User:Macach2015/sandbox

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Beginning this academic year, the Middle School teachers are collectively creating a Weblog, or more commonly known as a blog, for our young students to use in the classroom. Each class will actively take part in contributing to the developmental process of an online learning environment. Their ideas and interests will be shared on the Internet with other students that are either across the hall from them or across the country, whom also use blogs in their classrooms. This blog will strictly be devoted to support and enhance teaching and learning.

Our education system has acknowledged the benefits of using the Internet in classrooms, which is seen in the recently added digital and technological components of our 21st century curriculum. Our students are able to learn more critically with blogs since it supports different types of learners by accepting everyone's contribution. By expanding our classroom walls, students and teachers become part of a larger group of intellectual individuals, and thus work further together to accomplish a common goal.

Security & Safety

Your child's privacy and safety is of the utmost importance to us. We are aware that the more students engage in online practices, the bigger responsibility we have to ensure our students are using its functions properly and with care. With that being said, before beginning the class project, we will have two full classes dedicated teaching to internet safety. Here, they will learn exactly what proper conduct is on the web, what material is considered appropriate and inappropriate, how to maturely respond to various online situations, and what their overall academic responsibility is regarding education and internet usage. Following these classes, the students will be required to write a brief paper on what they learned. Additionally, once we start the project, the students will be closely watched by the teachers to monitor and ensure proper usage. Once our blogs are up and running, we will send each student home with a form including their unique username and password to access the blog. It is the student's responsibility to have his or her parent/guardian sign the bottom of the form, acknowledging that they received access to the account and understand the assignment.

It should be noted that although the children are using the internet and the blog as a means of interaction, Cyberbullying will not be tolerated. "Cyberbullying is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones" ("STOP Cyberbullying: What Is Cyberbullying, Exactly", 2015). Students will use this website solely for educational purposes and the teachers will be monitoring the site to make sure the content stays appropriate.

It should be noted that although the children are using the internet and the blog as a means of interaction, there will be zero Cyberbullying allowed. "Cyberbullying" is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones ("STOP Cyberbullying: What Is Cyberbullying, Exactly", 2015). Students will use this website solely for educational purposes and the teachers will be monitoring the site to make sure the content stays appropriate.

Access

Although the content of this site will be available to the public, the children's safety will not be compromised. Teachers, parents and students will all have access to view this site, but so will strangers. The only personal information that will be on the site is each student's first name. The name of the school will not be provided to ensure this classroom cannot get tracked down. This site will be public because the internet truly serves as a global classroom. The teachers have come up with a set of terms and conditions to ensure this site's focus stays centered.

Permission

We middle school teachers understand that as a parent/guardian you have concerns about online safety, therefore before your child begins using the classroom blog, we are requesting that you and your child take the time to read and discuss the following statement together. We ask that you to acknowledge the benefits of online social activities for your child's present and future experiences. If you approve, please sign the following letter and have your child return it to their homeroom teacher.

I have read and understood the following information, and hereby give my child permission to use the classroom blog:

Student's Signature: _____________________________________________________ Date: ____________________

Parent/Guardian's Signature: ______________________________________________ Date: ____________________