How can we advocate against Ed tech in elementary in dcps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of parents are using screens at home instead of, you know, parenting, and therefore their kids don't know how else to learn.

That's why you hear these parents advocating for more screens in the classroom. Differentiation? Why not give an advanced reader, I don't know, an advanced book to read? Why do they need to be on a tablet? But if you use screens as a babysitter and a way to placate your kid all the time outside of school, of course you'd rather they have the tablet. It will keep them calmer. It's a pacifier. You can't have schools trying to operate without them when parents are using them for hours a day in lieu of actually teaching their kids how to handle boredom or their own emotions.

Oh I see. This is a way for you to prove you are a superior parent. The new “I don’t give my kid sugar.” We see you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Ed tech is how our teachers will let my first grader learn at their own pace (they are testing a few grade levels ahead in reading and math). I get why people dislike it, but there are some advantages, like differentiated learning.

Nope. Totally not developmentally appropriate and easy way out instead of doing the heavy lifting.

Why is it developmentally inappropriate to let a 7 year old do a reading app for 30 minutes for enrichment?

Because comprehension when reading digitally is not as high as comprehension when reading a physical book. This is all documented.

Yeah but the PP says she doesn’t mind and this is enrichment so it’s not going to wreck her mind. Some math apps like Khan Academy are actually quite good. This issue is a lot more nuanced than you think. My kid has a different set of needs but this PP is not the first parent I’ve heard saying they appreciate the apps for acceleration so I am inclined to listen to them.

Also the research on digital reading is actually much less definitive than you claim: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10606230/

Nope, small groups by ability or paper and pencil assigned work is the answer. Not screens. Maybe a 1/2 hour in 3rd grade for individualized work on screens but 1st and letting a child just do math and reading by herself on line is definitely not the answer.

I’m sorry but you truly don’t get to decide that schools cannot access the technology that is changing everything about how work and life is done. Until you guys stop acting like “screens” are toxic in and of themselves, you are not going to be able to make any meaningful intervention. You need to focus.

OMG, are you for real??? Are you seriously advocating schools use screen in 3-8 year olds? Tech in work and life as an adult is totally different than in young kids. It is absolutely unnecessary and inappropriate. Go talk to your pediatrician and stop being ignorant.

And au contraire, screens use starting young leads kids to NOT being able to focus and with very short attention span. Forget about them focusing later.

I am saving screens are not toxic, correct. You are engaging in hyperbole which is just going to get you dismissed as a PITA parent. You need to start learning a lot more about the issue.

It is not hyperbole saying screens are not developmentally appropriate in young kids. Why don’t you talk to veteran teachers today about the differences in kids now compared to before screens.

What exactly is there to learn about screens in 3-8 year olds? It’s a huge problem in DCPS esp title 1 schools and teachers here are saying so. If you want to be in denial or vague so be it. It won’t help the issue and families will just opt out of DCPS altogether.

Bye Felicia. Hope you enjoy Waldorf.

DP but: nope. PP just understands something you don't. It's like when people became convinced kids learned reading via osmosis, and then some of us figured out that was BS. It took a few years, but now everyone agrees with us. You're just burying your head in the sand and your kids will suffer for it. But 5 years from now there will be bans on screens in ECE classrooms and policies that limit how much time kids are allowed to spend on screens throughout the day, especially in elementary. You'll see.

There will never be a ban on screens because all the testing and assessment is done on computers. And kids need to learn to type.

You can’t just see this from the perspective of a 3 year old. maybe screens will be banned in PK, sure. But beyond that, not gonna happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I think you need to focus on the curriculum and ineffectiveness of “Ed tech” as opposed to portraying the image of a precious Montessori mom who believes that even one episode of Teletubbies will pollute her child’s brain.

The issue is not a teacher putting a dance video on the smart screen - that is actually probably a fun and good use of screens. The actual issue is that the screen/algorithm based instructional methods replacing paper *do not work.* Even more of an alarm bell should sound when the school starts telling you that the instruction will be “self paced” with your child on a device.

