not aware of, although I have used videos of TH explaining how social media hooks us. I will explore this further and share with teachers/students. There will come a day of reckoning with technology that I hope will temper our enthusiasm for and captivation with all things electronic.

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Donna Squires - DLI
Please keep sharing the great finds to help us fill our tool belts.

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Kelly Pruitt- Instructional Facilitator k-5 Literacy:
Mighty Girl always has great resources for teachers and families and they have a Responsible Technology Use book list.

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Responsible Technology Use - Life Skills - Parenting

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The world's largest collection of books, toys, and movies for parents, teachers, and others dedicated to raising smart, confident, and courageous girls.

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Kelly Pruitt- Instructional Facilitator k-5 Literacy:
I love this sentence from this organization: “How does that game/app make you feel?”

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Kelly Pruitt- Instructional Facilitator k-5 Literacy:
I just read this article and it gave me something to think about.

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My daughter is 16 and like all teens deals with social drama and ups and downs. I want her to have a cell phone for safety, but last year I began to realize that she was using it for much more than that. She was staying up late at night texting and on social media, and the beautiful daughter I know and love was, quite frankly, becoming awful to live with.

After investigating her hours of late night phone use (which for a technology challenged mom like myself was no easy task), my husband and I decided it was time for us to start putting her device in our room at bedtime. I honestly had no idea how much this decision would impact her. After she blew up in anger, she began sobbing and puddled on the floor. As I held her, I just listened. Listened to all the worries and fears of fitting in and keeping up, but there was something even more alarming keeping her up at night...My daughter had been counseling another teen late at night who was suicidal. Her huge heart had been on high alert. She HAD to stay up and be available at all times "in case" her friend needed her.

We were able to talk, really talk, (well, she talked and I held my breath hoping that it wouldn't stop). She shared all her social circle drama, the comments on social media she had to keep up with, the sleep overs and parties she saw that she knew she wasn't invited to, and most importantly how she was single handedly owning responsibility for her friend's life. My teen was relieved when we talked through how to break the silence and get her friend help, real help, and that it wasn't my daughter's responsibility to carry that burden, especially not alone. Together we came up with a plan to involve adults who can support her friend and break the silence over suicidal thoughts.

After the dust settled and we stuck to our new "no phone at bedtime" rule, I was amazed at the changes we saw. I could tell that my girl was so relieved! Much like setting limits with a curfew, she needed that structure from us to take the pressure off. Also, while initially it was an adjustment for all of us at bedtime to take the phone (not going to lie, some days were harder than others depending on what was going on socially), after awhile it became routine. She began to use our limits to protect herself too, telling peers her mom and dad were taking the phone (we gave her permission to blame us for any lame-ness). She got sleep, she was less irritable and I saw my beautiful girl come back.

Navigating this technology thing is not fun, for parents or our teens. But I will fight for our daughter's health, and am happy to report that this battle was worth it.

Allison, START Parent, Overland Park, KS

For more tips and tricks to keep your family tech-healthy, follow us on facebook and instagram.

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My husband and I decided it was time for her to start putting her device in our room at bedtime. I honestly had no idea how much this decision would impact her. After she blew up in anger, she began sobbing and puddled on the floor. As I held her, I just listened.

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Kelly Pruitt- Instructional Facilitator k-5 Literacy:
I think this article/lesson would fit nicely with this idea. Teaching kids to not only be kind to each other, but stand up for justice. I like that the article on the padlet lists actionable steps.

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Teaching kindness is a staple of elementary practice, but that isn’t the same as teaching justice.

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Kelly Pruitt- Instructional Facilitator k-5 Literacy:
I like the idea that a child can be in control of their media consumption, just like they can control if they eat sweets and potato chips.

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Kelly Pruitt- IF K-5 Literacy This reminds me of an interesting idea about the rings of grief. That's a connection, but not so applicable to this idea. I think this shows kids how their actions can impact others.

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When Susan had breast cancer, we heard a lot of lame remarks, but our favorite came from one of Susan's colleagues. She wanted, she needed, to visit Susan after the surgery, but Susan didn't feel like having visitors, and she said so. Her colleague's response? "This isn't just about you."

"It's not?" Susan wondered. "My breast cancer is not about me? It's about you?"

The same theme came up again when our friend Katie had a brain aneurysm. She was in intensive care for a long time and finally got out and into a step-down unit. She was no longer covered with tubes and lines and monitors, but she was still in rough shape. A friend came and saw her and then stepped into the hall with Katie's husband, Pat. "I wasn't prepared for this," she told him. "I don't know if I can handle it."

