In order to ensure I understand the importance of E-Safety, I have signed the computing pledge, stating that I will 'adhere to national and school policies regarding child protection and online safety.' To further my knowledge on E-Safety and how to teach the pupils the importance of staying safe online I have visited the following site: http://www.ictcpd4free.co.uk/course/view.php?id=4 This site has made me think about the different forms of digital communication I use and forms that are used in the classroom and those that have not. I have also looked at the policies and procedures surrounding E-Safety and how these link to the teaching standards. The website also informed me of different ways I can embed E-Safety into the curriculum. I have looked at the website Kidsmart (link below) which has tips for parents, teachers and children on how to stay safe on the internet. The website has encouraged me to think about how children are so vulnerable to many different dangers on the internet. KidSmart encourages teachers to use PSHE to dicuss difficult subjects with the pupils in my class. It gives both teachers and pupils a chance to discuss and make pupils aware of the dangers and how to deal with them safely. KidSmart suggests using PSHE to discuss Cyber bulling, sexting (if appropriate), Self-esteem and other dangers.
When looking at E-Safety and how to ensure that I am addressing certain issues with my pupils and helping to make sure that they are using the internet safely, I have also used Childnet International which provides teachers with many ideas to help integrate E-Safety into the curriculum. The websites provides lesson plans and structures to help teachers approach topics and delicate situations with the class through the use of games, colouring, quizzes and discussions. Below is a structure I have looked at using The adventures of Captain Kara, Winston and the SMART crew. There are 5 different episodes which highlight the SMART rules. They discuss with children the importance of understanding that everything they see on the internet should not be believed, who they should talk to on the internet, how they can protect themselves and the information they should put on social media and finally, who they can talk to if they feel that something is not quite right. These lessons plans are particularly useful to me as a student, as understanding how to approach such delicate subjects can be quite difficult, especially in primary education as I am not always aware as to which issues to address.
By looking at different websites, such as KidSmart and Childnet International, it has helped me to understand how to define E-Safety, how to integrate it into my classroom and how to approach the subject with both children and parents. Obviously, children use the internet mostly at home so in order to help ensure they are using it safely, it is important to be able to work with parents to ensure that they are aware of what I am talking to the children about in the classroom and I am aware of the rules for their children at home. In order for children to be safe online, teachers and parents need to work together.