Do you know where your children are?
I’m participating in an online social network whose purpose is to bring independent school educators together to discuss, investigate, and understand the Web and to incorporate the Web into their instruction. When I first began learning about Web 2.0 tools I was overwhelmed by what I didn’t know about the Web. As I’ve spent time discovering, investigating, exploring and creating with these tools I’ve enjoyed many aha moments; that’ll make life easier, and contemplative moments; what are we doing to equip our parents and students for this reality?
Back to the social network (SN). I’m being a good student and reading through the posts and as I am I find one that resonates with me. I continue reading the discussions back and forth and finally reply:
“I especially appreciate the student comment about not seeing it as cheating but as being helpful. I think that statement gets to the heart of one of the things we’re dealing with here. As adults; teachers, parents, leaders, it is our responsibility to teach children right from wrong. If we’re removed from the world they’re operating in we loose that opportunity and they begin to create they’re own rules. Don’t get me wrong I believe every ethical/moral lesson contributes to the whole but that’s accomplished through adults adding their voice to the other voices children are hearing. If we as adults are removed from 50%-75% of their world, perhaps the most important 50%-75%, what are they taking away from these online experiences?”
I continue reading, contemplating and wishing all of our community were reading these posts. But I swore a solemn oath not to copy and paste what others have written. And I keep my promises. However, this need to bring about awareness is still gnawing at me.
Do we want to leave our students, children and/or grandchildren to themselves on an island similar to the one in Lord of the Flies? Do we force them to abandon the island? Or do we join them on the island as their guides?