This woman loves Katie, and she said what she did because the sight of Katie in this condition moved her so deeply. But it was the wrong thing to say. And it was wrong in the same way Susan's colleague's remark was wrong.

Susan has since developed a simple technique to help people avoid this mistake. It works for all kinds of crises: medical, legal, financial, romantic, even existential. She calls it the Ring Theory.

Draw a circle. This is the center ring. In it, put the name of the person at the center of the current trauma. For Katie's aneurysm, that's Katie. Now draw a larger circle around the first one. In that ring put the name of the person next closest to the trauma. In the case of Katie's aneurysm, that was Katie's husband, Pat. Repeat the process as many times as you need to. In each larger ring put the next closest people. Parents and children before more distant relatives. Intimate friends in smaller rings, less intimate friends in larger ones. When you are done you have a Kvetching Order. One of Susan's patients found it useful to tape it to her refrigerator.

Here are the rules. The person in the center ring can say anything she wants to anyone, anywhere. She can kvetch and complain and whine and moan and curse the heavens and say, "Life is unfair" and "Why me?" That's the one payoff for being in the center ring.

Everyone else can say those things too, but only to people in larger rings.

When you are talking to a person in a ring smaller than yours, someone closer to the center of the crisis, the goal is to help. Listening is often more helpful than talking. But if you're going to open your mouth, ask yourself if what you are about to say is likely to provide comfort and support. If it isn't, don't say it. Don't, for example, give advice. People who are suffering from trauma don't need advice. They need comfort and support. So say, "I'm sorry" or "This must really be hard for you" or "Can I bring you a pot roast?" Don't say, "You should hear what happened to me" or "Here's what I would do if I were you." And don't say, "This is really bringing me down."

If you want to scream or cry or complain, if you want to tell someone how shocked you are or how icky you feel, or whine about how it reminds you of all the terrible things that have happened to you lately, that's fine. It's a perfectly normal response. Just do it to someone in a bigger ring.

Comfort IN, dump OUT.

There was nothing wrong with Katie's friend saying she was not prepared for how horrible Katie looked, or even that she didn't think she could handle it. The mistake was that she said those things to Pat. She dumped IN.

Complaining to someone in a smaller ring than yours doesn't do either of you any good. On the other hand, being supportive to her principal caregiver may be the best thing you can do for the patient.

Most of us know this. Almost nobody would complain to the patient about how rotten she looks. Almost no one would say that looking at her makes them think of the fragility of life and their own closeness to death. In other words, we know enough not to dump into the center ring. Ring Theory merely expands that intuition and makes it more concrete: Don't just avoid dumping into the center ring, avoid dumping into any ring smaller than your own.

Remember, you can say whatever you want if you just wait until you're talking to someone in a larger ring than yours.

And don't worry. You'll get your turn in the center ring. You can count on that.
Susan Silk is a clinical psychologist. Barry Goldman is an arbitrator and mediator and the author of "The Science of Settlement: Ideas for Negotiators."

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When Susan had breast cancer, we heard a lot of lame remarks, but our favorite came from one of Susan's colleagues. She wanted, she needed, to visit Susan after the surgery, but Susan didn't feel like having visitors, and she said so. Her colleague's response? "This isn't just about you."

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Stephanie McCarthy (EES, 4th)
I'm right with Kate and Chrissy's replies!!

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Stephanie McCarthy (EES, 4th)
...how this would play in the classroom. All 24 kids on at once? How to get them to read all the responses (or do they need to?). Actually, now that I think of it, we did an activity today where students were looking for examples of things in their independent reading books. I could have made the categories on Padlet and they could type their found sentences in as we all worked together!

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Stephanie McCarthy (EES, 4th)
Agreeing with Chris again! The amount of times I want to smack phones out of friends/family's hands when we are all spending time together. I push back hard against "kids these days" rhetoric - and this is one of the primary areas!

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Stephanie McCarthy (EES, 4th Gr)
Real Talk. This terrifies me. I'm a bit ostrich 'head buried in the sand' with this whole topic. I like to tell myself that kids won't encounter this at school because it's so limited what they have access too, so then I can pretend to ignore it. But the stuff they hear playing games online....yikes!!!

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Stephanie McCarthy - EES, 4th
I think as I talk to elementary kiddos about this, I'd talk about fresh air and play!  They live for PE and recess - clearly their bodies are craving more action!!

