Internet Guidelines for Kids and Parents

Internet Guidelines for Kids:
* Passwords are sensitive information, don’t share it with anyone other than your parents. If you think your password has been compromised, change it.
* Do not put your information on the web. You do not know who is out there or what they could do with that information. Some sites/programs you may be required to use may need some information that could be deemed personal, ( credit card #,address, or phone number) in these cases make sure your parents read the page with you, and that the are aware and agree with you sharing such information.
* Tell your parents right away if  you come across something that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
* NEVER meet up with anyone face-to-face from online
* Respect the parental controls that are established.  Be sure to have permission when visiting a new website.
* Know what cyberbullying is and tell an adult if you feel like it is happening to you!
* Do not download anything without permission.  It may contain a virus.
* Do not send or accept any form of inappropriate webcam or sexting. This can lead to social scarring as well as legal issues.
* Make sure your parents are aware of what information you find on the internet, good or bad. Feel comfortable discussing subject matter found online with an adult.
* Always start your search from a well-known search address such as Google, Ask.com or Bing. Those sites already help filter out the bad sites, helping you stay further away from the sites you shouldn’t be on.

Internet Guidelines for Parents:

* Teach children to not communicate with people online that they do not know. You never know who is truly sitting behind that computer screen. Also keep the lines of communication open, ask who they communicate with and make sure you know who they are. Also, explain the risks behind meeting online friends.

* Use parental controls (age appropriate) for children so that they do not access sites that are inappropriate or can be “dangerous” to the child.  It’s recommended to install internet safety/restriction software to your discretion.

* Establish a safety plan in case your child inadvertently sees or participates in something dangerous/inappropriate. What to do, who to contact and in what order.

* Keep lines of communication open. Let your kids know they can come to you if they feel threatened or uncomfortable for any reason.

* Make sure you have access to your child’s website history.

* Set time limits for your child’s internet/computer usage.  Keep computers in a common family room.

* Make sure your child is willing to report if there is any inappropriate material they come across. They need to feel comfortable coming to their parents in situations that may be difficult for them.

* Have a budget in mind that you are willing to have for internet usage (i.e. phone data, buying of applications/music/movies etc.) do not give the login or financials to your child.

* Explain the importance of not speaking to strangers online, and the dangers involved with those conversations. Include why we never share our address or phone numbers in conversations with strangers. Consider showing your child examples of what happens to children who partake in these kinds of conversations, and how dangerous it really can be.

* Be open with your children about what could be found online. If they understand why you’re wary of them searching online, they’ll feel respected, trusted, and hopefully return the same respect.  (Links to an external site.)https://internetsafety101.org/agebasedguidlines.

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

This week we will be looking into different jobs that people do and what you want to be when you grow up.  I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up and now I am, so your dreams can come true if you work at them hard enough.

I need you to ask your mommies and daddies what they do for jobs.  We will be sharing tomorrow in class.  We will also be reading some books on different jobs this week, tomorrow we are reading about firemen, police officers, and postal workers!

Tuesday we will read about teachers, librarians, and principles!  We will also have some guest speakers this day to tell you more about what they do at their jobs.

Wednessday we will read about postal workers, city workers, and cable workers!

Thursday we will read about nurses, doctors, and veterinarians!

Friday we will be making projects about what we want to be when we grow up! We will be creating our own person to put on the wall so be thinking throughout the week about what you want to be when you grow up!

(Credit for picture from Pinterest)

Kids and Screen Time

I believe that too much internet is a bad thing and I do not want my children or my students to get sucked into thinking that they need the internet to survive.  There are plenty of other ways to get information and learn things that do not include a screen.  Yes, a screen can be fast and easy and helpful at times, but it is not the only way to learn and I want the younger generations to have a fighting chance without the internet.  It is not a crutch and it is not a necessity, it is a luxury and should be seen as such.

It scares me how much time children are in front of screens now a days and I try my hardest to keep my son on a limited screen time, but even for parents it is easier to have the TV babysit your kids then it is to have to keep track of them and do your own homework, or housework, or anything else that needs to be done on a daily basis.  I fight temptation everyday to turn on that TV when my son gets up so I can finish my house chores while he is distracted, or before bed so I can finish writing whatever paper I have to write that night.  It is as much a convenience for the kids as it is for us adults and I don't want it to be the end all be all to my son's life.

I heard a young girl while I was at the doctors office the other day ask her mother about what iPads were like when she was a kid and the mother replied that they didn't have iPads when she was young.  The child's face when she heard that was priceless, I could not believe that it is so common now a days to have some kind of technology in hand at all times that kids can understand that there was a time, not too long ago might I add, where every house didn't have internet and you were considered high society to even have a car phone, home phones had cords and they certainly did not leave the house, and to get on the internet you had to suffer through an annoying dial up tone forever before you could be connected to anything.

I know that internet addiction is real I have seen it, and I feel for the children that have to suffer with that addiction.  I don't want to be a contributor to that statistic and I do not want to burden my children with that problem.  I want them to know the wonders of the world without a screen and I want them to know that everything isn't just instant gratification, you can't get everything you want at the touch of a button if you truly want to live and enjoy life.  I know that the internet has done some great things and I want kids to know that, but I want them to know that all great things come at a price and all great things should be taken in small measure to be enjoyed.

About Me and Why I Want to Become a Teacher

Hello everyone. My name is Alex Walker and I am a mother of two boys.  I am also going to school to become a teacher!  I hope to eventually find my way into a kindergarten classroom in the Johnson County area, but for now I have one semester left of school ahead of me before I can become a full fledged teacher and find a school to call my own.

I hope you enjoy my blog as much as I enjoy writing it, and I hope that you learn something from it.  If nothing else you will learn how crazy I am and how much of a mess my life really is, but who doesn't like a little chaos in their life?

Oh yah, I'm supposed to tell you why I want to be a teacher as well.  Well, the thing is I have always wanted to be a teacher, ever since I was little.  My mother has always told me that teachers don't make much and I should set my sights higher, but that never stopped me from loving the educational system and wanting to become a teacher.  I will admit I got sidetracked for a few years after my freshman year of college didn't go so well, but I eventually made it back on track and I get to finish following my dreams! How cool is that?  I was happily married for two years before I became pregnant with my first son and once I did I had to start thinking about how I was going to support my family and my child.  My husband's and my income at that time was not enough for us to live on and put a child into daycare, so something had to give.  My mother the amazing woman that she is offered me free childcare if and only if I returned to school and found a new part-time job for income.  I agreed to her terms and so began my journey back to becoming a teacher.  Of course a few things have changed since I originally wanted to become a teacher.  I no longer want to teach high school math, but now what I really want to do is heard cats in a kindergarten room.

I love small children, which is surpising because before I had a small child of my own I would not have been caught within ten feet of a small child.  I can't believe how much I have changed, but my love for the educational system has not.  I really want to be back in a classroom, only not being taught, but the one teaching this time around, and I feel that nothing can stop me or derail my plans this time.  I am fully focused on becoming what I once set out to be.  A Teacher.