Requesting no/low tech options for kids—FCPS teachers, what is possible?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a town in Ireland that got parents to pledge to not give their kids smart phones or social media while they were in grade school. It started with one school, then spread like wildfire.

Very quickly, the peer pressure on parents was to not be the one giving their younger kids a smart phone, vs the standard of not wanting your kid left out.

In the article I read, parents and schools are delighted with the outcome.

Behavior drastically improved.

Scores improved.

Kids started going to bed and sleeping instead of sneaking their phones at night, which improved behavior at school and concentration.

Girls especially became less weight and appearance focused.

Kids started interacting more, playing together and behaving in age appropriate ways.

All of the bad behaviors wrought by letting kids have online access faded away.

They are hoping to spread the parent pledge across Ireland.

I wish FCPS could do something similar, starting in elementary school.

I know very few kids who had a phone in ES. I think the more common transition point is MS. Love this idea still though.

Yes, but ask an ES student what they did and most say play video games or look at youtube videos. It isn’t just phones. Ipads, computers, video games, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tech is throughout every class in elementary

This has been our experience. Even more so for second child going through elementary school. Almost no physical writing for second child. It’s really bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need a tech free school option, compare test scores.

There is a tech free option available to all parents. It’s called homeschooling.

Not for low income or single working parents

You are correct. Those families need school for babysitting more than anybody else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tech is throughout every class in elementary

This has been our experience. Even more so for second child going through elementary school. Almost no physical writing for second child. It’s really bad.

This is ridiculous. No handwriting.

[Anonymous]

The issue is that tech is baked in the cake. Your kids need to know how to type and work with computers to solve problems and read etc. all testing is on the computer.

[Anonymous]

Waldorf schools needs to make a comeback

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tech is throughout every class in elementary

This has been our experience. Even more so for second child going through elementary school. Almost no physical writing for second child. It’s really bad.

It’s the same in Loudoun. Everyone focused on eliminating smart phones until a certain age should also think about how incredibly screen-based in every sense (chrome books, ipads, smart board projectors, etc) and app-based the average classroom is. You can keep your kid off a smart phone but they’ll still be on a screen for a good portion of the day at school. Is this all this screen use truly “educational”? That’s what the school systems have been purporting for awhile now but I sense parents are starting to push back.

[Anonymous]

It’s mostly Google Slides for all subjects in elementary school. In the business world we call it death by PowerPoint. In elementary school it is bored to death by Google Slides.

[Anonymous]

Its so much easier on teachers to not have to deal with physical papers, making copies, actual books, grading things individually. use the same google slide every year and have a google quiz auto grade. Stick kids on lexia and st math. There's no attempt for creativity or fun in learning. Its really sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m concerned about the overuse of tech in schools and esp FCPS. I’m not totally opposed to Lexia and st math but not a fan of all of the apps my kid gets out on otherwise. If I asked teachers if they could have my kid only do the book box instead on myon, tumblebooks, starfall, etc would that work?

As the grade levels advance, I know even more is done on computers, and I’m concerned given the benefits of handwriting for neural development and learning. Is there any way I can ask teachers to have my kids do more by hand and then just turn it in? Or other ways people have navigated this?

For hw, could we print and hand in in person? I’d be happy to volunteer to grade his work!

Any stories of people who were able to secure non or reduced tech options for their kids would be appreciated.

It's not like your concerns are valid, you know. Tech is a part of our world. Deal with it. And who the hell are you to think teachers need to cater to your whims? You aren't in charge of the pedagogy.

[Anonymous]

I am a teacher. I only get one box of paper to use all year. If I go through it early, I have to buy paper out of my own money. Because of that, I try to avoid printing things as much as possible. I don’t want to have to pay from my paycheck every single day for every kid who can’t be on a device.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its so much easier on teachers to not have to deal with physical papers, making copies, actual books, grading things individually. use the same google slide every year and have a google quiz auto grade. Stick kids on lexia and st math. There's no attempt for creativity or fun in learning. Its really sad.

Totally this. As it has progressed my kid hates school more each year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The issue is that tech is baked in the cake. Your kids need to know how to type and work with computers to solve problems and read etc. all testing is on the computer.

The kids need to learn how to write and do math on paper.

Those are vital life skills. The act of physically putting pen to paper and writing is vital tl learning and needs to be taught when it is developmentally appropriate.

The kids cannot even sign a cjrsive signature coming out of FCPS elementary and middle schools.

The reliance on "educational" gaming apps to babysit kids in elementary school and the complete abdication of effective, traditional learning methods in our district is going to have life long negative implications for these students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher. I only get one box of paper to use all year. If I go through it early, I have to buy paper out of my own money. Because of that, I try to avoid printing things as much as possible. I don’t want to have to pay from my paycheck every single day for every kid who can’t be on a device.

PLEASE mention this to parents at back to school night.

Parents will send in paper. I promise.

My kids are upperclassmen in high school. I still send in reams of paper to teachers in classes that use paper, like math.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know - my fcps 2nd grader brings home a ton of paper every day, lots of writing. Instead of tech, they have board games once a week. I am not sure how that change occurred (if parent driven or school driven). Of course, they do lexia and st math, but I personally think that is good for differentiated instruction.

Get involved with pta. If other parents share your concerns, perhaps you can get meeting with principal. But I think trying to have your kid do a different curriculum is a bad setup.