Keeping Our Kids Safe and Honest.

This week we have been exploring the Internet through classmates' scavenger hunts. They gave us an opportunity to explore some critical issues related to technology in the classroom. Coincidentally, my 10 year old son was simultaneously working on an online research project for a class website. This gave me an easy opening for a frank discussion with him. I was not surprise at his responses, but it was unsettling. We have controlled Internet access for him, but he revealed how surprisingly fragile the controls are.

First, we discussed plagiarism. I learned that he was not taught about this subject. After we discussed the concept through what I had learned on the scavenger hunt, I reviewed what he had written. I noticed a few sentences that did not sound like he would have written them -- sure enough, they were verbatim from the source. He had no idea that that was a problem. The scavenger hunt links helped me to teach him what plagiarism is and how to avoid it.

Next we discussed the Internet safety hunt. He answered the quizzes along with me. First he told me what the correct answer was and next he told me what he would really do. This honesty was refreshing, but disheartening. I learned that we have tighter controls on our computer than any of his friends do. How do I keep him safe at their homes? As he grows, how do I protect him but allow him access to the sites he needs for research. Or the sites he wants for social reasons. I now face the balancing act of teaching him and protecting him and yet doing it gently enough to preserve the open, honest discussion for the future.

As usual, my kids are my guinea pigs for teaching, and I will extend this to the classroom. Maintaining controls in the classroom is easier, but when students have homework projects involving the Internet, we have to share this safety information with parents. We also have to check out websites and links, and be very clear with our students about what is and is not plagiarism. As one of the links on the safety hunt discussed, it is critical that we stay informed as these deictic literacies evolve. We must stay one step ahead of our kids.