Bike Safety

Image via Wikipedia

As I continue to ruminate about social networking sites and how they are connected with teachers and students, I suddenly thought of bike safety. Most of our students learn how to ride a bicycle. However, they usually learn that skill at home with mom or dad running along beside them. I heard about a smart dad who wore roller blades while teaching his child how to ride a bike. He could give his child a little bit of support and gradually reduce that support until the child was riding alone.

Are teachers and schools expected to teach children how to ride a bike? No. Do parents welcome the occasional bike safety class or a bike rodeo to practice skills? Yes, they do. Often in the middle school years (grade 7 - 9), some intrepid teachers organize bicycle field trips. However, there is little if any explicit teaching about riding a bicycle.

Could it be that the use of social networking sites is something that students would learn to do at home? Parents could be there to coach them, help them pick out the right size "bicycle"", and ensure they have a "bike helmet". At school, we can provide some safety classes or occasionally bring students together in a ning site at school to practice their social networking skills.