Internet
Safety Guidelines
Here are guidelines we have found helpful over the
years:
Make sure you have a school/district
Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) signed and on file for each student with Internet access.
The Internet Advocate has a terrific article and guidelines for A.U.P.s.
You might consider developing a letter to go
home explaining e-mail and your intended use for it. Also have the students and parents
sign this letter and return it with their e-mail sign-up form. As an example, take a look
at the Parent E-mail Letter
that can be sent home.
When assigning a student username (the part before the @ symbol), consider using the student's first
name (patty@wherever.com). If that username is taken, add their
last initial to their first name (pattye@wherever.com).
Should that username not be available either, try adding their birth year
to the end (patty65@wherever.com). When all else fails, let the students pick a
username which reflects a personal
interest (teach@wherever.com).
When completing the online e-mail sign-up
form, we use the school address for all students and our school's name for their last name
(Patty Geneva). Reasonable
anonymity is important for the kid's safety, but there is no need to become paranoid.
Do not give personal information (identity)
to web sites or other users. Never give more information than first name, age, and very
general location -- such as "central Florida". The only exception we make is
when they are e-mailing their keypal set up through us and another classroom.
Get to know the commercial services
accessible by your school, such as the Scholastic
Network. It's free to educators now!
- Never arrange face-to-face meetings with those the students
meet online. EVER!
- Do not respond to any messages that make them feel
uncomfortable. In fact, tell your kids to not open an e-mail they receive from any
address they do not know or is not in their address book.
- Explain that some online users may not be who they say they
are. Education is the first best step to Internet safety.
- Place computers in high-visibility areas,
such as facing the wall so that all the screens are visible to the entire room.
- Have all students, in addition to their parents, read and
sign the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).
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