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Stephanie McCarthy (4th, EES)
I echo what Chris mentioned - cause and effect!  With how much we are expected to cover in elementary school, I am constantly looking for ways to integrate.  Cause and effect seems like a natural connection, and I wonder about children's literature that specifically could help students id their communities and connections to the world around them (Social Studies!).  Just off the top of my head, I think about the book "Extra Yarn", "The Forgiveness Garden", those books where a community is transformed by simple acts of kindness (SEL standards!).

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Chris Cuzzetto (GHHS)

I find the “Padlet” a great tool to use when it comes to having in-depth discussions on topics. It would be easy to integrate it into a social studies class. For example, you could have students research the effects of industrialization on America and have them input their responses to the various social science perspectives for each box (ex. political, economic, social, and cultural effects). After inputting their information to the boxes, the whole class could discuss and reflect on the findings.

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Chris Cuzzetto (GHHS)

In a sense, technology has had drastic consequences for us. Even though it is great when it comes to the access of information, accessibility, and efficiency, its impact on personal/positive human connections have been negative on the whole. This is especially prevalent in the younger generations. Instead of socializing/interacting with the people right in front of them, most of them would rather be on their device playing games, looking up memes, reading social media posts, and etc. Like the website states, we need to reverse human downgrading.

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Chris Cuzzetto (GHHS)

I found the article interesting in how it claims that parents/adults need to model better behavior when it comes to technology use. As adults, we tend to blame the youth for mismanagement of device use, but we can be no better at times as well. For this reason, it is important for adults to model appropriate device use in front our kids and students. This means that we should never be on our phones/technology for personal reasons (I usually keep my phone off during school hours). If we cannot model the appropriate behaviors, how do we expect our kids to do any better?

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Chris Cuzzetto (GHHS)

I found this article to be interesting and helpful take on hate speech on the internet. Many of our students are exposed to hate speech on various social media platforms everyday. To confront this problem, the author provides useful conversation starters and useful ways to manage hate speech. Some of the useful conversation starters I might use in my classroom include: How far does the right to free speech go?; What is hate speech?; What's the difference between hate speech and cyber bullying?. Also, I could easily incorporate this in my US History class when discussing Constitutional rights and liberties with the class.

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Chris Cuzzetto- GHHS- Resource Teacher

I believe it is a necessity that all students know how to self-monitor their device use. Balancing anything in life can be difficult, but it can be achieved. As technology becomes increasingly intertwined with daily life, it becomes even more important to teach students to know how to effectively manage their device use. I plan to incorporate this idea of media balance into my instruction. I want to make sure my students are cognizant of how their choice of media can have positive/negative effects on their lives depending on how/when they decide to use it.

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Chris Cuzzetto- GHHS- Resource Teacher

In reflection of the video, many of my students still do not realize how their digital footprints can negatively impact themselves and others. I believe it is important that we teach our students that their actions online carry over and impact much more than themselves. Many of them “live in a bubble” and cannot see how a single action can have rippling effects. When it comes to teaching students about the “Rings of Responsibility”, I believe the concept of “cause and effect” could be useful.

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I fully expected to be stressed out by this website, but instead I found myself feeling hopeful that there are tech people out there who really care and are meeting in positive ways. I also really loved the resources page and set right to making some changes to my devices (notifications, home screen, grayscale. Etc.). I am inspired by what these people are doing and want to get involved.

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I especially appreciate that this article addresses that tech addiction and overuse is NOT just a problem for tweens and teens. Adults have these same issues. Such a great reminder that we all play a role in this and that our children and students are watching our actions as well.

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Great “starting point” article and conversation starters. I do find sometimes that kids push back a little on these topics at this time in history. There seems to be an assumption that I am pushing some political agenda (by students and parents) when I address these very real and important topics in the classroom. It isn’t stopping me, but it does leave me feeling a little vulnerable these days. I really like the conversation starters (as a parent and teacher) and I especially liked the link with suggested news sites for teens.

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What I especially love about this is the use of food choices as an analogy for media choices. We all know there are some food choices that will not leave us feeling great, but are an occasional pleasure. Having kids connect to the fact that certain media choices don’t leave them feeling great is so important...it will allow them to make more informed choices and feel empowered - even when they still might choose to do the thing that doesn’t leave them feeling awesome. Knowing you have agency in your feelings is HUGE!

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Kopachuck 6-8 Humanities and Leadership

I read this article about a scenario from a “then and now” perspective - then meaning before social media and now meaning, well...now. I am attaching a link to the website I found it on. It is powerful and I think it connects to this ripple effect of what we do. So important for everyone (not just students) to realize the ramifications of their actions or sometimes their inactions.

