EDIM 508 Unit 6 Summary Posting

Open Classrooms, Open Minds

Ive enjoyed reading your discussions this week on the challenges with using
digital media and technological tools to develop students respectful and
ethical minds.
Id like to highlight some thoughts from this weeks discussion.

Amber- Basically, if you are having trouble with a student behaviorally then you are to take 2 mins
a day for 10 days to get to know them. You just let them talk for the entire 2 minutes without any interruption.
This not only allows you to really get to know this student, but they also see that you care which in the end leads
to better behavior. You can also use this as a reward tool then afterward! I haven't been able to use it yet but I
can't wait to try it.

Amy- Adults will speak and act based on social cues, changing to fit the environment. Placing
examples out online is a good way to model what you expect from students and parents. As an adult, I feel more
secure if I have an example of what is being expected online.

Arielle- I think speaking about tone is another great example of how we

convey ourselves to others. I try to build a community within my classroom by explaining
how to be a respectful to classmates by teaching that communication is not just speaking
but also listening. My students know that if someone is reading their story aloud, we are
quiet and listening to what they are reading. I also ask my students to give each other
feedback on their work in a positive way. Ive never really had an issue with students
being disrespectful to each other while in my class.

Carrie- Students learn at an early age to cluster people into groups. They also learn from their
parents how people are grouped and they bring that to school with them. At the middle school level we are very
set AGAINST BULLYING and any kind of disrespect on any level. We have a program called School Wide
Positive Behavior. It teaches kids positive behaviors and ways to act in certain situations and scenarios instead
of focusing on the negative of what not to do, etc. I honestly think this system works for some but not for others.
If a student is acting up every day and you keep reteaching expectations and he just doesn't care then he needs
CONSEQUENCES.

Christopher- Teaching students to appropriately analyze information is a tough task. There is

almost too much information for them to shuffle through for us to possible help them weed it all out. We can
encourage them to consider the source of the info and to take everything on the Internet with a grain of salt, but

they are getting bombarded from all angles. I think you teach kids not to just regurgitate information they see
and they need to look further into a topic. If there's multiple sources reporting the same thing, that's probably a
good thing; but again, if all those outlets got their info from the same source, their information may all be
skewed.

Courtney- We can't just preach to our students, they have to see us

step up to the plate and lead by example. We cannot live in a toxic work
environment and then expect our kids to be superstars. We need to be constant
models of respect, an reinforce it everyday. Even if (again, thinking from an
elementary level) we have to go above and beyond with our expressions and
emphasize words and key phrases, in the long run this will help our kids. How
many times have we said a word and later that day suddenly your whole class is using it?

Hilary- There seem to be many students across my grade level that have been brought up with the
idea that conflict is resolved through fighting and it is okay to get physical with others. Of course at school this
cannot be an acceptable response to conflict. We are trying to find the balance between respecting that this is
what their parents have taught them is acceptable behavior, and teaching how to find other ways to solve
conflicts.

Jacob- I think when it comes to safety, we need to explain to them what is right and what is wrong.
I agree with you as well when it comes to showing respect. Kids need to learn that rolling their eyes, stomping
away, and kicking and hitting are not how we act in school. Its so important that we model the correct way to
behave when we get frustrated or mad because if we start acting like that, then they will think its okay as well.
And I think all of this can be done without focusing on what their families do and say. We just need to focus on
the behavior displayed at school and hopefully that will carry over to the home and the community..

Megan- Even though technology and the use of digital media can be useful in teaching students
about respecting one another and viewing the perspectives of different groups, it can also cause students to
develop more prejudices and disrespect. Look at the various social media sites, that we learned last week that
are highly viewed by students. Anyone has the ability to post their thoughts without being held accountable for
what they say. Then these post are able to be seen by large number of individuals that can assist in persuading
people to believe what is being said. This same idea can be done through videos, images, and personal blog
sites, just to name a few, that students regularly view to assist them in developing their ideas/thoughts.

Natalie- I try to get students to think for themselves and form opinions which they can then pair up
with other students to share these ideas. In doing this, students get time to express themselves, learn to listen to
peers, consume different viewpoints, and hopefully have good discussions. I try to monitor these interactions to

make sure things don't get out of hand ever (I am dealing with third graders after all) but generally I think
students do really well with this activity.

Rebecca- In an age with social media, the lines of respect grow very blurry. We want to invite
parents into our classrooms as much as possible through multiple modes of connection and communication,
but we still need to remain in a position of respect. I think that its so important at the beginning of the year,
when introducing the media components of classroom connectivity, to refer to proper use guidelines for
students and parents alike.

Samantha- Through our classroom social media pages we can be role

models for our students by showing them how to use technology in ways that are
productive and not harmful to others, and that also promote tolerance. If we can
encourage our students to begin thinking globally, they may think twice about their
actions in the digital world.

Sarah- "As an educator I think it is important for kids to point out differences, but a big key in
calling out differences is the tone and reason for doing so." I unfortunately think that this is something is often
times overlooked in classrooms and often times viewed as disrespect or being unkind to others, when it simply is
looking at things and people around them at face value. I think that some of that comes from the fact that adults
are not always open to what children have to say, or don't want to take the time to listen. Teachers are so busy
"teaching" that student voices are not heard authentically. This, to me is a disservice to our children, because
school may be the only place where they are heard.

Tiffane- I believe in stressing that inside of the literal classroom and ensuring the same respect is
translated online. I use edmodo.com with my students so instead of posting on facebook, students have to enter
edmodo using their office 365 accounts. I believe that barrier alone puts them in the mindset of this being an
activity for school.