GuardingKids.com: 2023

Friday, November 17, 2023

Only 60 Minutes for Students' Online Security

By Christine Elgersma
Senior Editor, Learning Content Strategy

I am not a robot. 🤖 If you want me to prove it, I can select all of the pictures of stoplights. (Does just the pole count?!?) Not being a robot means I have valuable, personal data that companies crave. That's concerning enough, but kids' data is also vacuumed up, aggregated, and sold. That not only makes them a commodity, but also impacts their digital footprints—and can put them at risk.

If I were still in the classroom and not steeped in the world of kids' digital media, would I be thinking about data privacy on the daily? Probably not. And yet it's an acute issue: Kids are using digital products every day that allow them to easily lie about their ages. Lying lets them get around the laws that set the seemingly arbitrary age of 13 as the gateway to legal data collection.

But between FERPA and GDPR, COPPA (cabana?) and others, it can be hard to feel like you have a handle on how to best protect kids' online privacy.

Don't fret! In collaboration with Apple Education, our privacy experts have developed a one-hour course to help you learn the basics about kids' online privacy. Plus, taking the course counts toward earning your Common Sense Educator badge! (Offer not valid for robots.)

You don't have to stop there: Use our checklist to make sure you're keeping your students' data—and your own—safe. ✅ And, of course, we want kids to be mindful of their own online privacy and security, especially as generative AI (literally) enters the chat!

Here is just a selection of our privacy and safety lessons:

We know you barely have time to go to the bathroom during the school day. But when one glorious hour of free time does present itself, consider our interactive course to protect kids' data privacy!

Best,
Chrissy

Link of the Week: You don't want just anyone accessing your information.

Saturday, September 16, 2023

Amazing Resources for Empowering Students to Maintain Positive Relationships

Embrace Civility LLC supports the full engagement of students in maintaining an environment where hurtful behavior is incompatible with the accepted social norms and where everyone takes responsibility for the quality of personal relationships.

Embrace Civility https://www.embracecivility.org/

Friday, September 1, 2023

Crumpled Paper: Bullying Lesson Plan | PBS Learning Media

https://florida.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/3f9bec65-e95d-4836-a025-9100c7e319fd/crumpled-paper/

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Parent’s Guide to ZEPETO

What is ZEPETO?

ZEPETO is a mobile and web app that allows people ages 13 and older to create and customize virtual avatars with various features, clothes, hairstyles, and accessories and interact with others in virtual worlds. ZEPETO is popular among teens and young adults, who can also design and monetize digital products in the app. The company is based in South Korea and has a global user base of over 400 million people.

READ more and download the parent's guide:
https://connectsafely.org/zepeto/

Thursday, June 8, 2023

How I Nearly Fell for a Frightening ‘Virtual Kidnapping’ Scam By Larry Magid

ConnectSafely CEO Larry Magid was recently the target of a scary virtual kidnapping scam. And even though he knows a lot about phone and online scams and has written and spoken extensively on the subject, he nearly fell for the scam when he thought his loved one was in danger.
Read the article here:

https://connectsafely.org/how-i-nearly-fell-for-a-frightening-virtual-kidnapping-scam/

Thursday, May 18, 2023

Finish the Year Strong 💪 with Mental Health Resources

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Explore the Ups and Downs of Social Media: Evaluating Mental Health Effects on Teens (6-12)

In this lesson, your students will listen to an episode of On Our Minds, a youth-led podcast exploring issues pertaining to mental health among teenagers. After listening to first-hand anecdotes from teens, your students will evaluate the impact of social media and analyze the various narratives for claims, counterclaims, and solutions to the issue.

The 3 R’s for Teacher Self-Care: Reflect. Release. Recharge.

Tempted to wait until summer vacation to begin a self-care routine? The reality is that you may need it sooner than that. As you move through the remaining days of the school year, remember that your students benefit when you are at your best. Explore three tips from one educator that will help you recharge on a daily basis, as well as during the upcoming summer break. When you show up for yourself, you show up for your students!

When You Feel So Mad That You Want to Roar: Strategy Song and Activity (PreK-K)

Sing along with Daniel Tiger and his friends as they conquer anger by counting to four. In this video excerpt from the popular PBS KIDS TV show Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, see how you can use music and movement to help your students practice slowing down and controlling their actions. Your students have big feelings, but you can support them as they begin to learn lifelong self-regulation skills.