Another school day of video games

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is not something for parents to fightnalone. MCPS should either ban chromebooks or disconnect from the intermet. At least for elementary or middle school. Or put better filters. Kids at ES cannot be watching Mr Beast because YouTube Kids is not banned by the sys admin. They can also have offline research tool if kids need to do research. Pebble Go but offline. In the end it is a regulator issue not parenting. You have to require seatbelts, they cannot be optional. There is a Chromebook survey by some PTAs going around. Fill it in. My biggest fear is that most parents dont see chromebooks and screens as the existential problem it is. Screens are proven to have zero benefit for learning. There was interesting senate hearing last week with tons of finding by the best education scientist. Reality is scary and schools are clueless. Not even touching the topic of AI. Why MCPS needs to spend money for these things when we are being asked by teachers for donations of pencils and crayons.

If you can't control your kid, telling them to do schoolwork and not play games, that is on you and your kid. If your kid gets all A's and still plays games, then who cares?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not something for parents to fightnalone. MCPS should either ban chromebooks or disconnect from the intermet. At least for elementary or middle school. Or put better filters. Kids at ES cannot be watching Mr Beast because YouTube Kids is not banned by the sys admin. They can also have offline research tool if kids need to do research. Pebble Go but offline. In the end it is a regulator issue not parenting. You have to require seatbelts, they cannot be optional. There is a Chromebook survey by some PTAs going around. Fill it in. My biggest fear is that most parents dont see chromebooks and screens as the existential problem it is. Screens are proven to have zero benefit for learning. There was interesting senate hearing last week with tons of finding by the best education scientist. Reality is scary and schools are clueless. Not even touching the topic of AI. Why MCPS needs to spend money for these things when we are being asked by teachers for donations of pencils and crayons.

If you can't control your kid, telling them to do schoolwork and not play games, that is on you and your kid. If your kid gets all A's and still plays games, then who cares?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Name the school or it did not happen.

+1

I agree. This is a troll or a lie.

Maybe your kid is the problem. ADHD?

[Anonymous]

This is on you to discipline your kid. Do your job!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not something for parents to fightnalone. MCPS should either ban chromebooks or disconnect from the intermet. At least for elementary or middle school. Or put better filters. Kids at ES cannot be watching Mr Beast because YouTube Kids is not banned by the sys admin. They can also have offline research tool if kids need to do research. Pebble Go but offline. In the end it is a regulator issue not parenting. You have to require seatbelts, they cannot be optional. There is a Chromebook survey by some PTAs going around. Fill it in. My biggest fear is that most parents dont see chromebooks and screens as the existential problem it is. Screens are proven to have zero benefit for learning. There was interesting senate hearing last week with tons of finding by the best education scientist. Reality is scary and schools are clueless. Not even touching the topic of AI. Why MCPS needs to spend money for these things when we are being asked by teachers for donations of pencils and crayons.

If you can't control your kid, telling them to do schoolwork and not play games, that is on you and your kid. If your kid gets all A's and still plays games, then who cares?

i guess you can't control your kid.

[Anonymous]

Screens in ES have gotten out of control. It's not just MCPS though, it's the American system in general. We've had experience at international schools as well and the screen usage was too much at the "American" international school my kids last attended, we ended up switching to a Bristish one where they (gasp) learned proper handwriting. It wasn't screen-free but usage was much more limited, especially for the younger kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not something for parents to fightnalone. MCPS should either ban chromebooks or disconnect from the intermet. At least for elementary or middle school. Or put better filters. Kids at ES cannot be watching Mr Beast because YouTube Kids is not banned by the sys admin. They can also have offline research tool if kids need to do research. Pebble Go but offline. In the end it is a regulator issue not parenting. You have to require seatbelts, they cannot be optional. There is a Chromebook survey by some PTAs going around. Fill it in. My biggest fear is that most parents dont see chromebooks and screens as the existential problem it is. Screens are proven to have zero benefit for learning. There was interesting senate hearing last week with tons of finding by the best education scientist. Reality is scary and schools are clueless. Not even touching the topic of AI. Why MCPS needs to spend money for these things when we are being asked by teachers for donations of pencils and crayons.

If you can't control your kid, telling them to do schoolwork and not play games, that is on you and your kid. If your kid gets all A's and still plays games, then who cares?

My argument is for video games played during instructional time AT SCHOOL, not at home. I cannot control what my kid does on the Chromebook at school. It is the responsibility of the teacher and broadly MCPS policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Name the school or it did not happen.

+1

I agree. This is a troll or a lie.

Maybe your kid is the problem. ADHD?

You think it is a troll or a lie that tweens and teens with Chromebooks on their desks and access to whatever websites they like spend lots of time on computer games? This happens all over the place. Have you been in an MCPS school lately, or do you ever talk to your kids about what goes on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is on you to discipline your kid. Do your job!