So the upshot is - no, you cannot act like an entitled parent and cry that your baby is being “exposed to screens.” Because computers are obviously here to stay in the world. You need to focus on how Ed tech has replaced books and paper based education despite being catastrophically less effective - particularly in math.

This is a gross misrepresentation of what most people want. And sure if it’s the equivalent to 3-15 minutes a day sure.

But sometimes the books are read on the screen, all the morning meeting songs are on the screen, the movement breaks, whole group lessons,etc. -it can add up to 30-60 minutes easily.

To not take this seriously is to discredit the vast amount of research coming out. My generation (gen z) is the first one said to be less capable than the previous generations in terms of executive functioning skills and the like. It will only get worse.

I’m not advocating for Montessori or Waldorf -especially since both have ties to eugenics or forest school. Please don’t use reductive arguments.

I simply don’t think it’s appropriate for classrooms with children 3-5 years old to be made to have laptop carts with iPads in them. Especially when it’s not developmentally appropriate or necessary.

NP and sometimes I wonder if teachers realize they are showing that they aren’t really needed. If everything you do is from
YouTube/smartboard, why pay someone 90K for their expertise as a teacher? You could pay someone with less education a fraction of that and just dictate which YouTube videos to play.

Oh please. Unless you try to understand that this issue is not a fun YouTube video, you aren’t going to get anywhere. Because teachers themselves are equally concerned about being forced to deliver digital curriculums. This goes far beyond your allergy to your kid seeing a screen.

I am a DCPS teacher. I see what DCPS is trying to do by encouraging more and more tech use. With all of the apps, games, etc. that currently teach kids . The writing is on the wall if we as teachers aren’t careful.

If DCPS is trying to push for more instruction by app, it sure makes how hard the union fought to keep schools closed during Covid, even after the vaccine was available and teachers had been given preference to get it, look pretty short-sighted, doesn't it?

Personally I want my kids in a classroom learning from a teacher. It's weird how rarely that goal seems to be shared by teachers and schools though.

Be careful, indeed.

As a teacher I find this insulting. I truly do not care how you felt about Covid, your feelings are irrelevant. Funny how you can’t see from actual data that the red states who opened earlier certainly aren’t doing better overall -so spare me your thinly veiled hostility.

And to teachers who are worried about ‘AI taking our jobs’ do not be. Like most jobs AI will change the field, sure. However it is not a replacement for what a skilled human can do, especially for younger children.

Lastly, most teachers want to be in the classroom, just because we do not want to do it at the cost of our safety does not mean that is no longer the goal. I will never apologize for not meeting some parent’s standards on what safety is. Also if you do not know the history of vaccines and black people, shame on you.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Ed tech is how our teachers will let my first grader learn at their own pace (they are testing a few grade levels ahead in reading and math). I get why people dislike it, but there are some advantages, like differentiated learning.

Nope. Totally not developmentally appropriate and easy way out instead of doing the heavy lifting.

Why is it developmentally inappropriate to let a 7 year old do a reading app for 30 minutes for enrichment?

Because comprehension when reading digitally is not as high as comprehension when reading a physical book. This is all documented.

Yeah but the PP says she doesn’t mind and this is enrichment so it’s not going to wreck her mind. Some math apps like Khan Academy are actually quite good. This issue is a lot more nuanced than you think. My kid has a different set of needs but this PP is not the first parent I’ve heard saying they appreciate the apps for acceleration so I am inclined to listen to them.

Also the research on digital reading is actually much less definitive than you claim: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10606230/

Nope, small groups by ability or paper and pencil assigned work is the answer. Not screens. Maybe a 1/2 hour in 3rd grade for individualized work on screens but 1st and letting a child just do math and reading by herself on line is definitely not the answer.

I’m sorry but you truly don’t get to decide that schools cannot access the technology that is changing everything about how work and life is done. Until you guys stop acting like “screens” are toxic in and of themselves, you are not going to be able to make any meaningful intervention. You need to focus.

OMG, are you for real??? Are you seriously advocating schools use screen in 3-8 year olds? Tech in work and life as an adult is totally different than in young kids. It is absolutely unnecessary and inappropriate. Go talk to your pediatrician and stop being ignorant.

