ACC Reception Speech

Think back to when you were in elementary school.

Did you blog?
Did you upload videos you made for others to see?
Did you collaborate online with your teachers and classmates?
Neither did I, but, your children are!

I learned to type on a non electric typewriter when I was a senior in HS. Your children started learning Dance Mat Typing in 1st or 2nd grade.

I needed to carry coins to make a phone call at a pay phone; your children pull a phone out of their pocket.

I spent hours at the library researching outdated materials, your child Google’s Current Events.

The world that your children are learning in is very different from our own school years. Today, we live in a technology and media-driven environment, with an abundance of information, rapid changes in technology tools and the ability to collaborate on an unprecedented scale.

Technology -Anytime, anywhere.

In the 2010 Critical Skills Survey by the American Management Association, employers say they need a workforce equipped with skills beyond reading, writing and arithmetic to grow their businesses.

They need people who can:
• think critically and problem solve,
• communication effectively,
• collaborate,
• and be creative and innovative - The ability to see what’s not there and make something happen

The building blocks that we are laying, in the lower school, to support a solid foundation in technology skills for your children are stronger and more ambitious than ever before.

Your children are learning to:
• kindly and respectfully comment on other’s blogs
• to organize, evaluate and communicate using Google Apps
• to edit and revise their work online
• to research information using online resources
• to apply a fundamental understanding of the legal/ethical issues surrounding:
o email,
o abiding by copyright laws,
o following the age requirements of websites like Facebook, (13 or older)
o handling Cyber bullying,
o and last but not least to learn about Internet Safety

It is an exciting time to be a child in a world filled with PlayStations, Wiis, Xbox, and video games.
It is a creatively rewarding world where students edit stories, videos, or images and share them instantly across oceans with billions of people.

It is also a more challenging world where students have to learn to navigate the Cyber World, the online world.

So, I strongly recommend getting involved in your child’s online world; see who they are communicating with.
Ask for a tour of your child’s blogs, leave them a comment! Support the digital citizen your child is becoming.

I look be offering a parent workshop on Internet Safety in the future. Parents always find it a bit daunting.
But, I can teach you what you need to know to keep your child safe online. So, I hope to see you there.