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Love it or hate it, there's no doubt that technology is here to stay. Your child now has near-instant access to more information than anyone ever dreamed possible. In our schools' computer labs, the district provides filtering from the source to keep our web browsing appropriate.

We know the world wide web has thousands of sites filled with great information to enhance any education... but how does a concerned parent keep out the junk from your home computer screen and email inbox?

Keep your personal computer public... in the family room, with the screen pointing out for responsible adults to see. It's too easy to "find trouble" when a computer with a wide-open Internet connection is in a child's bedroom.

Limit computer use to times when Mom or Dad are home. Consider setting up a password for your computer startup... most computers have some type of password protection. (Just don't forget your password, and don't make it too easy to guess!)

If you have a Macintosh-based computer at home, most of your pop-ups can be blocked with Safari's own blocking software. For Windows-based computers, you probably need to purchase a "spam" filter which keeps out inappropriate material. Internet Filter Review provides up-to-date evaluations of filtering software.

Bill Nye the Science Guy I would have enjoyed science a lot more in school if I had Bill Nye around then! He knows how to make learning fun. Visit his site to get ideas on science projects, or just refresh your memory to prepare for a science test! If your science tastes lean towards the gross, consider visiting the Yucky Science Site by Discovery Kids.

 

Kids Share Their Favorite Sites As part of a class I'm taking on earning my Master's Degree in Educational Multimedia at Cal Poly, I developed an interactive database where students can post their favorite websites. Click here to check it out, and be sure to add one of your faves.

 

Write Governor Brown  . If you'd like to send him a note.

 

Design Your Own Web Site! For those of you who love to share your knowledge, or just want to post photos of your hamster, consider building your own web page. Tripod allows you to set up your own website free of charge. If you're a student, click here to get the kid-basics on web design. Adults can click here and try their hand at posting a site for the world to see.

 

Classroom Typing Software Several students have expressed interest in buying the typing programs we use in the computer lab for use at home. Sunburst Software offers a home version of our 4th-6th program (Type to Learn 3). With enough interest, they may offer a home version of our primary typing program (Type to Learn Jr.).