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Middle School Misfortunes Then and Now, One Teacher's Take

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Let's imagine a seventh grader. He's a quiet kid, polite, with a few friends. Just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill twelve-year-old. We'll call him Brian. Brian's halfway through seventh grade and for the first time, he's starting to wonder where he falls in the social hierarchy at school.

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I really like padlet. It would be fun to post a variety of math questions and have students post responses to 2 out of 5. They would be able to view others thought processes and their own.

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I agree with other comments concerning the difficulty of reading this information and recognizing the truth of the information.  I also read recently, (Sorry, I looked and could not find the source.) when online advertisers write their ads they have a target time for consumers to view the add. Therefore, there are algorithms in social media to unknowingly direct the consumer to an ad for an allotted time.
Also noting the high percentage of children who said their parents were addicted to their phones was alarming. Alarming but true. I am guilty. As educators it is important for us to instruct in good and bad choices.

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I found the thought of looking at the responsibility of tech companies interesting. Can/should they be held accountable? Also thought provoking was the idea that tech companies main goal is to be profitable and when they have vast engagement they are more profitable. Interesting to think of the large social companies and ponder their ethics. If I as an adult am somewhat confused by this, what must teens think?

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Madeline Summers - GHHS - 10 and 12 - Social Studies

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Madeline Summers - GHHS - 10 and 12 - Social Studies

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I think one fo the more important things I got from this article we idea that its not just all on the students but the parents who also need to be aware and help teach their students appropriate use of technology. Often a lot of pressure gets put on teachers and students but parents also have a role to play in how they model appropriate technology use and behavior and its hard. Technology is so convenient and easy to use and applies to so much of our everyday lives.

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Madeline Summers - GHHS 10 and 12 - Social Studies

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Madeline Summers - GHHS 10 and 12 - Social Studies

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Balance is an important concept not just for media but for life. I think its hard for students to to really realize just how much time they spend on technology. I would like to incorporate this into my classes at the beginning of the year and have students think about their technology use and then be able to reflect back and see how their use impacts their lives later int he year. I think self reflection is critical when we talk about balance. If students aren't aware they wont be able to find balance that works best for them.

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Madeline Summers - GHHS - 10th and 12th  - Social Studies

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Madeline Summers - GHHS - 10th and 12th  - Social Studies

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I find this article really applicable. I can see using this in my AP GOV class when we talk about the media and its role on political socialization and polarization. I think its hard for some students to understand the role that media plays int heir lives because it is so second nature that its hard to reflect on how common place and the impact it has on your life as a result of it being so prevalent on their lives.

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Madeline Summers - GHHS - 10 and 12th Social Studies.

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Madeline Summers - GHHS - 10 and 12th Social Studies.

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I really like this article and some of the conversation starters it includes. I do something with this when i discuss the holocaust and hate speech. I would like to expand on it though and be able to incorporate more information and starts to get students thinking. I think it is a great way to apply the past to the present which is something I am always  trying to do.

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Madeline Summers - GHHS - 10th and 12th Social Studies
I like the idea of how our actions have a ripple effect. That is an idea we look at in social studies when we look at cause and effect. I think its on important concept for students to learn and be able to apply to their own actions. I also like the idea of how those rings can then ripple out into rings that apply to ourselves, our families and communities and lastly the world its self. This is also an important concept for students to understand.

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I like the term balance. I think the image a a see-saw with media choices on one side and other choices on the other could be interesting. Also, asking students if they ate only Cheerios everyday for a week how would they feel about Cheerios at the end of the week. This could lead to a discussion about what we put into our minds constantly makes us feel.

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I don't think any of us truly realizes how our actions effect others. I especially think middle schoolers cannot see this. I thought the image in this article was interesting. I think using something like this in the classroom could help students see how their words are permanently written on others lives. The author talks about that they doubt the people who said things to her remember her. We could also ask our students the questions of how they want to be remembered.

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"I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done, of everything done-to-me. I am everyone everything whose being-in-the-world affected was affected by mine. I am anything that happens after I've gone which would not have happened if I had not come. " - Salman Rushdie

Mindfulness is a term that has been in popular circulation recently. It seems to be the latest trend in how to live in addition to yoga, kale, and spin classes. Mindfulness is a state of being in which a person is fully aware and conscious of the present moment; it is a way to fully enjoy every moment that life has to offer. However, the most important aspect of life one should be mindful of is his or her actions because every single action we make has an effect on someone else's life, whether we are aware of it or not.

