APS parents -- are you happy about the MacBooks and iPads? Unhappy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.arlnow.com/2014/08/27/aps-to-give-hs-freshmen-macbooks/

I find it galling that after parents said they didn't want iPads for second graders and the school board voted against it, Murphy went and and spent that money anyway.

There is no option to opt out, and if something happens to a device, you have to pay for it before your child can get a diploma.

I find it galling that parents opposed issing iPads to students. What a bunch of nitwits. Thank GOD the APS administration realizes it knows better and ignored the luddites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The following was written about my best friend, a teacher in Irvine, by one of her students. This boy, all the way up until 5th grade, was handed teacher to teacher with near failing grades and a "good luck with THIS one". Then they said that to my friend, Freddi-Lynn. Wrong person.

She observed him for a week or so in her classroom, called me up, and asked me if I could send her an iPad for him. I did. It turns out the child had undiagnosed disabilities AND a slight case of Tourettes, something else that had been missed. The parents did not speak much English and were very distraught that their son had been doing so poorly. She literally turned this family's life around, because she did not have the dinosaur attitude of many about technology, and what a gift it is. Imagine the years of self-esteem lost because teachers never thought to observe this kid like my friend did. She, herself, has a learning-disabled son with a very high IQ, which is why she did not just give up on him. Here is his letter for the B&N contest:


Mrs. Siegel comes into the classroom, and sets up everything. She wants everything to be perfect for her students. When everyone in my class comes in, they are all up to the exploding point with eagerness for learning. Even the kids who used to hate school, like me, are ready. We are all ready with our minds hungry for learning like the way Mrs. Siegel is eager to try everything out.
Best of the Best
Student: Daniel S. Bae Teacher: Freddi Siegel School: Brywood
If there’s one thing that Mrs. Siegel is good at it, it’s making work fun. She uses humor in all her lessons. During the project on Egyptian monuments, I was imagining myself in the monuments while we made a scaled model of it, and even pretend to go back in time as an archaeologist and send postcard about the temple of Hatshepsut, the Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx in ancient Egypt! Why does she do this? Well, I think that if you have fun learning something, it sticks in your mind. It’s like tape. The more fun you have, the stickier it gets, until it’s stuck permanently in your mind.
Mrs. Siegel uncovered abilities in me that I didn’t even know I had. She had been using devices to make life more interesting for her, more efficient, and better for the class. Her greatest feat, in my opinion, was fixing my homework problem. At first, everyone could depend on me to be the only kid who didn’t have his homework. I was named the most frequent user of detention in my school and the disappointing grades were following even though I enjoyed doing homework. It had been going on for three years. Ever since I was in third grade, I had no confidence in my ability, any expectations of my grades. My mom and I even cried, because she didn’t know how to help me and I thought I was a failure. Then, I met Mrs. Siegel, who trusted and encouraged me even though I couldn’t. She fixed the leak that was rowing bigger in my life and patched up the holes in the screen. She and I learned that by computer, I get homework done. I even think that she started the whole device thing for me! Sure it was partially for the class enjoyment, but when she learned that I’m a digital person, she started finding good websites. And asking people to bring their devices to school. Now, I’m not the person I used to be. Now, I see myself as a responsible person who can do anything.
If there’s any teacher I’d like to thank, it’s Mrs. Siegel. Believe me, she’s the teacher for the job. She improved the quality of my life, and helped me in many ways. She solved my three year homework problem, and made everything possible and seem more interesting. Thank you, Mrs. Siegel! You’re the best!

Just wanted to say this was an amazing write up of an extraordinary teacher. As a parent to a SN kid who is falling through the cracks, I'm crying over here.

Kids who are smart and learning disabled fall through the cracks. Pull your kid from public and enroll him/her in private, and choose a school like Field or The New School of Northern VA. The difference is IMMENSE! We kept my son in public too long (he too was falling through the cracks) and the hit on his self-esteem was huge. It will forever leave a mark. If you can't afford to do so, be that squeaky wheel, and use the force of law if need be. Until we threatened with a lawyer, the school would not meet my son's 504, nor would they IEP him because "their psychiatric tester was better than the one we got privately", yet they refused to test him, which is why we went private. Publics have limited resources and unless you push your legal rights, they will let your child slip through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.arlnow.com/2014/08/27/aps-to-give-hs-freshmen-macbooks/

I find it galling that after parents said they didn't want iPads for second graders and the school board voted against it, Murphy went and and spent that money anyway.

There is no option to opt out, and if something happens to a device, you have to pay for it before your child can get a diploma.

I find it galling that parents opposed issing iPads to students. What a bunch of nitwits. Thank GOD the APS administration realizes it knows better and ignored the luddites.

Hey, Patrick! Or you prefer Dr. Patrick, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you think 1:1 is an indicator that APS is finally going to get its act together and start providing assistive technology to kids who really need it, brace yourself for heartbreak.

I know. I put my kids in private a long time ago. My first is learning disabled, and despite paperwork, etc. they were more concerned (like a lot of parents here) about other kids whining and wanting the same technology. I put my kids someplace where technology was embraced.

And yet friends who gave up on APS support and just bought devices on their own for their kids said the kids didn't want to use it because they didn't want to stand out.

Which tells me that APS needs to be doing more for kids' social skills and compassion, not that it needs to be handing out devices wholesale.

I'm not anti-tech. I'm pro-research and planning and training.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.arlnow.com/2014/08/27/aps-to-give-hs-freshmen-macbooks/

I find it galling that after parents said they didn't want iPads for second graders and the school board voted against it, Murphy went and and spent that money anyway.

There is no option to opt out, and if something happens to a device, you have to pay for it before your child can get a diploma.

I find it galling that parents opposed issing iPads to students. What a bunch of nitwits. Thank GOD the APS administration realizes it knows better and ignored the luddites.

I think the devices would be great if they came with real training for teachers and a clear plan for how they are going to be used in the classroom. My DS got his in 6th grade last year and he says they occasionally took a test on it and checked out e-books to read. Other than that, they were mainly used for taking silly photos and covertly downloading games -- which the kids are not supposed to do but apparently they all do (at least among DS's circle of friends). It's unbelievable to me that they can give a bunch of 12 years olds ipads with no controls on what can be downloaded. At one point, after we learned he'd put games on it, we removed app store access on it ourselves but then that caused problems with school because the teacher wanted them to download something.

I hope (but am not really optimistic) that they've managed to provide more training/planning so that they can be used better this year.