What does Chromebook use look like in your kid's elementary class?

[Anonymous]

I'm all for technology in schools but clearly, they need better guidelines with regard to appropriate usage.

[Anonymous]

can't wait for kindergarten orientation to find out what K-5 kids are doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:can't wait for kindergarten orientation to find out what K-5 kids are doing.

Do you think they are going to tell you how much technology they are using? Or how developmentally inappropriate the curriculum is?

[Anonymous]

They already told us on the tour what they do. We will then decide what we do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:can't wait for kindergarten orientation to find out what K-5 kids are doing.

You can ask the teachers but they will most definitely tell you that the Chromebooks are used ‘appropriately’! They HAVE to say that.

Also, just a heads up, at our school the Kindergarteners are off on the days the ES does incoming K orientation. So there will be no kids there to observe. Only the teachers.

[Anonymous]

So what exactly happens at K Orientation?
Teachers and principal can QUANTIFY what "Chromebook use" means.
Teachers and principal can show the class schedule for k, 1,2,3,4,5. Teachers and principal can talk about class sizes caps. They can share how many standardized tests per year per grade your kid will do. JUST ASK, MAKE THEM ANSWER.

Parents show up, fill out forms, don't ask tough questions, kid plays around in the classroom and that's it?
Sounds like a missed opportunity to learn what Public School is all about nowadays.

If parents think it is the same strong MCPS ES program as the 1980/1990s/2000s they are in for a rude awakening. Alternatively, they could just stay asleep to it.

[Anonymous]

I agree that we must ask for specifics and for class schedules, and we must communicate to the teacher, the principal and the school board that this is a huge issue of concern. 'Appropriate use' means nothing, and if that's the line, then we should push back for definitions of what appropriate use is, and proof that that is what is actually happening. Further, because of all these privacy issues that are being reported, that is another way to push for accountability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree that we must ask for specifics and for class schedules, and we must communicate to the teacher, the principal and the school board that this is a huge issue of concern. 'Appropriate use' means nothing, and if that's the line, then we should push back for definitions of what appropriate use is, and proof that that is what is actually happening. Further, because of all these privacy issues that are being reported, that is another way to push for accountability.

Agree. A young child's education is not the place for school leaders to be dodging questions, avoiding topics, or responding in lame platitudes/non-answers.
Step it up parents!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what exactly happens at K Orientation?
Teachers and principal can QUANTIFY what "Chromebook use" means.
Teachers and principal can show the class schedule for k, 1,2,3,4,5. Teachers and principal can talk about class sizes caps. They can share how many standardized tests per year per grade your kid will do. JUST ASK, MAKE THEM ANSWER.

Parents show up, fill out forms, don't ask tough questions, kid plays around in the classroom and that's it?
Sounds like a missed opportunity to learn what Public School is all about nowadays.

If parents think it is the same strong MCPS ES program as the 1980/1990s/2000s they are in for a rude awakening. Alternatively, they could just stay asleep to it.

Unfortunately I think it's simpler than that for most parents. They hear the term "good school" or "good school district" thrown around and make all sorts of assumptions.
In reality it merely means "good average standardized test scores" at the school or district. If parents dug 5 minutes deeper they'd found out all their kids do is study 3 subjects a day and half that time on a PC computer and prep for 4 tests a year that do nothing but tell the Head Office how that class might test on the PARCC standardized test in May.

Good schools, good schools....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what exactly happens at K Orientation?
Teachers and principal can QUANTIFY what "Chromebook use" means.
Teachers and principal can show the class schedule for k, 1,2,3,4,5. Teachers and principal can talk about class sizes caps. They can share how many standardized tests per year per grade your kid will do. JUST ASK, MAKE THEM ANSWER.

Parents show up, fill out forms, don't ask tough questions, kid plays around in the classroom and that's it?
Sounds like a missed opportunity to learn what Public School is all about nowadays.

If parents think it is the same strong MCPS ES program as the 1980/1990s/2000s they are in for a rude awakening. Alternatively, they could just stay asleep to it.

Unfortunately I think it's simpler than that for most parents. They hear the term "good school" or "good school district" thrown around and make all sorts of assumptions.
In reality it merely means "good average standardized test scores" at the school or district. If parents dug 5 minutes deeper they'd found out all their kids do is study 3 subjects a day and half that time on a PC computer and prep for 4 tests a year that do nothing but tell the Head Office how that class might test on the PARCC standardized test in May.

Good schools, good schools....

Exactly. My DH and I had a very similar conversation. When we were looking at where to buy a home, we looked at GS and other websites that rank schools, saw that the neighborhood we wanted to buy in was districted to GS 8/9/10s and thought "great!" We figured the schools were pretty similar to the good public schools we had experienced in CT and NY in the 90s and early 2000s.

Boy were we wrong. Public school is so different than it used to be. I think a lot of parents assume it's the same and don't ask many questions, as long as their kids are enjoying school. I think most parents would be shocked at what they saw if they went into these classrooms and volunteered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is our first year with Chromebooks and both my spouse and I feel like they are a real cluster.

Our kid is a fast worker and races through work to go play games on his Chromebook. Sure the games are pre-approved, but they are not exactly educational and the kids "game" the games to accumulate points as opposed to complete the actual learning objectives. According to my child the kids in the class are using all the various programs and games to collect stickers and prizes and change avatars as opposed to actually learning and reading e-books. I know an 8 year old should have some self control, but isn't it the teacher's or school's job to police this somewhat?

They are allowed to use it for typing, but the typing programs that were approved aren't even touch typing. Rather, they're just racing to peck out sentences.

Even more troubling is that my child told me his friend was googling all the kids in the class and found our Flickr account, etc... Yes, we have locked it. Yes, we told him not to emulate that behavior.

We've already tried talking to the teacher but things have not improved at all. I wish that the teacher would tell early-finishers to do an extension assignment or read a physical book, but that ain't happening.

Is this just what MCPS looks like for elementary kids with spare time after their work is done and if they are not meeting for direct instruction? If so, I am really really really discouraged.

Yikes, I haven't looked in to this but when I ask my son it sounds like he's on his headphones and chromebook quite a bit each class, and this is 2nd grade!