And au contraire, screens use starting young leads kids to NOT being able to focus and with very short attention span. Forget about them focusing later.

I am saving screens are not toxic, correct. You are engaging in hyperbole which is just going to get you dismissed as a PITA parent. You need to start learning a lot more about the issue.

It is not hyperbole saying screens are not developmentally appropriate in young kids. Why don’t you talk to veteran teachers today about the differences in kids now compared to before screens.

What exactly is there to learn about screens in 3-8 year olds? It’s a huge problem in DCPS esp title 1 schools and teachers here are saying so. If you want to be in denial or vague so be it. It won’t help the issue and families will just opt out of DCPS altogether.

Bye Felicia. Hope you enjoy Waldorf.

DP but: nope. PP just understands something you don't. It's like when people became convinced kids learned reading via osmosis, and then some of us figured out that was BS. It took a few years, but now everyone agrees with us. You're just burying your head in the sand and your kids will suffer for it. But 5 years from now there will be bans on screens in ECE classrooms and policies that limit how much time kids are allowed to spend on screens throughout the day, especially in elementary. You'll see.

There will never be a ban on screens because all the testing and assessment is done on computers. And kids need to learn to type.

You can’t just see this from the perspective of a 3 year old. maybe screens will be banned in PK, sure. But beyond that, not gonna happen.

As a teacher…

I will absolutely be advocating for less screen time, especially under 2nd grade. To be clear I don’t think any teachers are wanting NO screens (except PK/K), but to limit the amount of time kids spend on them at school. And I wish at home too.

Also the typing argument is moot. I didn’t learn how to type until 3rd grade and I’m certainly proficient. Most research actually supports starting formal keyboarding around 3rd–4th grade because many kids don’t even have the hand size or motor coordination before then (occupational therapists widely agree).

Typing is not a hard skill. You know what IS hard? Emotional regulation, executive functioning, critical thinking, creativity. A 2023 JAMA Pediatrics study (Radesky et al.) found that regularly using devices to calm young children was associated with increased emotional dysregulation over time. As the lead researcher put it: “A mobile device doesn’t teach a skill - it just distracts the child away from how they are feeling.”

And about things like iReady, Zearn, Starfall, and similar platforms -here’s what people aren’t saying: the efficacy research on these tools is almost entirely on grades 3–8 students, not K–2. The Zearn studies? Grades 3–5. The iReady efficacy studies? Grades 3–8. An independent 2024 study in Louisiana found Zearn’s effect on state test scores was a modest 0.03 standard deviations -statistically significant but small. A meta-analysis of educational apps for young children (Kim et al., 2021) found that positive effects were mostly on narrow drill-and-practice skills, not deeper learning like reading comprehension or problem solving. And effects shrank when measured by standardized tests rather than researcher-created ones.

Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Michigan found that most “educational” apps marketed to young children don’t reflect how kids actually learn and they lack scaffolded feedback, are heavy on extraneous rewards and ads, and aren’t developed with input from child development experts.

We need to stop talking about “screens.” That is a reductionist argument. What teachers are actually talking about is what the screen displaced: unstructured and guided play, boredom, messy sensory experiences, conversations with adults who aren’t performing for a camera, and learning the way children’s brains are wired to.

The slow, essential work of childhood development that doesn’t have a metric or an app. A 2022 NIH-funded study of nearly 4,000 children found that screen time directly displaced peer play and that displacement was the mechanism linking screen time to developmental delays.

Some people think this is crunchy mommy anxiety but there is a ton of research out there and those who are privileged are aware, you do not see their kids going to a school that uses something like ‘iReady’ in kindergarten…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ed tech is how our teachers will let my first grader learn at their own pace (they are testing a few grade levels ahead in reading and math). I get why people dislike it, but there are some advantages, like differentiated learning.

Nope. Totally not developmentally appropriate and easy way out instead of doing the heavy lifting.

Why is it developmentally inappropriate to let a 7 year old do a reading app for 30 minutes for enrichment?

Because comprehension when reading digitally is not as high as comprehension when reading a physical book. This is all documented.

