Knightly News

“The definitive book on helping kids navigate growing up in a world where nearly every moment of their lives can be shared and compared.” Excerpt from Dr. Devorah Heitner’s website regarding her latest book.

Families, faculty, and staff are teaming up to help students make healthy choices regarding online communication and behavior with a community read of “Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age In A Digital World” by author and researcher Devorah Heitner, PhD. Dr. Heitner will join the Episcopal community on Monday, March 17, at 6 pm in the Visual & Performing Arts Center theater to discuss the book and the advice offered. In advance of her visit, readers will participate in a book club-style discussion on Tuesday, February 25, from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm in Aldrich Library.

Episcopal Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs Dr. Sara Fenske says having Dr. Heitner available to the Episcopal community is a tremendous opportunity. Fenske says Heitner is a very engaging speaker and readily shares her research results in a non-judgmental way. Dr. Heitner has conducted extensive research on students and technology use, interviewing parents, students, and educators nationwide. She has shared her findings through “The New York Times,” “Wall Street Journal, “Real Simple,” “The Washington Post,” “Time” and NPR.

“Take a deep breath. It’s going to be ok.” Dr. Sara Fenske

There’s no question that today’s students are growing up in a different environment than that of their parents. Fenske says Heitner’s work helps parents get a clearer picture of the online experience. “This book helps parents and educators better understand what students are doing online and why,” says Fenske. “It also provides a helpful perspective on how these online interactions can affect them in both positive and negative ways.” Topics explored include balancing parent needs and students' privacy online, concerns about students sharing personal information or too much information, and the long-term implications of online behavior. Readers can also expect to learn helpful strategies for mentoring students to develop healthy online boundaries.  Ultimately, Fenske hopes the “Growing Up in Public” book study empowers parents to feel more comfortable and confident coaching their child through the digital experience with age-appropriate discussions.

Boosting the Parent/Teacher Partnership

Community book reads nurture the partnership between parents and educators and strengthen the school community. Dr. Fenske says the experience creates a common language and understanding of topics that benefit everyone involved in the educational journey.  She points to recent discussions regarding the use of artificial intelligence as a similar example of community learning. Educators participate in monthly professional development regarding AI, students learn to responsibly and ethically deploy the technology, and families recently received updates on the school’s AI philosophy in a Parent Coffee this past October.

This is not the first time the Episcopal community has turned to Dr. Heitner’s expertise in parenting and technology. The community previously read her book, "Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World.” Earlier this school year, families were also invited to read “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” by Jonathan Haidt. Dr. Fenske says the experience was quite successful, with parents creating spin-off book clubs to further discuss the book. Administrators will offer Parent Coffee sessions this semester to keep “The Anxious Generation” conversation going. Hopefully, the “Growing Up in Public” read will be a timely complement to the conversations already sparked by this previous book study.

Preparing for Tomorrow

Helping students navigate their digital environment can be overwhelming for families. Episcopal administrators hope the support of a strong community and the insights of leading experts make the process easier to manage. Such a coordinated effort will benefit everyone as we prepare students to be the leaders of tomorrow.

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