What to teach to Avoid Problems Online

As an educator, one simply can’t introduce students to the internet without educating them on how to be safe while exploring the world wide web; but that’s what many teachers do anyway. 

How To Keep Students Safe Online

Technology is a beautiful thing. It breaks down barriers and brings minds together in ways that were unthinkable less than 50 years ago. The world of technology can also be dangerous when it comes to students and the internet. A few slip ups can place a child in real danger.

What is Online Safety?

“Online safety” is a term that gets thrown around a lot when dealing with students and the internet. However, it’s often misinterpreted. It would be more beneficial to describe what online safety is not, before we delve into what it truly is.

Too often educators use these means in order to keep their students “safe.” In reality, those educators are causing their students to use things like proxy websites and other nefarious means to reach the sites they want. This is not safety.

There is an old Chinese proverb that reads: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” The concept is the same here. Blocking and restricting websites doesn’t do anything good for students in the long run, but teaching them how to be safe online enables them to practice good habits for their entire life.

The Internet is one of the greatest tools on the planet for enhancing student learning. It is a smorgasbord of information waiting to be devoured by hungry minds. However, it can also be a dangerous place where students find themselves alone and uneducated about how to handle tricky situations. 

3 Tips for Educating Students About Online Safety

1. Get parents involved. 
2. Provide resources to students. 
3. Create Scenarios. 

Happiness

Happiness is something which can’t be described in words it can only be felt from someone’s expression of a smile. Likewise, happiness is a signal or identification of good and prosperous life. Happiness is very simple to feel and difficult to describe. Moreover, happiness comes from within and no one can steal your happiness.

Can Money Buy You Happiness?

Every day we see and meet people who look happy from the outside but deep down they are broken and are sad from the inside. For many people, money is the main cause of happiness or grief. But this is not right. Money can buy you food, luxurious house, healthy lifestyle servants, and many more facilities but money can’t buy you happiness.

And if money can buy happiness then the rich would be the happiest person on the earth. But, we see a contrary image of the rich as they are sad, fearful, anxious, stressed, and suffering from various problems.

In addition, they have money still they lack in social life with their family especially their wives and this is the main cause of divorce among them.

Also, due to money, they feel insecurity that everyone is after their money so to safeguard their money and them they hire security. While the condition of the poor is just the opposite. They do not have money but they are happy with and stress-free from these problems.

To conclude, I can say that happiness can only be achieved by having positive thinking and enjoying life. Also, for being happy and keeping the people around us happy we have to develop a healthy relationship with them. 

A Year Ago

When I look back at myself a year ago, I realize how far I have come. How far a human can go with consistency and hard work.  A year ago I was an elementary teacher who never thought can deal with kindergarten students.  A year ago I never imagined myself teaching kindergarten, but here I am doing a job I always dreamt of. 

In a world where everything happening around us is insane, I did the most sane decision, TEACH. To be a teacher made me an hero, the super hero of my students. I became the source of energy and power that each of these munchkins needed to feel loved. A year ago, I needed their love to feel that my job worth’s all the pain. And here I am, realizing how far one can come.

Today, I am prouder than ever. Today, I feel proud of my consistency. Proud of my countless efforts to succeed. Proud of the sleepless nights.  Today, more than ever, I realize how important my Teaching Diploma decision was. I realized that steps taken wisely can take us to places never possible before.

A year ago, the whole world was different. A year ago, I wouldn't imagine myself here!

Online Challenges

Online Learning Challenges 

Some of the most common challenges students face with online learning are:

• Technical issues.
• Distractions and time management.
• Staying motivated.
• Understanding course expectations.
• Lack of in-person interaction.
• Adapting to unfamiliar technology.
• Uncertainty about the future.                                                        

Online Teaching Challenges

Some of the most common challenges teachers face with online teaching are:

• Isolation. 
• Technical issues. 
• Lack of motivation in online learners. 
• Technical difficulties with online teaching tools. 
• Time-consuming resources. 
• Setting and forgetting online learning activities. 

Tools & Online Assessment

Teachers need to know how well students are assimilating lessons so as not to leave anyone behind. You also have to assess each student at the end of the quarter, term, and semester and bestow a final grade that reflects both their understanding and their level of effort.

Online assessment tools for teachers are a necessary part of the remote learning picture. From one day to the next you need to know what your students understand. If you have a handle on their learning gaps then you can adjust your lessons to target them.

1. Socrative

Socrative is one of the top-rated assessment tools for teachers according to hundreds of online reviews by educators and professional reviewers alike. Teachers can choose from quick questions for instant feedback, class counts to see who’s logged in, or full quizzes for deeper understanding.

2. Google Forms

Google Forms is a go-to among teachers because it’s quick and simple to create and automatically grade quizzes even if it’s your first time using the tool. Create multiple-choice quizzes or short-answer quizzes, and make an easy answer key with point assignments for each question.

3. Mentimeter

It comes pre-loaded with education templates for the classroom like a listening skills assessment, icebreakers, formative assessments, post-lecture surveys, and polls. Create quizzes and tests, manage student expectations, engage students, and even run a teacher training workshop.

4. Poll Everywhere

It integrates with Google apps like Google Slides or MS PowerPoint and Keynote. Teachers can get a snapshot of where students are struggling by creating questions as word clouds, open student responses, or with multiple-choice options. Then let students answer with their phones, laptops, or tablets.

5. Kahoot

Teachers can choose from more than 40 million ready-to-go learning games or create their own in minutes. Host games live or as assignments.

Students can even create their own “kahoots” to share with classmates, creating an interactive experience.

 

Are You a Digital Citizen?

What is a Digital Citizen?

A digital citizen refers to a person who has the knowledge and skills to effectively use digital technologies to communicate with others, participate in society and create and consume digital content.

Digital citizenship is about confident and positive engagement with digital technologies. By educating students about digital citizenship, they will have the opportunity to develop an understanding about the following concepts:

• Digital and information literacy
• Internet safety
• Privacy and security
• Cyberbullying, relationships, etiquette and communication
• Creative credit and copyright
• Digital footprint.

A good digital citizen protects their personal information, uses good judgment and treats others with respect. Whether one is posting on social media, sending an email or commenting on an online discussion, practicing good digital citizenship makes the online world a more welcoming place for everyone.

How to be a digital citizen?

• Be respectful – and expect respect.
• Protect your reputation.
• Protect your privacy.
• Watch your tone.
• Be skeptical.

As a student and teacher, being a digital citizen is essential. As a student who teaches, I had the chance to understand the importance of using digital platforms smartly. To be aware of how and when to use digital resources, add the correspondent credits for the resources used, has taught my own students to respect and appreciate others work always. Furthermore, as a teacher, one must be aware of the privacy and security that must be applied when being a digital citizen. Additionally, I always encourage my students to be aware of being bullied or attacked online. letting them know they have my support helps them feel more safe as they learn to be become responsible citizenship. 

All in all, for a teacher to be a responsible digital citizen, she/he must teach her students to become one. Hand in hand, teachers can teach and learn how to become the best digital citizen. Respecting others is a good start, as is taking care of one's privacy online