Yeah but the PP says she doesn’t mind and this is enrichment so it’s not going to wreck her mind. Some math apps like Khan Academy are actually quite good. This issue is a lot more nuanced than you think. My kid has a different set of needs but this PP is not the first parent I’ve heard saying they appreciate the apps for acceleration so I am inclined to listen to them.

Also the research on digital reading is actually much less definitive than you claim: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10606230/

Nope, small groups by ability or paper and pencil assigned work is the answer. Not screens. Maybe a 1/2 hour in 3rd grade for individualized work on screens but 1st and letting a child just do math and reading by herself on line is definitely not the answer.

I’m sorry but you truly don’t get to decide that schools cannot access the technology that is changing everything about how work and life is done. Until you guys stop acting like “screens” are toxic in and of themselves, you are not going to be able to make any meaningful intervention. You need to focus.

OMG, are you for real??? Are you seriously advocating schools use screen in 3-8 year olds? Tech in work and life as an adult is totally different than in young kids. It is absolutely unnecessary and inappropriate. Go talk to your pediatrician and stop being ignorant.

And au contraire, screens use starting young leads kids to NOT being able to focus and with very short attention span. Forget about them focusing later.

I am saving screens are not toxic, correct. You are engaging in hyperbole which is just going to get you dismissed as a PITA parent. You need to start learning a lot more about the issue.

It is not hyperbole saying screens are not developmentally appropriate in young kids. Why don’t you talk to veteran teachers today about the differences in kids now compared to before screens.

What exactly is there to learn about screens in 3-8 year olds? It’s a huge problem in DCPS esp title 1 schools and teachers here are saying so. If you want to be in denial or vague so be it. It won’t help the issue and families will just opt out of DCPS altogether.

Bye Felicia. Hope you enjoy Waldorf.

DP but: nope. PP just understands something you don't. It's like when people became convinced kids learned reading via osmosis, and then some of us figured out that was BS. It took a few years, but now everyone agrees with us. You're just burying your head in the sand and your kids will suffer for it. But 5 years from now there will be bans on screens in ECE classrooms and policies that limit how much time kids are allowed to spend on screens throughout the day, especially in elementary. You'll see.

There will never be a ban on screens because all the testing and assessment is done on computers. And kids need to learn to type.

You can’t just see this from the perspective of a 3 year old. maybe screens will be banned in PK, sure. But beyond that, not gonna happen.

Sure kids need to take tests on screens but learning doesn’t have to be on a screen.

My kid went to one of the immersion charters and never had a screen until 3rd for testing. Screens were not used as a substitute for teaching. Teachers did recommend a typing app at home if kids wanted to get used to typing. My kid rarely did it and now at DCI, is typing fine.

For those parents who don’t want screens in early years, look at charters then. And those parents who are trying to justify screen use so young, well good luck to that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ed tech is how our teachers will let my first grader learn at their own pace (they are testing a few grade levels ahead in reading and math). I get why people dislike it, but there are some advantages, like differentiated learning.

Nope. Totally not developmentally appropriate and easy way out instead of doing the heavy lifting.

Why is it developmentally inappropriate to let a 7 year old do a reading app for 30 minutes for enrichment?

Because comprehension when reading digitally is not as high as comprehension when reading a physical book. This is all documented.

Yeah but the PP says she doesn’t mind and this is enrichment so it’s not going to wreck her mind. Some math apps like Khan Academy are actually quite good. This issue is a lot more nuanced than you think. My kid has a different set of needs but this PP is not the first parent I’ve heard saying they appreciate the apps for acceleration so I am inclined to listen to them.

Also the research on digital reading is actually much less definitive than you claim: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10606230/

Nope, small groups by ability or paper and pencil assigned work is the answer. Not screens. Maybe a 1/2 hour in 3rd grade for individualized work on screens but 1st and letting a child just do math and reading by herself on line is definitely not the answer.

I’m sorry but you truly don’t get to decide that schools cannot access the technology that is changing everything about how work and life is done. Until you guys stop acting like “screens” are toxic in and of themselves, you are not going to be able to make any meaningful intervention. You need to focus.

