Citizenship lessons have long been a part of school curriculums, but now that so much social interaction and education happens online, it is imperative that schools also address digital citizenship. To help schools reach and support all parents, Lightspeed Systems® created a free downloadable guide all K-12 districts can give out to parents to help them understand what digital citizenship is, why it matters, and how to teach it to their kids.
Schools that aim to become digital citizenship hubs need help from parents and caregivers to teach and reinforce how to be a good digital citizen. Outside of school and homework, children as young as 2-to-4-year-olds often spend over two hours a day looking at a screen—and that number only increases as children become tweens and teens. It’s imperative that parents have frequent, open conversations with their children about healthy online activities and good digital citizenship, and that they start those conversations early.
But parents need guidance, too. Many people with school-age children today didn’t grow up using social media and may be unsure how to help their children navigate unfamiliar terrain like online bullying, the pressure to share personal information or photos, or screentime addiction. Other parents, such as non-English speakers or those with an inability to attend in-person meetings with school leaders, might not have access to the kinds of resources and information that could help.
Below, you’ll find our free, downloadable parent guide, along with ideas about how to get parents involved.
While media and technology hold great promise for learning, children need the right support and education to make healthy and appropriate judgments as they navigate the digital world. Teaching digital citizenship is essential if your district wants to help students achieve and understand digital literacy, online safety, digital responsibility, and digital health and wellness.
Cyberbullying is one major concern for parents and educators alike that digital citizenship training can help address. Digital citizenship means helping students connect online behavior to how they want to be treated. Instilling a sense of empathy in children from an early age is another critically important way to help prevent all kinds of bullying. Here are some current statistics about cyberbullying to keep in mind:
Digital citizenship training can also help parents address sexting and the sending of inappropriate photos. When parents are aware of the prevalence of sexting, as well as the potential risks, they can be better equipped to have open and honest conversations with their kids about responsible and respectful behavior.
Teaching students about the consequences of irresponsible online behavior is imperative to their safety and success, and schools play an important role. But at the end of the day, parents are responsible for setting rules and limits for their children at home. Schools and parents need to act as a united front.
It’s not an easy task. Parent responses to the implementation of digital citizenship curriculum may vary. Many families already enforce technology boundaries and may be relieved to know these lessons are part of the school’s program. Other caregivers might be guarded about a program that teaches something akin to “morality.” And still other parents might not have the resources or the background knowledge to teach digital citizenship to their children at home.
But the more parents know about your school’s digital citizenship program, the more likely they will be to take co-ownership of the effort. Here are some tips to get parents involved:
A Ready-Made Digital Citizenship Resource for Parents
To help schools in this effort, Lightspeed Systems® has created a downloadable guide, Encourage Digital Citizenship with Your Child: A Practical Guide for Parents. This ready-made resource can be distributed to parents and caregivers to help introduce and reinforce healthy online habits and skills at home.
Key topics in the guide include:
With each of these topics, we’ve included why it’s important and how parents can help reinforce these habits at home. Because we understand that families, and their children, have unique and specific needs, we have included advice and tips for both ideal and practical situations.
Copyright © 2022 Lightspeed Systems | Privacy Policy | California Privacy Notice | COPPA Notice | Security & Compliance | Applicant & Employee Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2022 Lightspeed Systems
Privacy Policy | California Privacy Notice | COPPA Notice | Security & Compliance | Applicant & Employee Privacy Policy
Still doing your research?
Let us help! Schedule a free demo with one of our product experts to get all of your questions answered quickly.
Looking for pricing information for our solutions?
Let us know about your district’s requirements and we’ll be happy to build a custom quote.
Please share your location to continue.
Check our help guide for more info.