Today we met with our Tech Pod and dicussed preparing learners beyong the 2030’s, bullying and online safety, and mental health/ tehcnologies for promoting healthy lifestyles. Something that was interesting was how connected these three topics are.

A common thread in our discussion was around the need to be technologically equipped as that is the direction our society has/ is headed. This is going to required teachers to be more digitally fluent and aware of technolocical advances. Understanding that we are preparing learners for jobs and careers that haven’t been created yet is essential to comprehending the importance of critical and reflective thinking. As information becomes increasingly more accessible, students must learn to differentiate between fact and fiction. A consideration that I keep coming back to is how to ensure technology is available and accessible for all families.

Our group had very productive conversations around bullying and online safety. We all agreed that it would be helpful to bring in speakers to discuss internet safety. It is crucial learners understand that once something is on the internet, it’s there- even after it’s been “erased”. We discussed the importance of reinforcing messaging around kindness, compassion and empathy- as Alysha said so eloquently, “that’s a person on the other side of the screen”.

Finally, we discussed the importance of taking care of your mental health and having good “screen hygeine”. Students may need support when learning how to regulate and monitor their online activity. Implementing breaks that involve being present and aware of their own self such as movement, meditation, yoga and stretching would be grounding practices to use.