Growing up, I was a very quiet individual who often listened and watched others, taking in the scenery around me, as opposed to outwardly contributing--that was how I survived. I was bullied at a young age for being different, for being quiet, and for always being in the out-group. After a great deal of time being constantly insulted, harassed, and teased, every little action hurt. I was like a wounded animal who went through life with a limp, further injured even by a gentle rain. It took many years for me to fully heal and become the well-adjusted person I am today, but I can say from experience that people need to be more aware of how they treat others.

I'm one hundred percent positive that the people who hurt me may not even remember my name, and surely do not recall anything they did that has had a lasting impact on my life. However, I remember their names and images of what they did are still ingrained in my memory, which makes me wonder if I have had the same effect on another person that I am unaware of.

To a person who has been bullied, actions build up like a snowball effect. One small comment may be the catalyst that sends the snowball rolling down a hill, but as time goes on, more comments and actions build up that cause the snowball to grow in size and stature until it becomes an unbearable weight on the victim's back. Every action we make can have a positive or negative effect on the snowball. Even the smallest comment or gesture could cause it to spiral out of control, sending the victim into dangerous territory. A person does not just decide to commit suicide overnight; it takes time for the negative pressure to build up until death begins to seem like a better option than facing another day on Earth where the snowball can only get bigger and add more weight to everyday life.

A comment you make or an action you do could be the first level of the snowball, or it could be the final step until a person cannot bear life for one more moment. No one knows exactly what another person is going through, so that is why we need to treat every single human being with kindness. I know what it is like to feel as if the entire world is your enemy simply because of the actions of a few, so that is why I decided to be the person who can prove to someone that life is worth living because there still is kindness in a world that can seem so cruel. I try to live my life without hate, making the feelings of others a priority because I never know when my actions could change a life, positively or negatively.

Every single action I make has a consequence, like a ripple in a pond that may directly or indirectly hurt or heal someone. After my experience of being hurt, I chose to heal and then continue to be a person who heals others. Of course, I am by no means perfect, but I strive to be a healer through my everyday speech and actions. A small act of kindness, like a smile or a note of encouragement, could make all the difference in a person's life. Be mindful of every moment and mindful of every action because even if you are indifferent in a situation, that has an effect on a person.

As the famous quote goes, "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor." -Desmond Tutu. Therefore, even an action as simple as doing nothing has an impact because everyone who stands idly by and watches a bully taunt his or her victim allows the victim to be further damaged and is at fault just as much as the bully.

Imagine if you knew the consequence of every single action. Imagine if you knew that when you ignored a girl in the hallway, that was the final layer of snow added to her snowball. Imagine if you knew that your encouraging note to an acquaintance was just what he needed to help him survive the day. Imagine if every word you spoke to a person was printed across his or her body. Maybe then we would consider our actions twice before making them.

However, we are insufferably unaware of what will stem from each choice we make, so the best we can do is to try to consider other people's perspectives before making any decision, and ponder how we would feel in each situation. Live life mindfully while making decisions meticulously and treating others with unprecedented kindness. According to a formula that includes life expectancy, meeting an average of three people per day, and more, the average person is predicted to interact with 80,000 people over the course of a lifetime. That gives you 80,000 lives to impact, and only you can choose to hurt or heal those lives.

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Mindfulness: Being Fully Aware of How Your Actions Affect Others

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"I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done, of everything done-to-me. I am everyone everything whose being-in-the-world affected was affected by mine. I am anything that happens after I've gone which would not have happened if I had not come.

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Oh my, this group spells out exactly what we know deep down as Chrissy stated. The videos and resources on their website will be a great resource for helping our students become more aware of the habits of mind that technology have created that aren't necessarily the most human being and community centered practices. I so hope that having this conversation in the classroom will bring awareness to many children who have likely never thought of technology bringing down certain aspects of our human culture. We always celebrate the computer in my class, as a tool, to help us be more productive- but I think it will be important to formally address this side of things as well!

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I too enjoyed using the padlet as well! I do have a concern about previewing posts- is it possible to moderate discussions? I held an unmoderated post many years ago that backfired. I was planning a busy evening and thought I had developed enough trust with students to allow posts without my approval. However, of course someone posted some obnoxious and sketchy comments about my anatomy. I reported it to the principal, but have preferred face to face discussions since then.

I really like that various subtopics can be posted and responded to, all within a similar topic.