OMG, are you for real??? Are you seriously advocating schools use screen in 3-8 year olds? Tech in work and life as an adult is totally different than in young kids. It is absolutely unnecessary and inappropriate. Go talk to your pediatrician and stop being ignorant.

And au contraire, screens use starting young leads kids to NOT being able to focus and with very short attention span. Forget about them focusing later.

I am saving screens are not toxic, correct. You are engaging in hyperbole which is just going to get you dismissed as a PITA parent. You need to start learning a lot more about the issue.

It is not hyperbole saying screens are not developmentally appropriate in young kids. Why don’t you talk to veteran teachers today about the differences in kids now compared to before screens.

What exactly is there to learn about screens in 3-8 year olds? It’s a huge problem in DCPS esp title 1 schools and teachers here are saying so. If you want to be in denial or vague so be it. It won’t help the issue and families will just opt out of DCPS altogether.

Bye Felicia. Hope you enjoy Waldorf.

DP but: nope. PP just understands something you don't. It's like when people became convinced kids learned reading via osmosis, and then some of us figured out that was BS. It took a few years, but now everyone agrees with us. You're just burying your head in the sand and your kids will suffer for it. But 5 years from now there will be bans on screens in ECE classrooms and policies that limit how much time kids are allowed to spend on screens throughout the day, especially in elementary. You'll see.

There will never be a ban on screens because all the testing and assessment is done on computers. And kids need to learn to type.

You can’t just see this from the perspective of a 3 year old. maybe screens will be banned in PK, sure. But beyond that, not gonna happen.

Sure kids need to take tests on screens but learning doesn’t have to be on a screen.

My kid went to one of the immersion charters and never had a screen until 3rd for testing. Screens were not used as a substitute for teaching. Teachers did recommend a typing app at home if kids wanted to get used to typing. My kid rarely did it and now at DCI, is typing fine.

For those parents who don’t want screens in early years, look at charters then. And those parents who are trying to justify screen use so young, well good luck to that.

The best thing would be for parents who don't like screens to go to low tech schools, and let parents who do like screens to go to schools that use more of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ed tech is how our teachers will let my first grader learn at their own pace (they are testing a few grade levels ahead in reading and math). I get why people dislike it, but there are some advantages, like differentiated learning.

Nope. Totally not developmentally appropriate and easy way out instead of doing the heavy lifting.

Why is it developmentally inappropriate to let a 7 year old do a reading app for 30 minutes for enrichment?

Because comprehension when reading digitally is not as high as comprehension when reading a physical book. This is all documented.

Yeah but the PP says she doesn’t mind and this is enrichment so it’s not going to wreck her mind. Some math apps like Khan Academy are actually quite good. This issue is a lot more nuanced than you think. My kid has a different set of needs but this PP is not the first parent I’ve heard saying they appreciate the apps for acceleration so I am inclined to listen to them.

Also the research on digital reading is actually much less definitive than you claim: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10606230/

Nope, small groups by ability or paper and pencil assigned work is the answer. Not screens. Maybe a 1/2 hour in 3rd grade for individualized work on screens but 1st and letting a child just do math and reading by herself on line is definitely not the answer.

I’m sorry but you truly don’t get to decide that schools cannot access the technology that is changing everything about how work and life is done. Until you guys stop acting like “screens” are toxic in and of themselves, you are not going to be able to make any meaningful intervention. You need to focus.

OMG, are you for real??? Are you seriously advocating schools use screen in 3-8 year olds? Tech in work and life as an adult is totally different than in young kids. It is absolutely unnecessary and inappropriate. Go talk to your pediatrician and stop being ignorant.

And au contraire, screens use starting young leads kids to NOT being able to focus and with very short attention span. Forget about them focusing later.

I am saving screens are not toxic, correct. You are engaging in hyperbole which is just going to get you dismissed as a PITA parent. You need to start learning a lot more about the issue.

It is not hyperbole saying screens are not developmentally appropriate in young kids. Why don’t you talk to veteran teachers today about the differences in kids now compared to before screens.

