If you have read any of my other blogs you might realize that I am not a tech fanatic.  Don't get me wrong, I appreciate catching up with friends and family on Facebook and getting ideas from Pinterest.  I am not sure how I ever survived my teenage years without a cellphone. Filling out forms and composing letters and papers has been made so much easier with Word Document programs.  However, I feel that some of these (not all) technological "upgrades" are taking away from face to face conversation and social etiquette.   I have found a slideshare presentation that shares how technology can hinder social skills.  http://www.slideshare.net/MichelleJCouperthwaite/technology-affecting-social-skills

I feel that as we begin or grow in our use of technology at school, it might be wise to have family nights so that parents/grandparents can see how we are using technology to enhance curriculum and not to take the place of hands on activities and social interaction between students and between students and teachers.  We might also use these nights to discuss digital citizenship and safe ways to communicate online as well as sites that are safe for students.  I also think we should emphasize that technology should not take the place of hands on or outdoor family experiences.