I see myself using this for sure!

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Oh wow, it is so hard to read the hard facts about family dynamics and where things have gotten today- for so many of us and our families. I remember in the 80's growing up my mom always made a big deal of not watching TV at dinner, no TV in our bedrooms etc. Surprisingly in her retirement, she is always on TV at dinner and has a TV waiting to be installed in her bedroom! I carry the torch for unplugging in my family. Sometimes it reluctantly turning off cartoons or football during dinner, and other times my 4 year old points out that we are the only people in a waiting room not on our cell phones.

In my classroom, my students sometimes get frustrated when I ask them to tip down their screens to participate in a discussion, or to listen to verbal instructions. I had one young man TEAR me apart for this practice, not letting him have enough work time. He was the kind of kid who had to work very hard for his C, and his year-long Maniken (lab) partner wasn't much help. This is a sentiment that I have heard other students share about the pace of the PLTW classes and the computer work they have to do. They want to keep working productively... the class moves on. Although I understand this to be an issue in with the formate of public school, or maybe just my class. Is it a focus and multitasking issue? I try to help them understand that they will need to learn to multitask, but I like thinking of it as a balance and protecting face to face relationships in the classroom as well. I look forward to making this connection with the practice of "tipping down screens."  I also plan to be more sensitive of this sentiment, since these are the kids I'm teaching, and as them become more ingrained in their screens, I have to roll with the punches to stay on their level.

Of course at home, everyone knows full well what is going to happen at dinner when screens are turned off... we will talk about our days!

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I was also attracted to the conversation starters in this article- both for my own child and kids in my classes. I want to use discussion circles more for citizenship issues as opposed to scientific ideas and science ethics. I have realized that if I don't guide my kiddos, someone else will!

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How is it ok that teenagers spend over 9 hours a day on screens? Being summer, we are watching, streaming, surfing, and working less online in our household- overall. I have a preschooler who is allowed up to 2 hours a day max including books, games, and shows. However, my screen time report often surpasses this daily  limit. My husband- now that football is back on- will surpass both of us. I keep asking myself how do we go from 2 hours as a preschooler to 4-9 hours as teenagers in the course of a few years and this is ok for us as a society? When did this become ok? The full report https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/research/census_researchreport.pdf

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There are two things that watching this video gets me thinking about, first that our communities are a lot larger now that we are all connected via the internet, and that the ripple effect is now more powerful than ever in the digital age. A community at one time existed because people walked, then rode animals, wagons, then Model T's to a community meeting place (such as a location to obtain food, water, or materials for shelter). This action took a considerable amount of effort, and the purpose was to obtain necessities such as food, water, and shelter. Now, we click, click and are part of a community. Easy. Done. The purpose is now much more thought based, and doesn't necessary relate to basic human needs. Also, now, when we post online, anyone can read it, like it, and be part of our community- wether their intentions are for good or bad. We now have much less influence on how/where our thoughts and actions end up through these new far-reaching communities.

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I am always nervous when I include tools that have free and paid versions because I never want to imply that a teachers should spend their own money to purchase a tool.  At this time the district does not have a subscription to Padlet.

I am using the free version for this and have had to be very thoughtful about when and where I will use my allotment of Padlets.  This is not entirely bad.  I makes me think very carefully and consider the use of the tool over just convenience.
This article give you a list of similar tools that are 'free'. Remember, nothing is free...you are most likely 'selling' information about your habits for companies to review and design products around.

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For the last 24 hours the Twittersphere has been buzzing about the recent changes to Padlet. While none of the following tools have as many features as Padlet, they all provide the core element of a digital wall to which you apply digital sticky notes. Here are five alternatives to Padlet. These are in the order in which I prefer them right now.

Lino
Lino, sometime referred to as Lino.It, provides digital walls or corkboards to which you can add sticky notes that contain text, images, videos, or document attachments. Notes containing video links will play the video within your Lino wall. Images can be uploaded to your notes. And you can attach document files to your notes for other people to view. Like Padlet, Lino lets you change the background color scheme for your walls.

The best feature of Lino is the option to create private groups. You can invite people to join your group via email. Once they have joined you can create private Lino walls to which all members can make contributions.

Wakelet
Wakelet is the newest entry into this market. It offers a clean and easy-to-use user interface. On Wakelet you can create what they call collections. A collection is a set notes that you create. Your notes can include text, videos, links, and pictures. The options for adding pictures are linking to an online image, uploading an image, or using Wakelet's Unsplash integration. Like Lino, Wakelet requires you to email invitations to your potential collaborators.