What exactly is there to learn about screens in 3-8 year olds? It’s a huge problem in DCPS esp title 1 schools and teachers here are saying so. If you want to be in denial or vague so be it. It won’t help the issue and families will just opt out of DCPS altogether.

Bye Felicia. Hope you enjoy Waldorf.

DP but: nope. PP just understands something you don't. It's like when people became convinced kids learned reading via osmosis, and then some of us figured out that was BS. It took a few years, but now everyone agrees with us. You're just burying your head in the sand and your kids will suffer for it. But 5 years from now there will be bans on screens in ECE classrooms and policies that limit how much time kids are allowed to spend on screens throughout the day, especially in elementary. You'll see.

There will never be a ban on screens because all the testing and assessment is done on computers. And kids need to learn to type.

You can’t just see this from the perspective of a 3 year old. maybe screens will be banned in PK, sure. But beyond that, not gonna happen.

Sure kids need to take tests on screens but learning doesn’t have to be on a screen.

My kid went to one of the immersion charters and never had a screen until 3rd for testing. Screens were not used as a substitute for teaching. Teachers did recommend a typing app at home if kids wanted to get used to typing. My kid rarely did it and now at DCI, is typing fine.

For those parents who don’t want screens in early years, look at charters then. And those parents who are trying to justify screen use so young, well good luck to that.

The best thing would be for parents who don't like screens to go to low tech schools, and let parents who do like screens to go to schools that use more of them.

Nah.

[Anonymous]

I appreciate that screens allow my kid to learn math at the appropriate level. He is in the middle of elementary school, but is beyond elementary school math. There is no possibility that the school is going to have the capability to provide meaningful differentiated instruction outside of a screen (nor should they from a resource allocation perspective), so I'm thankful screens are an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate that screens allow my kid to learn math at the appropriate level. He is in the middle of elementary school, but is beyond elementary school math. There is no possibility that the school is going to have the capability to provide meaningful differentiated instruction outside of a screen (nor should they from a resource allocation perspective), so I'm thankful screens are an option.

I get this but I would caution that he may not be learning as much as you think. My objection isn’t so much to “screens,” but methods that don’t actually work. But this started happening with math before screens were ubiquitous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ed tech is how our teachers will let my first grader learn at their own pace (they are testing a few grade levels ahead in reading and math). I get why people dislike it, but there are some advantages, like differentiated learning.

Nope. Totally not developmentally appropriate and easy way out instead of doing the heavy lifting.

Why is it developmentally inappropriate to let a 7 year old do a reading app for 30 minutes for enrichment?

Because comprehension when reading digitally is not as high as comprehension when reading a physical book. This is all documented.

Yeah but the PP says she doesn’t mind and this is enrichment so it’s not going to wreck her mind. Some math apps like Khan Academy are actually quite good. This issue is a lot more nuanced than you think. My kid has a different set of needs but this PP is not the first parent I’ve heard saying they appreciate the apps for acceleration so I am inclined to listen to them.

Also the research on digital reading is actually much less definitive than you claim: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10606230/

Nope, small groups by ability or paper and pencil assigned work is the answer. Not screens. Maybe a 1/2 hour in 3rd grade for individualized work on screens but 1st and letting a child just do math and reading by herself on line is definitely not the answer.

I’m sorry but you truly don’t get to decide that schools cannot access the technology that is changing everything about how work and life is done. Until you guys stop acting like “screens” are toxic in and of themselves, you are not going to be able to make any meaningful intervention. You need to focus.

OMG, are you for real??? Are you seriously advocating schools use screen in 3-8 year olds? Tech in work and life as an adult is totally different than in young kids. It is absolutely unnecessary and inappropriate. Go talk to your pediatrician and stop being ignorant.

And au contraire, screens use starting young leads kids to NOT being able to focus and with very short attention span. Forget about them focusing later.

I am saving screens are not toxic, correct. You are engaging in hyperbole which is just going to get you dismissed as a PITA parent. You need to start learning a lot more about the issue.

It is not hyperbole saying screens are not developmentally appropriate in young kids. Why don’t you talk to veteran teachers today about the differences in kids now compared to before screens.

