Information and support on the current trends in technology in education, 21st century skills and best practices for children up to middle school level. This blog is designed for parents as well as educators.
How much screen time is the right amount of screen time? This question has been plaguing parents and child care professionals for years. Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics has shifted their original stance from a 2 hour limit to screen time to something more nuanced.
Jordan Shapiro, contributing editor for Forbes Magazine, recently wrote an article outlining the AAP's new stance on screen time for children. Click here for the article
“In a world where ‘screen time’ is becoming simply ‘time,’” they (AAP) write, “our policies must evolve or become obsolete. The public needs to know that the Academy’s advice is science-driven, not based merely on the precautionary principle.” Of course, that’s exactly what most experts in children and digital media previously thought, that the AAP guidelines seemed like they were the result of familiar technophobic paranoia that always accompanies new technologies.
So many kids are engaged in playing online games with other kids these days. Yet, often this type of social media has it's downside. When kids are in situations where they are interacting with each other, the chances are increased that the interactions will be negative. As with any type of play, unless kids understand the consequences of their words and actions, hurt feelings will prevail.
As with face-to-face play, online games still have the same rules; treat others as you want to be treated.
This digital citizenship video from Common Sense Media is a good reminder of how a child should behave when online.
Check out Common Sense Media for more videos, blog posts and articles for parents and teachers about how to help children navigate the online community and use digital tools in a safe and effective way.
For children, summer is a time for relaxing and exploring, playing with friends, meeting new ones, spending time with your family, traveling or staying at home. The unstructured time of summer can be a good time to inquire and learn new things as well as sharpen skills and knowledge gained this past year.
Here are some resources and ideas for parents to engage in with their children to keep their acquired skills and knowledge sharp as well as to allow for some new learning.
1. Common Sense Media has a Summer Learning Guide which has ideas for digital learning such as coding, language, science, tinkering and more. Click here for the link.
2. Ms Mairi, PYP Librarian, put together some ideas for supporting language learning over the summer. These are separated by grade levels and include a list of resource links. See below.
- Sight word games: http://creatingalearningenvironment.com/20-ways-to-help-
your-child-learn-their-sight-words/
- Visit a library
- Link to RIS Language blog with more ideas:
http://languageris.blogspot.ae/p/reading.html
Writing
- Make invitations for friends and family to visit
- Making a nature journal (http://www.startwithabook.org/summer-writing)
- Writing a recipe for their favourite food together
- Talk about simple instructions for everyday things, e.g. how to wash the dishes,
make the bed. Include each step clearly and include time order (First, Next, After
that) and what they action verb is (Wash, Dry, Make, Rinse, Mix).
- Trip reviews-write a simple recount about an activity they have taken part in.
Focus on including who, what, when, where, why and how.
- Make a short story book, either their own idea or a retell of their favourite story.
Create new pictures, write sentences to match the picture, write a blurb on the
back and create a front cover.
- Writing letters or emails to friends and family e.g. pen pals
Speaking and Listening
- Describing pictures or scenes that they can see
- I spy
- 20 Questions
- One sentence/One word stories: Retell a favourite story one sentence or one
word at a time
Viewing and Presenting
- Charades
- Handwriting worksheets (select Print or D’Neailan):
http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/
Grade Two to Five
Reading
- eBooks
- Free eBooks from https://www.gutenberg.org/
- Signs, maps, travel brochures
- Current events- newspapers, Online news for kids:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/news , http://www.dogonews.com/
- Link to RIS Language blog with more ideas:
http://languageris.blogspot.ae/p/reading.html
- Parent guide to reading comprehension:
http://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target/comprehension ,
http://resources.clee.utk.edu/print/SIG%20Reading%20Strategies.pdf
Writing
- Create a how to guide for appliances around the house e.g. how to work the
washing machine, how to make the bed
- Be a journalist- write a newspaper article about a current event (local or global)
- Research and write a biography about their favourite author or celebrity
(http://people.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/authors.html)
- Create comic strip (Comic Maker app - free)
- Interactive writing games: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-
resources/student-interactives/ and
http://www.languageisavirus.com/writing-games.html#.VX53n_mqqko
Speaking and Listening
- Interviewing a family member or friend about their life or job
- Preparing a speech: http://www.write-out-loud.com/howtowritespeech.html
Viewing and Presenting
- Handwriting worksheets and activities (select D’Neailan or cursive):
http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/ , http://www.first-
school.ws/theme/handwriting.htm
General Websites
Monthly calendar of Reading and Writing activities to do at home: http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-
resources/activities/monthly-activity-calendars.htm
Summer Math Learning
3. Ms Penny, Grade 4 teacher, has put together a list of math activities, by grade level, to engage in some fun math learning over the summer. It includes online resources for more ideas as well.
