Hello!

If you perform a basic Google Search for "digital citizenship lessons" you'll find a plethora of high quality content from a variety of publishers. So what sets this work apart? There are three core principles I keep in mind when building content: it should be embedded in the work teachers and students already do, it should honor student voice and put them in the driver seat of their learning, and it should help everyone explore the gray areas of life in a digital age.

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• Embedded:  Many digital citizenship resources require teachers to find 30-40 minutes of time for direct instruction, but teachers already have so much to accomplish in the school day. Where do you fit a standalone digital citizenship lesson when you already teach reading, math, social studies, science and more? The truth is, you can't, and so digital citizenship gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list. My goal always has been (and always will be!) to show teachers how digital citizenship skills and concepts can and should be embedded within the content you are already teaching. 

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• Student-Centered: Many digital citizenship resources are designed through a direct instruction approach. The teacher has a "script" and/or a set of resources to use to impart knowledge on the students. The students are then asked to recall important details from the lesson to show what they've learned. While this approach can work as an introduction to new concepts, it doesn't often allow for students to share their own experiences or dive deeper into topics that interest them. My goal is to acknowledge our students as the digital citizens they already are, provide opportunities for them to share their experiences, and open the door for further inquiry and discovery. 

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• Nuanced:  As a school librarian, I remember getting a weird feeling when I'd tell kids "do not share your passwords with anyone" and then ask a kid for their password as I helped them troubleshoot their school issued device. I also tell parents it is a good idea to know their young child's passwords. "Don't share your password" is an easy lesson to give and students are readily able to fire back the "correct answer" when you ask for it. But the topic isn't so black and white, is it? Most of our digital lives and experiences can't be summed up in bumper sticker-like slogans like "be kind online." It's just more complicated than that! My goal is to help students and teachers explore the gray areas at the intersection of technology and humanity, and empower learners to view a variety of perspectives and possibilities as they do so.