My kid is well disciplined and well controlled at home. They aren't getting in trouble for video game usage at school. In fact, it seems like the schools encourage it even while their scores fall. ALL the kids are on their computers 24/7. This is a massive district wide problem. I wish my kid got yelled at for being on their computer and was encouraged to read a book or do work in a workbook instead...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is on you to discipline your kid. Do your job!

My kid is well disciplined and well controlled at home. They aren't getting in trouble for video game usage at school. In fact, it seems like the schools encourage it even while their scores fall. ALL the kids are on their computers 24/7. This is a massive district wide problem. I wish my kid got yelled at for being on their computer and was encouraged to read a book or do work in a workbook instead...

Exactly. PP is missing the point. MCPS doesn’t care if kids spend the day playing video games and not learning anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Name the school or it did not happen.

+1

I agree. This is a troll or a lie.

Maybe your kid is the problem. ADHD?

You think it is a troll or a lie that tweens and teens with Chromebooks on their desks and access to whatever websites they like spend lots of time on computer games? This happens all over the place. Have you been in an MCPS school lately, or do you ever talk to your kids about what goes on?

+1. Sounds like it happens in most schools. Definitely an issue in Westland MS and BCC where my kids are.

[Anonymous]

Who are these teachers??? I teach 2nd grade in a MCPS school and my kids only go on Chromebooks for testing. If they finis early, they have choice baskets to choose from which includes math riddles, enrichment math work, reading comprehension stories and writing prompts. They are very engaged in learning. I cannot imagine the kids being on Chromebooks for more than 15 mins ever in a school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who are these teachers??? I teach 2nd grade in a MCPS school and my kids only go on Chromebooks for testing. If they finis early, they have choice baskets to choose from which includes math riddles, enrichment math work, reading comprehension stories and writing prompts. They are very engaged in learning. I cannot imagine the kids being on Chromebooks for more than 15 mins ever in a school.

Maybe because you teach 2nd grade. Chromebooks become common in McPS from 4th grade on…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher here in MCPS and I think Chromebooks shouldn’t be issued until like 10th grade at the earliest. I can’t issue pencil and paper work anymore in 9th grade because 80% of the kids are incapable of writing small and neat enough to fit more than 4 words into a space designed for like three sentences. Probably 50% cant write anything actually legible.

My college Freshman has classes where everything must be handwritten. All assignments, all essays, all exams. Hopefully this handwriting-to-defeat-AI is just a blip, but I wouldn’t bet my kids college success on it. Kids need to learn legible handwriting.

The constant games in ES has been goiing on for years and its harmful but saying Chromebooks shouldn't be issued till 10th is absurd too. Kids will always find a way to cheat, and they can just use AI and then hand write it. Teachers need to change their teaching methods for the new technologies.

What is really within the teacher’s control?

I’m curious to know what kids are doing on chromebooks in early elementary and why they are necessary.

There is some stuff that’s mandated but teachers also use chrome book time as a reward and to keep students quiet when they are not working or actively being taught. I understand there are a lot of challenges to having kids with wildly different abilities and behaviors in the same class but it’s frustrating to see screen time being used so heavily as a crutch. Some teachers are worse than others but it’s been nearly all of them. We did have one who was great about enforcing reading or other enrichment when you finished your work so I know it’s possible.

Is there anything else that’s mandated besides assessments?

Curious to know if there are any policies or guidance from MSDE on digital learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher here in MCPS and I think Chromebooks shouldn’t be issued until like 10th grade at the earliest. I can’t issue pencil and paper work anymore in 9th grade because 80% of the kids are incapable of writing small and neat enough to fit more than 4 words into a space designed for like three sentences. Probably 50% cant write anything actually legible.

My college Freshman has classes where everything must be handwritten. All assignments, all essays, all exams. Hopefully this handwriting-to-defeat-AI is just a blip, but I wouldn’t bet my kids college success on it. Kids need to learn legible handwriting.

The constant games in ES has been goiing on for years and its harmful but saying Chromebooks shouldn't be issued till 10th is absurd too. Kids will always find a way to cheat, and they can just use AI and then hand write it. Teachers need to change their teaching methods for the new technologies.

What is really within the teacher’s control?

I’m curious to know what kids are doing on chromebooks in early elementary and why they are necessary.

There is some stuff that’s mandated but teachers also use chrome book time as a reward and to keep students quiet when they are not working or actively being taught. I understand there are a lot of challenges to having kids with wildly different abilities and behaviors in the same class but it’s frustrating to see screen time being used so heavily as a crutch. Some teachers are worse than others but it’s been nearly all of them. We did have one who was great about enforcing reading or other enrichment when you finished your work so I know it’s possible.

Is there anything else that’s mandated besides assessments?

Curious to know if there are any policies or guidance from MSDE on digital learning.

I heard that Boost (computer program that is part of Amplify CKLA) is mandated by MCPS but don't know if that's true or how often it must be used if so...