EY- Grade Two
Playing Shops
- Practise using coins and notes.
- Order coins and notes from lowest to highest value.
- Set up kitchen scales to weigh products.
Cooking
- Using measuring tools such as scales, measuring jugs and spoons.
- Setting the oven timer.
- Setting the table for a certain number of guests.
- Sharing food between people in a group.
- Make playdough (http://theimaginationtree.com/2012/04/best-ever-
no-cook-play-dough-recipe.html)
- Search for easy recipes to make together as a family (for example
http://www.kidspot.com.au/kitchen/occasions/cooking-with-kids)
Patterns
- Look for patterns in natural or built environments. Eg tiles, animal
footprints.
- Make jewellery from beads, dried pasta, toys etc.
- Decorate cards and letters for family members with patterns.
- Create a rap or chant that uses repeated sounds and actions.
Looking For Numbers and Counting Opportunities.
- How are numbers used around you? Go on a number hunt at home, at
the mall, at the airport etc.
- Pick a ‘number of the day’. How many times do you see that number
written down? Look in the newspaper, on car licence plates, on clocks
etc.
- Count the number of cars of a certain colour that you pass on a
journey.
- Sort your toys into categories and count how many are in each.
- Find a calendar and count the days until a certain event.
Grade Two to Five
Sports
- Make a scrapbook about your favourite player or team, including
statistics and other mathematical information.
- Keep a record of how many goals or serves (tennis) you can get in a
row. Try to improve each day!
- Watch a game that is played in thirds, halves or quarters. Make a
poster with key information for each section of the match.
- Time how long it takes you to run a certain distance or bounce a ball a
certain number of times. Make a graph comparing your results against
someone else.
- If you have the chance to go bowling or play mini golf, take charge of
the scoring.
Weather
- Use a thermometer to measure the temperature each day for a week
(or find weather maps online). Make an iMovie weather report as a
summary at the end of the week. Include graphs and charts to help
present your information.
Cooking
- Find recipes online and make them. Be careful with your measuring!
- Estimate the cost of buying all the ingredients you’ll need.
- Double or halve a recipe.
- Invent your own salad, sandwich or smoothie. Write out a recipe so
that anyone else could make your dish- you will need to make sure
you include accurate measurements.
- Design your own pizza. Divide it into fractions and plan a different
topping for each section.
Shopping/Money
- Ask your parents whether you can be in charge of a cash transaction.
Calculate how much your items will cost and what change you will
receive.
- Create your own clothes or toys catalogue. Include ‘specials’ (50% off,
$10 discount, 2 for the price of one etc) with the full and reduced
price.
- Plan your dream holiday or birthday party. Include a budget and
information about timings of activities.
Websites
http://nzmaths.co.nz/maths-our-house
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/parents/primary/20
1literacymathstips2011.pdf
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/index.html
http://www.education.com/activity/math/
http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/maths-owl/fun-activities
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/math/activities/
The responses from parents regarding iPads for their child’s education at RIS are very positive..
Responses were received from 75% of the parents in grades 1-4. This was not taking into account the families who may not be returning for the next school year.
Of those who responded, 84% said their child would have an iPad for educational purposes next school year and 77% of those who responded said they are willing to spend up to 200AED on apps.
This is a positive outcome as we plan for next school year.
By early June, there will be a parent information session outlining the educational technology plans for next school year.
I recently came across a post on the blog, Digital Literacy, created for parents at United World College in Asia. It has tips for parents, well anyone, on the importance of updating your browser regularly to how to delete cookies. It also has a series of videos explaining simple things such as changing the date on your computer, changing your wallpaper, taking screenshots and much more.
It's worth the read. Save it to your bookmarks so you can access it easily.
Google and YouTube have just released a new app called YouTube Kids. This free app has parent safety features, kid friendly channels, and the ability to search for videos by topic.
Currently, YouTube Kids is only available in the iTunes US store but is sure to be globally available soon.
Common Sense Media has added a new post to their parenting section about a 'Healthy Balanced Diet of Screen Time for Kids." As with anything, balancing screen time with non-screen time is the goal you, as parents , want to achieve.
Below are the highlights of the article. For the full article,click here
Use media together.
