Digital Citizenship
Teenagers are in trouble! The research is clear that there is an increase in teenage depression and a direct correlation to the introduction of the smart phone 2012. Waldorf schools are known for their slow approach to technology and many families have agreed to the Wait Until 8th pledge. Waldorf Academy middle schoolers study in a new program called, Cyber Civics, digital citizenship.
"Critical thinking and ethical choices about the content and impact on oneself, others, and one’s community of what one sees, says, and produces with media, devices, and technologies."
The powerful technologies that most kids carry around in their pockets connect them with the world in new ways that can be both positive and negative. Digital Citizenship is a preemptive measure that helps tip the balance towards positive online interactions.
Our sister school in Thornhill, Toronto Waldorf School, has recently introduced a system called “Yondr” to improve teaching and learning making their high school a phone-free learning environment.
Topics include:
Building digital skills in young children
Positive online reputation management
Maintaining online privacy
Managing screen time
Cyberbullying, sexting, and more.
Cyber civics is a digital literacy course which aims to teach the children how to be a good digital citizen. Becoming a “digital citizen” starts with an understanding of “citizenship” in general. In the second unit, students will explore the responsibilities, opportunities, and privileges they have within all the communities they belong to, online and off. We can see this course as an opportunity for your children to take an all-encompassing look at who they are, who they want to be, and who they don’t want to be, whether or not your child uses technology at home. Regardless, they must learn how technology is being used and how to use it responsibly. And being at a Waldorf school raises the question: should we consider students to have two lives or one -- a relatively digitally unplugged life at school, and a digitally saturated life away from school, or one that integrates their lives as students and digital citizens? We discussed how Cyber Civics attempts to achieve this healthy combination by bringing the conversation about what students are doing outside of school into the classroom
Discover why Waldorf schools are a healthier options for our children in today's society and contact us for a private tour or small group tour on most Thursdays.
We are a Waldorf school, which means we are part of a growing network of nearly 2,500 schools around the world that deliver the renowned Waldorf education model.
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“There is a high degree of congruence between what the world demands of people, and what Waldorf schools develop in their pupils, placing a high value on creatively and productively applying knowledge to new realms. This enables “deep learning” that goes beyond studying for the next test.”
Andreas Schleicher, international coordinator of PISA studies.