Dotstorming
Dotstorming was built for people to share ideas in the form of digital sticky notes and then vote for their favorite ideas. It works well for that purpose. Students do not need to have email addresses in order to vote on notes posted on Dotstorming. A free account allows you to have three topic boards at a time. The paid account ($5/month) gives you unlimited access. There is also a school-wide pricing plan. Watch my video embedded below to learn how to use Dotstorming.

Scrumblr
Scrumblr is a site that provides an online space to create and share sticky notes with a group. Scrumblr can be used by anyone to quickly create an online space for sharing stickies. To get started just enter a name for your space. The name you choose will be a part of the URL for your sticky note space. To add notes just click the "+" symbol in the bottom left corner of the screen. Double click to edit your existing notes.

Pinside
Pinside is a free online sticky note service. Pinside can be used to create boards of notes for yourself or boards to share with others. You can create a mix of private and shared notes within one account. Sticky notes on shared Pinside boards are designed for creating to-do lists. As each item on the the notes is completed you and or your collaborators can delete completed items.

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For the last 24 hours the Twittersphere has been buzzing about the recent changes to Padlet. While none of the following tools have as many features as Padlet, they all provide the core element of a digital wall to which you apply digital sticky notes. Here are five alternatives to Padlet.

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EEEEEEK!!!!  Why is it so surprising when we actually read what we really somewhere deep down already know???  Our country and world is so driven by the mighty dollar that people don't feel bad about doing their job at any cost.  Our consciences are put aside for what we believe is the good of ourselves...How do we help to shift this attitude?

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I can completely relate to this article and yet somehow be surprised at the same time!  Cell phones are so convenient in that they do everything for us...Look up whatever we want and if we dont want to type we can just ask with our voices...My husband and I are consistently looking around at restaurants, sporting events, concerts, pretty much anywhere and you can see many parties that are completely disconnected with those they are with and all of their attention is on their phone...with someone else undoubtedly!  We try to make a point of it to our kids, but I feel like more and more, they see it as less and less of a problem.  I think we hide behind "it's the world we live in now" too much.  We need to ask ourselves if that's what we want for our own little world/our family/our life relationships?

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This is exactly true!  Media balance is different for everyone...I try to explain this to my kids all the time, my high school students need to be plugged in more than my elementary student because it's required for every assignment they turn in...balance is not only according to age but many other factors play in.  For example, my husband rarely needs to be on because his field of work doesn't require it, whereas for me, I need to be on more, looking not only for ways to keep myself educated, but also to find great things for my students.

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I like that this makes you get real about it-let's face it, no matter how hard you try to avoid it, our kids are going to be exposed to hate speech online, it's not an "if" they are exposed, it's real about what to do in preparing them for real actions to take "when" exposed.

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I agree that the mention of media balance can be different for everyone is very true. I am having to address that because my high school students need to be plugged in more than my elementary student. I need to be on more than my husband as well, because my job requirements are different than his. Media balance clearly needs to be adjusted not only for age and necessity.

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I like this analogy.  I think it is a great way to show the ripple/ring effect...How has one thing that seemed like it was so small or no big deal affected others?  Or how does something small (good or bad) when done by one become huge if done by everyone 1 time?

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Kate Bossenbroek - HRMS - 6th/7th Science
The idea that upgrading technology is downgrading humans is terrifying. What incentives are out there for companies to switch their design process from "hooking" the attention of users to being more focused on supporting "user intentions and values"? Money drives these businesses, so how can we (as users and teachers) help this shift (aside from joining the cause of this one non-profit)?

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Kate Bossenbroek - HRMS - 6th/7th Science
My wild card is the awesomeness of this padlet! Being that I am rolling out Schoology this year instead of a website, I think padlet is an awesome way to share information and encourage engagement within Schoology. Thanks for sharing it!
After signing up for a free account, I see you can only have 3 padlets. Is that sufficient or would it be more worthwhile to do the paid account?

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Kate Bossenbroek - HRMS - 6th/7th Science
"Thirty-eight percent of teens feel their parent is addicted to their mobile device, a 10-point increase since 2016." Yikes! I definitely believe my own children would say that we (husband and I) are addicted to our mobile device. The issue with cell phones (and part of the joy, too) is that they are not only tools for communication, but also mini-computers. I am guilty of researching EVERYTHING. This means I am on my phone often, if only for a quick 2 minute Google search. I like that the article gives links to other articles that provide ideas for fighting this battle and protecting sleep, attention, and relationships.