Whenever you can, watch, play, and listen with your kids. Talk about the content.
When you can't be there, ask them about the media they've used. Help kids question and consider media messages.
Share your own values. Let them know how you feel about solving problems with violence, stereotyping people, selling products using sex or cartoon characters, or advertising to kids in schools or movie theaters.
Help kids connect what they learn in the media to events and other activities in which they're involved -- such as sports and art -- to broaden their understanding of the world.
Be a role model.
When kids are around, set an example by using media the way you want them to use it. Avoid posting everything that happens in your life, ask permission before uploading photos of others, and establish some media-free family time.
Use media as a tool. Show your kids your mapping program, your news app, or your photo-editing programs. Demonstrate how your devices are a means to an end, not an end unto themselves.
Avoid using media as a reward or a punishment -- that gives it too much power.
Keep an eye on the clock.
Establish time limits that work for your family's needs.
Let kids choose their entertainment options for the day. It could be a show, a game, or a learning app -- but giving them the choice helps them regulate their usage.
Limit distractions. Keep phones and devices away when kids need to focus on other things -- homework or chores, for example. That'll make it easier for them to stay on task and make media use easier to track.
In the interest of meeting your needs regarding technology in education at our school, please take 5 minutes to fill out the online survey CLICK HERE by the end of February.
It contains 5 simple questions asking if you have attended past Parent Tech Talks with Mary Kay Polly and what sort of topics do you wish to see offered in future parent tech talks.
What is cyber bullying? How is it different from bullying?
Cyberbullying is defined as: repeatedly sending or posting harmful or mean messages, images or videos about someone else using the Internet, cell phones or other digital technologies.
According to Common Sense Media, there are differences between bullying and cyberbullying.
Kids may use more hurtful and extreme language online than offline.
Cyberbullying can happen anytime, whereas regular bullying generally stops when kids go home.
Cyberbullying can be very public. Posts can spread rapidly and to a large, invisible audience because of the nature of how information travels online.
Cyberbullies sometimes act anonymously, whereas with traditional bullying it is often clear who the bully is.
In-person bullying can cause physical and emotional harm, while cyberbullying causes only emotional harm (though it can lead to physical bullying later).
Similarities: In Cyber bullying and physical bullying...
Both can make kids feel uncomfortable, embarrassed, helpless, sad, and angry
How can you, as parents, help keep our kids safe from cyber bullying?
1. Teach kids to speak and write respectfully.
2. Teach kids empathy.
3. Teach them to report cyberbullying.
FIVE THINGS PARENTS CAN DO:
1. Set limits: on time and place and choose age-appropriate TV, movies, music and games.
2. Make rules: Cell phones belong outside the classroom and away from the dinner table. If your kids wouldn't say something to someone's face, they shouldn't text it either. And...IM? Not during homework.
3. Discuss Safety: Tell them what kind of photos, videos and information are ok to post online.
4. Be a media critic: Teach your kids not to believe everything they see or hear/ Online, in the movies or on TV. Talk to them about media messages, what you agree with and what you don't.
5. Join the fun: Watch, listen and play with your kids. Ask their opinions and embrace the wprld!
bystander - those who are aware of the bullying and are standing by watching
upstander - those who step in to intervene as well as report the bullying
We want our kids to be the UPSTANDERS.
Cyberbullying Prevention Guide for Kids (video) click here
What do we do if our child is bullied? Take a screen shot of the page to save as evidence, speak to your child about it and assure them that this is bullying and to tell a trusted adult. Contact your child's teacher.
What is RIS doing to discuss cyberbullying?
Jan(PYP Counsellor) is going into classrooms to teach about how to make friends and what bullying and cyberbullying are as well as ways to prevent them (Stand up and tell someone)
RIS has adopted the NETS standards which address online digital responsibility including digital citizenship which includes how to communicate in a kind way online.
Teachers are being proactive about discussing responsible digital citizenship. Classes have signed pledges about Digital Citizenship. (see previous posts on this blog)
Parents as Partners
Parents and school must work together to help combat cyberbullying. Children need to feel safe and secure knowing that significant adults in their lives are going to support them and protect them.
We can do this by helping kids to:
THINK before they ACT
STAND UP rather than STAND BY
What should you say to your young child about cyberbullying?
If they think they're being bullied, your kids should follow the rules of STOP:
STOP using the computer.
TELL an adult you trust what happened.
Get the OK from an adult before going back online or returning to the website where the bullying happened.
