Cyber Stalking

Cyber stalking someone is a form of harassment that can exist only online or come into the real world. The victims of this sort of harassment are often young late childhood to the early teens. When we are talking about these young victims we call the cyber stalker an online predator. Harassment is defined both online and in the real world as following someone from one place to another, communicating with them, watching them at home, work or anywhere else, and threatening them or their family.
Now online predators normally are male, seductive, introverted, sadistic, and sexually indiscriminant. They seduce their “prey” in a number of ways. Most show the child affection and kindness sending them gifts often times tickets to come and see them. They are willing to devote much of their time money and energy toward the child. They keep up to date on the latest shows, movies, and music and will really listen to what kids have to say making them feel important. Some even start with sexually explicit conversations right away.
Teenagers usually get caught in this because they are trying to form relationships outside the family. They are curious about the sexually explicit material and gravitate towards those whom will explain and show it to them. Especially those that are close to their age…and even if it isn’t technically pedophilia it is still dangerous.
Kids at risk are ones who feel lonely and isolated and just want affection, or sometimes they are the children who are rebellious and trying to get out from under their parents thumbs. Most often though it is a combination of both along with the fact that they may be new to the internet and don’t understand the etiquette of online.

http://www.edutopia.org/online-education-virtual-classrooms

This resource is about the excellent impact online learning has had on the students, teachers, and schools all over the country. It is the assisting effect, on different situations, that online learning has had. How it has helped all different people in many different situations where a strict, traditional school would be restricting and constraining on some students. It really explains how the lives of different students have expanded and flourished because of online learning. How the flexibility and diversity has helped many students thrive in situations that they wouldn’t have been given the same opportunities in

traditional classroom schools. Different classes are available that aren’t at their local schools, more flexible schedules are offeredto those students with family, health, or social issues, and virtual schools are offered for hundreds of students to enroll in rather than have an overpopulated school. There are so many advantages and opportunities offered from this online schooling it is uncanny.

This was written by Christina Wood, a freelance writer in North Carolina, and was published, not only on edutpia.org, but also in Edutopia magazine. It has factual and accurate information that is credible and up to date. It is an excellent and outstanding look into the online learning experience, with many different anecdotes and true-life stories of people who have thrived from this opportunity.

My honest opinion on this topic is in complete collaboration with Christina Wood. The idea of flexibility, freedom, responsibility, time management, and endless opportunity to all students or anyone who is motivated for knowledge is marvelously stupendous! I think it is amazing and should be exposed to more people! So many people could benefit from such an amazing opportunity! Single parents who wish to go back to school, but do not have the time. Children who cannot afford education or need more flexibility with time for education. So many different people this could help and facilitate!

Online Predators

The online world can be a very beneficial place for education, research, or even a great way to meet new people, but how will meeting a new friend turn into something dangerous and possibly life-threatening? All over the internet predators are waiting and looking for their prey (your children). They are willing to put anything into it: considerable amounts of money, time, and energy. Predators will attempt to communicate with their desired prey by whatever means necessary and do whatever it takes. At first, the predator may seem caring and sympathizing towards a childs' problems or worries about his/her life and after some time, the predator will work their way into your childs' life by breaking down their barriors and will begin intorducing sexual content. Alsmost always, the predator will fake who they are; a fake name, job, where they live, and where they work. They try to adapt their lifestyle to fall into place with their prey. For example: a child who admits to loving to swim, the predator may say he/she works at a local pool and that they should go for a swim sometime. A few good ways to prevent your children from encountering the wrong people are:

1) Keep your children informed and make sure they know what the possibilites of the internet are

2) Keep your computer in a family room or frequently used room so you can monitor what your children are seeing and when.

3) Monitor the websites visited and set parent controls

4) Make sure content is age-appropriate and isn't for a more mature audience

5) Don't believe it won't happen to your family...because it can. Take action before it's too late


I thought this website: http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/special_initiatives/wa_resources/wa_shared/backgrounders/online_predators.cfm

was very interesting and well thought out. It had great information on how to see if your child was hiding something, how to prevent it, and how to deal with it. There is no doubt in my mind that every child should be carefully monitored online to make sure they are not being harassed or getting involved in a dangerous relationship. I think the online world is extremely dangerous if not used and monitored properly and I would encourage every parent to read about 0nline predators before allowing their child to continously be on the internet.

This video is from Columbus, OH which is not too far from where we live. I chose this one because of how close to home it is and that makes it easier for us all to relate. I loved how it also brought the teaching aspect into online predators and showed that we can even be a huge help in childrens online experiences. We need to keep our ears and eyes open to what we hear and see and this is exactly what this young teacher did. She developed a book, now sold in stores, about online predators. It is a twist off of 'Little Red Riding Hood' and it is developed very well. It thoroughly explains to young children how to be careful yet it is still age apporopriate.

Development of teachers

Edutopia.com had a thought provoking article on how teachers, no matter how well seasoned or not, need to continue their own education to better serve their students. Using mentor teachers for the new inexperienced teachers and and providing them enough tools to be successful in their new careers. The article tells us of how universities and colleges are beginning to get their student-teachers out the working environment even earlier in order to provide them with a background and getting them acclimated to the teaching profession. The article goes on to add that veteran teachers should also be looking forward to adding the new up-to-date concepts in teaching to their repertoire, as well as adding new technology and new curriculum resources. Making sure they are up the latest techniques in teaching can benefit them as well as their students. I also saw a good video clip from all the positive things that universities in Virgina and Colorado are doing to make sure their students are getting properly trained. Peer reviews and The Project Promise, a group made up of students and teachers in the profession to aid in the advancement of new promising teachers. A disturbing fact has come to my attention and that is almost half of new teachers leave the profession within the first five years. And schools like the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia are creating mentor ship programs to help end this trend.

Why Is Teacher Development Important?: Because Students Deserve the Best by edutopia staff

Cyberbullying dating

I found this video on teachertube.com I think this was very wrong what these 11 girls did to this 14 year old girl. It destroyed her her trust in other people and now she is never really going to trust anyone again . She is really lucky itwas only 11 school girls because it could of been a old guy who lured her into seeing him and she could of have died. I think her mom should of checked out this guy before she drove her to a high school becasue she is only 14 and she doesn't really know that much about dating yet, all she has ever done was talk on line with this guy. You can tell her and her mom are really close because if they weren't she might have commited suicide because she didn't have anyone to talk to about it. I also think this is a really good video to show kids because it is a news reprot that really happened to someone, not just someone that is is telling them about what could happen to them. I just can"t believe that they did that for 8 months that is very long time to mess with someone life. Didn't they have nothing else to do with their life, but to mess up someone's life.

If someone is going to do that to someone they should think about what it is going to do to the other person. Even if it is just a joke because it doesn't matter because you are still hurting the other person. Also I think who ever does that to someone should be punished otherwise they are going to continue to do this to other people.

Luis Perez Virtual Schools video

My video would not work in my blog so i have to post it this way this is what the website told me to do

Bullying

http://www.edutopia.org/educational-video-picks



This video/website teensagaisntbullying lets teens and even adults talk about their own experiences in bullying. It helps spread the word around about bullying and the emotional effects it has on people. The website is a beginning to helps students get involved and hopefully stop bullying.

I really think this website is a great idea. Bullying can have lifetime long effects on people. It can lower self-esteem, and even recently one girl has killed herself over her fellow classmates harassing her over text messages. Bullying needs to come to a stop and I think everyone should check out this website, it is a helpful tool to make you more aware and get you involved. Maybe it will make you think twice before calling someone a name or picking on someone.