Keeping Children Safe: Learn Iabout Internet Safety through Lifelong Learning Tech Savvy Parenting

A recent article posted on the PC Magazine website asks the question, “How Safe Are Your ‘Tweens Online?”. Internet safety is a huge topic among educators, parents, kids, teens and organizations such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and for good reason.

According to a recent NCMEC study and pcmag.com, “By age seven, 60% of kids have been online; a number that jumps to 90% by age 9. Most tweens-kids between the age s of 8 and 12—stay on the internet for at least two hours a day.”

NCMEC and Cox Communications hosted an internet safety summit in July and found that approximately “28 percent of tweens reported having been contacted by a stranger while online. About 18 percent did not tell anyone about being contacted, while 11% responded to a stranger.”

Not only do kids and teens need to be aware of internet predators, but internet bullying is on the rise. NCMEC reports 22 percent of kids have friends that have been bullied online.

These statistics can be unsettling for parents. How can you keep your Tweens protected and safe on the internet? BVSD’s Lifelong Learning is addressing these concerns by offering a Tech Savvy Parenting class to help educate parents of the latest technologies and how to keep kids safe on the internet. Here are the class details:

Tech Savvy Parenting
Become familiar with the technologies tweens and teens are using. We will look at what the technologies are, how to help keep your kids safe online, and suggestions for using technology to support student growth. A materials fee of $10 is payable to the instructor in class.

Monday, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM; 3 sessions starting October 13, 2008, ending October 27, 2008 Cost $89, Materials Fee $10
Location: New Vista High School in Boulder

About the instructor: Michelle Eckstein is the founder of Gifted Kids Network and an Educational Consultant Specializing in using technology with gifted stidents. She has a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Connecticut. Michelle serves on the Boulder Valley School District Talented and Gifted Advisory Committee and currently serves as Secretary of Boulder Valley Gifted and Talented. Check out her blog on Gifted and Talented in the 21st Century which addresses ways to incorporate technology into gifted and talented programs and classes.

To register for this class, please visit www.bvsd.org/LLL or call 303-499-1125 x222.
To view the PC Magazine article, please visit http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2326289,00.asp.