PLAY with other kids who don't take part in cyberbullying.
Lastly, your kid may want to tell the bully how his or her actions made him or her feel, after getting advice from an adult. For more information, download the Common Sense Media Family Tip Sheet about Cyberbullying Click here Nickelodeon's, The Big Help, Digital Citizenship for Kids webpage click here
Kid Rex is a safe search engine designed for children and their parents. ( click here ) It is powered by Google Custom Search and Google Safe Search and offers similar features to a Google search but with filters for child friendly results.
To Set as a homepage on your computer, please follow the link on Kid Rex at the bottom of the homepage where it says PARENTS or (click here)
For iPads, open Kid Rex (www.kidrex.com) through Safari or Chrome web browsers on the iPad. Choose the send icon and ADD TO HOME SCREEN. Then the icon will appear on the home screen of the iPad as an icon which can be opened easily.
Of course, no search engine filtering is 100% accurate. There is no substitute for adult monitoring of the use of devices, especially when children are doing searches (in particular IMAGE searches). This, along with a shared understanding between children and adults about responsible online behavior and internet safety is crucial. Both Kid Rex and Common Sense Media address these topics and provide parent guidelines to help you support your child as they engage in using technology.
The key is to be a partner in your child's online and device use. Use this as an opportunity to engage with your child and share new information and ideas that have come up as they use their device. Guide them to be responsible users and consumers of online data by having open discussions about the opportunities as well as the possible threats that online behavior can have.
This 5 minute video from the 21st Century Initiative shows what recent research tells us about the capacity to learn through play and inquiry which we are born with. This capacity must be nurtured so that children can learn. It goes on to show the physiological need for adolescents to rebel and that, once again, this should be nurtured. Rebellion as an adolescent is a normal stage in the development of the brain, but rebelling within a safe and nurturing environment is crucial.
How can we nurture the curiosity and normal brain development of our children?
The term 21st Century Skills has become popular in educational discussions. It is clear that the world as we know it today is very different than the world we grew up in. Any generation can say that.
Sociologist have defined the years 1970 to the present as The Information or Digital Age. This can be defined as a time period in which large amounts of information was available mostly through technology.
Prior to that, western cultures were involved in the Post-Industrial Era which spanned close to 100 years (1890-1980). Schools were created as a response to the Industrial Revolution and mimicked the factory model of an assembly line where each child was placed in a grade level according to their age and expected to master specific skills and knowledge deemed necessary at that age.
Since the mid-1970's, education has been going through a shift, a change that has never before been seen; from teacher-centered to child-centered. From giving knowledge to finding information.
Our world is changing, education is changing. The future holds unforeseen changes. How will we prepare our children for the future that we cannot even see?
Below is a video called; Learning to Change - Changing to Learn. In it, educators and other leaders of future oriented businesses speak about our responsibility to prepare our children for the future. It is reposted from January 24, 2014 and is worth another look.
The 21st Century Skills are what is commonly referred to as, "soft skills" meaning, skills that are personal attributes which enhance a person's performance as opposed to "hard skills" which are specific to a task, such as kicking a ball, calculating using an algorithm, singing...
The above video is called, Rethinking Learning. Another thought provoking look at what educators say should be the focus for education today and in the future.
The ISTE (International Society of Technology Education) lists 21st century skills as: creativity, collaboration, communication, problem solving and digital and information literacy. These have been put into NETS Standards which need to be taught as well as focused on in order to prepare children for the future.
This week I had the pleasure of meeting Dolly, a representative from Growl Media, a Dubai-based website company which creates FREE apps for iPad and Android tablets. These apps are for language learning, specifically Arabic, Hindi and English. They are fantastic apps, with interactive components and beautiful graphics.
This is their award winning app called, Alfie, Haathi and the Magic Bioscope in both Arabic and English.
Check out their website and parent blog.
Growl Media website: click here
Appy Kids Parent Blog and website: click here
The latest issue of the local magazine, 999; Security and Safety For All, (October, 2014) has an article about how to support your child as they manoeuvre through the online world through social media apps.
The article mentions studies done by such organizations as Ofcom which have studied the usage of social media by age group. It also reviews certain social media apps which need to be monitored by parents due to their content and features. The article has interviewed local and global experts about advice for parents as their children engage in the online world and supports the view that parents need to be vigilant about what apps their child is using and to not be afraid of creating limits. After all, as a parent and guardian, it is your right to control your child's use of technology. But it is also your duty to be informed about the latest Apps and Social Media platforms so you can also advise and guide your child. Just saying no is not always the nest way to approach these situations. Looking into the Social Media app, doing some research about it, then discussing it with your child so they understand the dangers as well as the opportunities is key.
