Hutchings Herald 1/31/2020 

Hutchings Herald 1-31-2020

The Principal's Corner:

Social Media

            For those of you who may not know this about me, I am a huge sports fan. Soccer and hockey are the two major sports I follow the most, but I will watch golf, college basketball, the NFL, and any movie that relates to any sport. So when the news hit my phone about Kobe Bryant, I went directly to Twitter to see what happened. There were early reports of the events with nothing confirmed, and then there was speculation about how his entire family passed in the tragic event, which ended up being incorrect. I reached out to a friend who works at ESPN and the advice he gave me was to give it three hours before you log onto anything because it’s all speculation. He said ESPN is actually are taking a different approach which is waiting until we get confirmed on the ground sources are confirmed before anything is released. 

            It was yet another reminder for me about the dangers of diving right into social media, and it was a thank you to my parents for teaching me as a youngster how to think about the news before I react to it. 

            That brings me to TikTok - the new app the most kids, err people, are using nowadays, which basically just shares short video clips to anyone willing to watch. I’ll be honest - I thought TikTok was just like Instagram; however, after spending a weekend of reading, I’ve learned that it may not be the case. TikTok might go down in history as the first app to be created internationally, to have such a large following in the United States. Facebook and Instagram have massive amounts of policy, rules, regulations, and moderation ability because they are in compliance with the laws that dictate US policy. TikTok does not - it was created in China where the laws are just not the same. For example, TikTok set a new record by being fined the most money ever ($5.7 million) by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for illegally collecting data on children under the age of 13. It has gotten to the point where the United States and the UK both currently have open national security reviews going on for this app.

This to me is mind-blowing! How does an app that gets marketed as a fun video-sharing platform, to national security reviews? Yet, while this is crazy to me it is a fact and something that as a community we have to take a look at. The underlying question for us isn’t about TikTok and the legality of it all; it is what and how do we want to teach our children about social media? Do we want to tell them that you have to be careful on social media and that we need to limit the time we are on there as we upload photos to Snapchat? Do we want to explain to them about sources and how opinions from your role models are not facts?  As adults, how can we possibly monitor every app that comes out especially when 10-15 of them seem to come out every day?

Social media is a powerful tool and has changed every single aspect of our lives. It allows me to check and see the story of Kobe Bryant; it allows his fans all over the world to remember him. It allows us to get books in front of kids during reading to push their thinking and expand their horizons, and it gives us the opportunity to teach them how to be critical thinkers. The question becomes, how do we do this? That question is answered not within the walls of Hutchings Elementary by just one person. That question is answered by our choices, every day, in what we model for children.

MacGregor's Message:

It’s Time for Kindergarten Registration

Howell Public Schools will hold its annual Begindergarten and Kindergarten registration event on Tuesday, March 17. To learn about the district’s Begindergarten and Kindergarten programs, find your child’s home school and begin the online enrollment process, please visit HowellSchools.com/KDG.   

13th Annual Livingston County Community Connect

Tomorrow, Saturday, February 1, The Livingston County Homeless Continuum of Care Committee will host the 13th Annual Livingston County Community Connect at Parker Middle School from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event is open to all area residents. It includes free health screenings, legal consultation, employment services featuring local job opportunities, food, clothing, books, personal care items, haircuts, and much more. The event includes fun activities for the kids, but no childcare. Lunch is also provided on-site at no cost. To learn more, please visit http://bit.ly/38sb5S2.

 

Counselors Corner:

For those that were able to join for the Brooks Gibbs Parent Program on January 21st at Howell High School, we hope you enjoyed it! It is always inspiring and refreshing to get insight from experts (Especially entertaining and comedic ones like Brooks!).

Brooks is a popular author/speaker and authority on bullying in the schoolyard and workplace. Here are some key takeaways from his message! If you would like more information or are interested in creating a more personalized plan for your family, please reach out!

  1. Use the language, "Don’t get upset, treat him like a friend" when students are struggling with others. We often give conflicts power, and make them worse, when we respond with anger and frustration. Teach your child strategies for managing their reactions to mean behavior. A calm response is often enough to deter a “meanie.”
  2. Everyone understands the concepts of winning and losing, and most people would agree it feels better to win. Use this analogy with kids when talking about resolving conflicts with others. You “win” when you keep your cool and defeat the “meanie.” You “lose” when you get upset and give them the dramatic and emotional reaction they are looking for. 
  3. Our beliefs about ourselves impact our behavior. The better we feel about ourselves and who we are, the more able we are to repel mean behavior. Pay attention to your child’s sense of self. Give them specific feedback and praise. Catch them being good. Brooks would recommend giving them a (casual, humorous) script to use when they are face-to-face with a mean person, like “This negative energy is making my head hurt” (and then calmly turn around and walk away). 

Social conflict is normal, but can be uncomfortable. We hope these tips help as you navigate these difficult situations with your kids!

Here’s to raising strong, confident kids,

Sarah Boyd 

School Counselor


Hutchings Elementary, 3503 Bigelow, Howell, MI 48855
Phone: 517-548-1127, Fax: 517-548-1763


Posted by deurlooj On 03 February, 2020 at 12:42 PM