Please recommend your middle/high school with low tech

[Anonymous]

We are going to be moving to the area and are looking for a school that teaches technology only in the computer lab type of model. We don’t want our child on a laptop/Chromebook all day long typing every assignment and reading off of the screen.
We don’t necessarily want a religious school, but we would consider it if there are slim options. We are moving to Northern Virginia, and would prefer no more than a 30 minute commute to a school. Thank you for any recommendations.

[Anonymous]

I understand the sentiment, but I also think that in HS, there's a flip side. You want you kid to be extremely comfortable with technology - for everything - because if they are not, they will struggle to keep up with their peers in HS on many things. Even if you find a MS/HS that uses technology only in the computer lab, then when they hit college, your kid will be at an even bigger deficit. Forget the workforce. My firm's operating model is zero paper. Young professionals need to be extremely quick with technology, because if they are not, they will not last long.

I'm not advocating all-screens, all-the-time, but a balance truly is better than that. In our kid's HS, they still read paper books, write essays and tests by hand (thanks, AI), and fortunately require kids to use paper in subjects like math and physics where writing down how you got the solution is critical to learning. But a lot of tasks and processes are computer-based, and it's better that way because that's real life and it's more efficient.

I used to think the same way about AI. Now, having seen it at work and realizing that if you do not know how to use AI effectively, regardless of what you think of it, you will be roadkill in this economy. There is a time and place for it in HS education, and I'm glad that our kid's HS is incorporating it, hopefully prudently, into the curriculum, because that is real life, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand the sentiment, but I also think that in HS, there's a flip side. You want you kid to be extremely comfortable with technology - for everything - because if they are not, they will struggle to keep up with their peers in HS on many things. Even if you find a MS/HS that uses technology only in the computer lab, then when they hit college, your kid will be at an even bigger deficit. Forget the workforce. My firm's operating model is zero paper. Young professionals need to be extremely quick with technology, because if they are not, they will not last long.

I'm not advocating all-screens, all-the-time, but a balance truly is better than that. In our kid's HS, they still read paper books, write essays and tests by hand (thanks, AI), and fortunately require kids to use paper in subjects like math and physics where writing down how you got the solution is critical to learning. But a lot of tasks and processes are computer-based, and it's better that way because that's real life and it's more efficient.

I used to think the same way about AI. Now, having seen it at work and realizing that if you do not know how to use AI effectively, regardless of what you think of it, you will be roadkill in this economy. There is a time and place for it in HS education, and I'm glad that our kid's HS is incorporating it, hopefully prudently, into the curriculum, because that is real life, too.

I agree, in that facility with computers is a base level requirement for college and the workforce. I graduated from college almost 20 years ago and, while we still had to print out papers to hand them in, I did nearly all writing and research on a laptop. I don't have a problem with my kids, say, writing an in-class essay on a tablet or laptop, using Excel to work with data, doing online research, etc.

But I don't agree that we need to teach students specific digital skills to avoid disadvantaging them. Just a few years ago, we were saying you had to learn to code if you wanted a high-paying job. Now all of a sudden, we have AI and those jobs are much less plentiful. The truth is technology moves insanely fast and we don't know what skills will be most helpful in college to a kid who is currently in 9th grade. We have the core school subjects (history, science, language, math) because they're proven themselves valuable/flexible in the long-term.

[Anonymous]

Also there is an incredibly huge difference between a sixth grader and a HS senior -- ESPECIALLY when it comes to the "can we use AI conversation".

[Anonymous]

We have an elementary school aged child so we are looking more immediately for middle school. Can you please recommend schools with low tech?
-OP

[Anonymous]

Washington Waldorf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand the sentiment, but I also think that in HS, there's a flip side. You want you kid to be extremely comfortable with technology - for everything - because if they are not, they will struggle to keep up with their peers in HS on many things. Even if you find a MS/HS that uses technology only in the computer lab, then when they hit college, your kid will be at an even bigger deficit. Forget the workforce. My firm's operating model is zero paper. Young professionals need to be extremely quick with technology, because if they are not, they will not last long.

I'm not advocating all-screens, all-the-time, but a balance truly is better than that. In our kid's HS, they still read paper books, write essays and tests by hand (thanks, AI), and fortunately require kids to use paper in subjects like math and physics where writing down how you got the solution is critical to learning. But a lot of tasks and processes are computer-based, and it's better that way because that's real life and it's more efficient.

[b]I used to think the same way about AI. Now, having seen it at work and realizing that if you do not know how to use AI effectively, regardless of what you think of it, you will be roadkill in this economy. [b]There is a time and place for it in HS education, and I'm glad that our kid's HS is incorporating it, hopefully prudently, into the curriculum, because that is real life, too.

As someone working in the tech and AI space, for what it’s worth, I completely disagree. The best positioned people will be the ones who understand how to think and function without machines. Anyone can learn to type a question into AI. Pretty soon there will be no need to understand how to use apps, code, or even really how to type. Glad your kids are doing assignments by hand and using textbooks. Sounds fairly low tech to me, which is a good thing.

[Anonymous]

St Jerome institute is opening a NOVA location. Zero tech there, but it is very Catholic.

[Anonymous]

Classical Christian schools fit this bill. Dominion Christian, Immanuel Lutheran, Ad Fontes, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Classical Christian schools fit this bill. Dominion Christian, Immanuel Lutheran, Ad Fontes, etc.

Also Ambleside in Great Falls, which follows Charlotte Mason's principles.

[Anonymous]

St. Anselm's Abbey School is very pen and paper.

[Anonymous]

It might help if you elaborate upon what low tech looks like to you and other criteria are you looking for beyond low tech. How low is low to you? What do you think replaces use of tech? Worksheets printed off the internet? Teacher writing on a chalk board? Actual text/library books? Are you wanting old school, traditional/classical or progressive experiential learning? I'm not aware of any mainstream schools that don't use some occasional tech. Most of the schools listed above are either religious/traditional/classic or St Anselm's is all boys for the very bright. I think there are going to be a lot of trade-offs in looking for a school with low tech at all times for the sake of low tech.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It might help if you elaborate upon what low tech looks like to you and other criteria are you looking for beyond low tech. How low is low to you? What do you think replaces use of tech? Worksheets printed off the internet? Teacher writing on a chalk board? Actual text/library books? Are you wanting old school, traditional/classical or progressive experiential learning? I'm not aware of any mainstream schools that don't use some occasional tech. Most of the schools listed above are either religious/traditional/classic or St Anselm's is all boys for the very bright. I think there are going to be a lot of trade-offs in looking for a school with low tech at all times for the sake of low tech.

Thank you for the questions. My child has anxiety and OCD. He is bright but not gifted. Computer use gives him headaches and eye strain and exacerbates his anxiety. I also follow the research that national test scores have consistently decreased since Ed tech was introduced to schools, so I want him to be using paper and pencil and reading out of real books. I’m not opposed to a religious school, but I would prefer secular. We would consider all boys but prefer co-ed. Hope that helps. We are unfamiliar with the area and appreciate any recommendations.

-OP

[Anonymous]

St Anslems Abbey