Raha Primary School has some new ways to communicate with parents. 1.) Primary Website for parents (click here) is the first place to look for information about RIS Primary School. On this site you will find your children's grade level Google Sites. Bookmark this site on your home computer or tablet for easy reference.
2.) Grade Level Google Sites have links found in the Primary Website for Parents. When you open the Primary Website, click on the tab in the sidebar which will take you to the class page. On this page you will find the Grade Level website.
Bookmark these grade level sites on your home computer or tablet for easy reference.
This year we are rolling out a BYOD (iPad) initiative for gr 2-5. All the information for this has been sent via email to parents at the start of the school year. It is important that all parents and students read the Acceptable Use Policy as well as sign it and return it to their child's teacher by September 11.
Any questions, check with your child's teacher or Mary Kay Polly, ICT Coach/Deputy PYP Coordinator. mpolly@ris.ae
On Monday evening, May 26, I unveiled the Technology Plan for 2014-15 school year. There were several changes discussed. Please refer to the slideshow for details. (click here)
All parents will receive a letter from explaining the new Technology Plan and asking for parents to contact Catherine DeJonge, Assistant to the Head of Primary, via email: cjonge@ris.ae stating your intent to enroll your child in the 1:1 iPad class for gr 4 or 5.
Videos embedded in the Slideshow presentation are below.
Did You Know? 2014
TED talk: Sir Ken Robinson, Changing Education Paradigms.
Minecraft has been around in it's Alpha version since 2011 and has taken the video gaming world by storm. It has more than 10 million subscribers worldwide. In addition, educators around the world are using it in their lessons from as low as KG up to university level.
What's so special about Minecraft?
It is no ordinary video game. Minecraft is a sandbox game: a game which you play online but it has no rules, no limits. I liken it to it being able to have the whole world outside your backdoor where you can invite your friends or play alone. You can build anything you like, go exploring, create tools so you can survive and just have fun. It's the ultimate playground!
Blogging For Kids is a website and a Pinterest board which has guides and suggestions for blogging with children. (click here)
"Blogging has entered the mainstream consciousness as a legitimate source of media.”
- 2012 Josh Catone of Mashable
Why Blog with my child?
There are many reasons to help your child to start blogging.
- share ideas and collaborate with the global online world
- learn how to communicate due to the possibility of a wider audience
- control your digital footprint and create digital portfolio
- develops their imagination
- opens up the world to them when they view other kid's blogs
- develops their writing and communication skills
- learn about online resources and computer skills in an authentic way
Here is a blog by a girl named Miriam. She maintains one of the best blogs around because it contains posts about her interests , activities and ideas. She always ends her posts with a question to engage her readers. Miriam was a finalist in Best Student Blogs of 2011. She has been blogging for over 3 years.
Sue Wyatt, a retired teacher from Tazmania, is the founder of the annual Student Blogging Challenge which is in its 12th year. Her Student Blogging Challenge engages and challenges children of all ages to learn about blogging by actually blogging. Adult mentors give feedback on posts and other students are invited to do the same. This creates a community of bloggers who are all trying to improve their craft of blogging.
How to set up a blog
My recommendation is to have your child use Blogger by Google. This blog you are reading is a Blogger platform. It is free and easy to use. You need to set up a Google account for your child first, then open the Blogger App and create the blog in 2 easy steps. Then you are ready to start blogging.
Safety and Parental Supervision of kid's Blogs
Once your child has created a blog, it is important to teach them about online safety. Parents need to supervise the blogging of their child and here are some ways to do it:
1. Read and approve posts before they are posted
2. Parents should have access to the gmail account of their child and moderate the comments. This can be set up in the settings.
3. Parents can set the blog to be private (by email invitation only) or public.
4. Visit your child's blog frequently. This means their friends blogs as well.
5. Guide your child and confer with them about what they want to post.
6. Look at other children's blogs on the web and discuss them with your child. Use them to help develop good blogging skills.
7. Teach your child to never post personal information on their blog such as full name, address, phone numbers, names of their school, etc
Consider blogging for your child as an opportunity for both of you to learn about the digital world together and develop good, safe, digital behavior.
Jordan Shapiro, contributing editor for Forbes Magazine, recently wrote an article outlining the AAP's new stance on screen time for children. Click here for the article
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