Bring Digital Citizenship Week Home

By Emily Phelan
Spotlight
October 21, 2019

Digital Citizenship Week

FCPS is celebrating Digital Citizenship Week from October 21-25, 2019! This year’s theme is Media Balance and Well-Being: Developing a Healthy Relationship with Your Technology.  During Digital Citizenship Week here at Chantilly, we will be tackling some Digital Citizenship topics and ask that you consider bringing Digital Citizenship home.  

Monday

Families are encouraged to reflect on their own relationship with technology, their media habits, and begin to think of ways to make some healthy adjustments. 

Tuesday

Students and families are encouraged to exercise healthy tech practices such as managing notification settings and turning off screens an hour before bedtime. Try some of these ideas:

  • Consider making phone-free zones in your home.
  • Promote better sleep by disconnecting from screens at least one hour before bedtime and charging your phone outside of the bedroom.
  • Change your phone’s notification settings to minimize distractions 

Wednesday

Families are encouraged to think about how technology can be used to create original works.  Encourage students to favor the active use of technology for creation over passive consumption. Did you know:

  • Your student has access to a number of digital tools that promote creativity including Adobe Spark, Snag-it , and G Suite including Google Docs, Slides, Drawings, and more. These tools are available for students to create outside of school too!

Thursday

Students and families are encouraged to think critically about the media they consume and actively evaluate and select high quality, age-appropriate media. Try some of these ideas:

  • Help your student become a critical consumer of media by discussing these 5 questions with them when you consume media together, such as books, movies, and news articles.
  • Check out this tip sheet with your child and emphasize the importance of choosing quality resources.
  • Try these additional tips on how to establish expectations at home around media use.

Friday

Students and families are encouraged to practice media balance by taking a break from screens to engage in real-world experiences and quality time with their friends and family. Try some of these ideas:

  • Have a device-free dinner and focus on connecting as a family.
  • Take on a Phone-Free Day challenge as a family and commit to leaving the phone at home when family members go to school or work.  Notice how your day changes and discuss the benefits and challenges together.

Thank you for participating in Digital Citizenship Week at home to help our students enjoy the benefits of using technology in a healthy and balanced way.