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Kate Bossenbroek - HRMS - 6th/7th Science
Several things jumped out to me with this article. I liked that they have discussion starters (for families, but we could easily implement these in schools, with some care) but they also provide some practical actions for kids (and us) to apply when encountering hate speech online.

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Kate Bossenbroek - HRMS - 6th/7th Science
What a good discussion starter! I did like the fact that they mentioned how media balance can be different for different people. It all depends on how the usage makes you feel. I am definitely much more sensitive to things than my husband, so our media balance would look different. I think this is an important concept to discuss as middle schoolers often forget that we are not all identical, deserving identical treatment, etc.

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Kate Bossenbroek - HRMS - 6th/7th Science
This is an interesting concept and way to visualize the fact that our actions do affect others (or effect...I can never tell). The video would be a good platform to introduce the idea of rings of responsibility - we could then have some discussion and reflection on how our actions have affected others both in real life and online.

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What do you do when your kids mess up? Do you tell them to give up and forget about accomplishing anything? Compared with Of course not. Failure breeds success; every parent knows that. When it comes to managing devices and limiting screen time, we parents need to take our own advice. According to Common Sense Media's latest research, a similar study conducted in 2016, parents say they spend too much time on their devices, are more distracted, and don't always model healthy digital habits. But if we embrace the kind of learn-from-your-mistakes attitude we try to instill in our kids, we can do a lot better. The New Normal: Parent, Teens, Screens, and Sleep in the United States, we're slipping. The study polled 1,000 parents and teens to determine the impact of devices on family time, relationships, and sleep.

If we were only hurting ourselves, it wouldn't matter so much. But The New Normal shows that our kids may be following our example, especially in key areas that affect health and relationships, such as using devices before (and during) bedtime and allowing them to distract us from really connecting. And we know it's bad for us: The number of parents who say they spend too much time on their mobile devices has increased by 23 points since 2016. Even worse, our kids think we're addicted! Thirty-eight percent of teens feel their parent is addicted to their mobile device, a 10-point increase since 2016.

Now for some good news. A lot of this device use happened during a time of unchecked technology expansion, where almost every kid under 8 in the United States has access to a mobile device and 89% of teens have their own smartphone. But we're entering a new era of pushback against companies whose business models are built on what industry critics call "the attention economy." Here are a few examples that indicate a tipping point may be just around the corner:

With this shift, it should be a little easier to redouble your efforts to rein things in. Focus your efforts on the most critical issues highlighted in the report to improve in the three areas that affect families the most: sleep, distraction, and relationships. If it helps, think of the advice you'd give your kids if they goofed up: Don't dwell on past mistakes, make slight adjustments to get better little by little, and celebrate your wins.

Guard bedtime like a mama bear. Do whatever it takes to make sure your kids are getting a good night's sleep. Try these tips or use these settings to turn off kids' phones at night.

Make screen-time rules. Figure out how much screen time is right for your family -- and stick to your rules.

Enable screen-limiting settings. iPhone users can set the features in Screen Time; Google users can download the Family Link app to control kids' phones.

Resist distractions. Learn a few easy hacks to make your phone less appealing.

Understand the tricks of the trade. Knowing how companies manipulate you and your kids into spending more time online can help you recognize when you're falling into their trap.

Train yourself to focus. Kids and parents can use these apps to practice concentrating, prepare for bed, and calm the mind.

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How to Protect Sleep, Attention, and Family Relationships

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What do you do when your kids mess up? Do you tell them to give up and forget about accomplishing anything? Compared with Of course not. Failure breeds success; every parent knows that. When it comes to managing devices and limiting screen time, we parents need to take our own advice.

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Rings of Responsibility Video (ISTE VERSION DO NOT USE)

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In the online world, we might think about how what we do impacts ourselves. But what about others? In this lesson, students learn about a framework -- the Rings of Responsibility -- to understand how to balance their responsibilities as digital citizens.

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Center for Humane Technology: Realigning Technology with Humanity

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We are a nonprofit addressing the harmful extractive attention economy by inspiring a new race to build Humane Technology that aligns with humanity.

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Help kids recognize and reject racist, sexist, homophobic, and religion-based hate content. Advice from Common Sense Media editors.

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Looking for a lesson plan on this topic? Visit https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/finding-my-media-balance Every day, we make choices about the media we consume and create. But do kids actually understand what makes their media choices healthy or not? Hint: It's about a lot more than just screen time.