What exactly is there to learn about screens in 3-8 year olds? It’s a huge problem in DCPS esp title 1 schools and teachers here are saying so. If you want to be in denial or vague so be it. It won’t help the issue and families will just opt out of DCPS altogether.

Bye Felicia. Hope you enjoy Waldorf.

DP but: nope. PP just understands something you don't. It's like when people became convinced kids learned reading via osmosis, and then some of us figured out that was BS. It took a few years, but now everyone agrees with us. You're just burying your head in the sand and your kids will suffer for it. But 5 years from now there will be bans on screens in ECE classrooms and policies that limit how much time kids are allowed to spend on screens throughout the day, especially in elementary. You'll see.

There will never be a ban on screens because all the testing and assessment is done on computers. And kids need to learn to type.

You can’t just see this from the perspective of a 3 year old. maybe screens will be banned in PK, sure. But beyond that, not gonna happen.

I literally just wrote that they will ban screens in ECE and limit screens in elementary. Did you learn to read on an app?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate that screens allow my kid to learn math at the appropriate level. He is in the middle of elementary school, but is beyond elementary school math. There is no possibility that the school is going to have the capability to provide meaningful differentiated instruction outside of a screen (nor should they from a resource allocation perspective), so I'm thankful screens are an option.

Suppose screens are better than no option, but with iready, it's impossible to see past work, impossible to see what problems are constantly being missed. As a parent, i cannot pull up incorrect work and spend time with my kid to talk through the solutions and how to solve them. There isn't a text book, or even printed worksheets for me to see. And the teacher is zero help, as she has no idea what he is working on his own "my path" levels. There's literally no one that can tell me what he knows and what he doesn't. That's not education!

[Anonymous]

Jonathan haidt is turning his attention to ed tech now. He almost single handedly got schools to ban phones. So yes, I think screens are going to be severely curtailed in schools very soon and the people who are currently excusing it will forget that they ever did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ed tech is how our teachers will let my first grader learn at their own pace (they are testing a few grade levels ahead in reading and math). I get why people dislike it, but there are some advantages, like differentiated learning.

Nope. Totally not developmentally appropriate and easy way out instead of doing the heavy lifting.

Why is it developmentally inappropriate to let a 7 year old do a reading app for 30 minutes for enrichment?

Because comprehension when reading digitally is not as high as comprehension when reading a physical book. This is all documented.

Yeah but the PP says she doesn’t mind and this is enrichment so it’s not going to wreck her mind. Some math apps like Khan Academy are actually quite good. This issue is a lot more nuanced than you think. My kid has a different set of needs but this PP is not the first parent I’ve heard saying they appreciate the apps for acceleration so I am inclined to listen to them.

Also the research on digital reading is actually much less definitive than you claim: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10606230/

Nope, small groups by ability or paper and pencil assigned work is the answer. Not screens. Maybe a 1/2 hour in 3rd grade for individualized work on screens but 1st and letting a child just do math and reading by herself on line is definitely not the answer.

I’m sorry but you truly don’t get to decide that schools cannot access the technology that is changing everything about how work and life is done. Until you guys stop acting like “screens” are toxic in and of themselves, you are not going to be able to make any meaningful intervention. You need to focus.

OMG, are you for real??? Are you seriously advocating schools use screen in 3-8 year olds? Tech in work and life as an adult is totally different than in young kids. It is absolutely unnecessary and inappropriate. Go talk to your pediatrician and stop being ignorant.

And au contraire, screens use starting young leads kids to NOT being able to focus and with very short attention span. Forget about them focusing later.

I am saving screens are not toxic, correct. You are engaging in hyperbole which is just going to get you dismissed as a PITA parent. You need to start learning a lot more about the issue.

It is not hyperbole saying screens are not developmentally appropriate in young kids. Why don’t you talk to veteran teachers today about the differences in kids now compared to before screens.

What exactly is there to learn about screens in 3-8 year olds? It’s a huge problem in DCPS esp title 1 schools and teachers here are saying so. If you want to be in denial or vague so be it. It won’t help the issue and families will just opt out of DCPS altogether.

