Teach good decision making

In her Tech for Learning Blog, Cheryl Oakes writes:

"We need to give our students permission to make good decisions. We need to help them build those guidelines to make those good decisions."

She makes this quote in the context of online discussion leading to offline meetings. I have had many similar experiences as the one she posts about in this article. I've travelled to California and to other states to meet people I have only otherwise met online and it has always been a postivie experience.

I attempt to incorporate these ideas into the internet safety lessons I deliver to students, but I get these kids on that topic for less than an hour. I encourage teachers to do as Cheryl suggests and find ways to teach good decision making.