Local
Workshop helps parents keep kids safe on the Internet
By Press Release
May 9, 2008 - 1:31:55 PM

MySpace, Facebook, Friendster. Most middle school and high school students are familiar with these social networking sites and can navigate them easily. Because of the popularity of these sites and the potential for their misuse (inappropriate pictures, cyber bullying and interference with homework and academic performance), parents need to know how they work. But for many parents, these are strange and even scary new worlds. Now, Norwalk parents have the opportunity to learn about social networking on the web at workshops sponsored by the Norwalk Education Foundation. The next “MySpace to Your Space…Keeping Kids Safe on the Internet” workshop will take place May 13, from 7:15 pm to 9:00 pm at Norwalk High School.

The session, run by a Norwalk middle school teacher and a middle school guidance counselor, is designed to teach parents the fundamentals of how these social networking sites work. Participants learn about these sites in a hands-on way; they learn how to set up a MySpace account, personalize settings, maneuver around the site, search for a friend and join a group.

“Parents need to be aware of the dangers on the Internet, aware of what their children are doing, seeing and reading on the Internet and also need to be able to help guide their children as they begin to participate in this world of on-line networking,” says Sara Vogel, a middle school computer teacher and one of the instructors. “They are not going to keep them off of the sites, so my feeling is to join them and be a part of their kid’s technology world and work together to help them stay safe.”

Participant Rosemary Ganino, mother of a 5th grader, agrees. “There’s a whole lifetime in between when I was young and my soon-to-be middle schooler. I need to know what’s out there.” In fact, Ganino said when her daughter is interested and wants to get online, she would set up a MySpace or Facebook page with her. “I’d rather my daughter learn about it from me than from others.”

The MySpace workshop is a program of the Norwalk Education Foundation (NEF). NEF is an independent, nonprofit organization that works to improve education for Norwalk schoolchildren by providing programs and funds for innovative classroom instruction, teacher and technology training, and a variety of learning opportunities beyond the school day.

Norwalk School Middle School and 5th-grade parents can sign up to attend the workshop at www.norwalkeducation.org and click on the link under “TechSmart Parents: MySpace Class.”

© Copyright by NorwalkPlus.com