Bye Felicia. Hope you enjoy Waldorf.

DP but: nope. PP just understands something you don't. It's like when people became convinced kids learned reading via osmosis, and then some of us figured out that was BS. It took a few years, but now everyone agrees with us. You're just burying your head in the sand and your kids will suffer for it. But 5 years from now there will be bans on screens in ECE classrooms and policies that limit how much time kids are allowed to spend on screens throughout the day, especially in elementary. You'll see.

There will never be a ban on screens because all the testing and assessment is done on computers. And kids need to learn to type.

You can’t just see this from the perspective of a 3 year old. maybe screens will be banned in PK, sure. But beyond that, not gonna happen.

As a teacher…

I will absolutely be advocating for less screen time, especially under 2nd grade. To be clear I don’t think any teachers are wanting NO screens (except PK/K), but to limit the amount of time kids spend on them at school. And I wish at home too.

Also the typing argument is moot. I didn’t learn how to type until 3rd grade and I’m certainly proficient. Most research actually supports starting formal keyboarding around 3rd–4th grade because many kids don’t even have the hand size or motor coordination before then (occupational therapists widely agree).

Typing is not a hard skill. You know what IS hard? Emotional regulation, executive functioning, critical thinking, creativity. A 2023 JAMA Pediatrics study (Radesky et al.) found that regularly using devices to calm young children was associated with increased emotional dysregulation over time. As the lead researcher put it: “A mobile device doesn’t teach a skill - it just distracts the child away from how they are feeling.”

And about things like iReady, Zearn, Starfall, and similar platforms -here’s what people aren’t saying: the efficacy research on these tools is almost entirely on grades 3–8 students, not K–2. The Zearn studies? Grades 3–5. The iReady efficacy studies? Grades 3–8. An independent 2024 study in Louisiana found Zearn’s effect on state test scores was a modest 0.03 standard deviations -statistically significant but small. A meta-analysis of educational apps for young children (Kim et al., 2021) found that positive effects were mostly on narrow drill-and-practice skills, not deeper learning like reading comprehension or problem solving. And effects shrank when measured by standardized tests rather than researcher-created ones.

Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Michigan found that most “educational” apps marketed to young children don’t reflect how kids actually learn and they lack scaffolded feedback, are heavy on extraneous rewards and ads, and aren’t developed with input from child development experts.

We need to stop talking about “screens.” That is a reductionist argument. What teachers are actually talking about is what the screen displaced: unstructured and guided play, boredom, messy sensory experiences, conversations with adults who aren’t performing for a camera, and learning the way children’s brains are wired to.

The slow, essential work of childhood development that doesn’t have a metric or an app. A 2022 NIH-funded study of nearly 4,000 children found that screen time directly displaced peer play and that displacement was the mechanism linking screen time to developmental delays.

Some people think this is crunchy mommy anxiety but there is a ton of research out there and those who are privileged are aware, you do not see their kids going to a school that uses something like ‘iReady’ in kindergarten…

THANK YOU x a million.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jonathan haidt is turning his attention to ed tech now. He almost single handedly got schools to ban phones. So yes, I think screens are going to be severely curtailed in schools very soon and the people who are currently excusing it will forget that they ever did.

Jonathan Haidt is going to ban typing in schools? Lol.

FWIW our school banned phones long before that guy said anything about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate that screens allow my kid to learn math at the appropriate level. He is in the middle of elementary school, but is beyond elementary school math. There is no possibility that the school is going to have the capability to provide meaningful differentiated instruction outside of a screen (nor should they from a resource allocation perspective), so I'm thankful screens are an option.

Suppose screens are better than no option, but with iready, it's impossible to see past work, impossible to see what problems are constantly being missed. As a parent, i cannot pull up incorrect work and spend time with my kid to talk through the solutions and how to solve them. There isn't a text book, or even printed worksheets for me to see. And the teacher is zero help, as she has no idea what he is working on his own "my path" levels. There's literally no one that can tell me what he knows and what he doesn't. That's not education!

Yikes