Executive Order decreeing "cell-phone free" education in k-12

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see added to this EO that Virginia schools allow no more thank 30 minutes of computer time for early childhood classes (K-2) per week, no more than 1 hour of computer time for 3rd and 4th grade per week and no more than 30 minutes of computer time per day for 5th and 6th grade.

One of the worst things to come out of pandemic school is the over reliance of 1:1 laptops in elementary school. We know without a doubt that daily screen time is very bad for children's development.

Get back to traditional teaching/shared class carts and ditch the reliance on 1:1 laptops for most of elementary school.

This. My DD just graduated with teaching degree and during her student teaching in early elementary grades she was "required" to have each student read for at least 30 minutes....great right? Reading on a freaking tablet!! I mean seriously. I thought that was insane. Then for logging in...each student was supposed to remember to login to their laptop and use a pw....half the time my DD just did it for them because the amount of time it took 2nd graders to type it all in was excruciatingly slow and time consuming. And this was a Title 1 school with early elementary students already struggling.

And then during an interview up here she asks about cell phone usage policy for students and is told that isn't really the problem - it's the smart watches and kids texting back n forth with their parents that's the issue...because a parent saying "oh, I don't let my elementary age child bring his/her cell phone to school" but turns around and gives them a smartphone is really any better? I haven't ready the EO, but wonder if it mentions anything about smart watches.

What’s the issue with reading on a tablet? It’s the same text that would otherwise be on paper, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see added to this EO that Virginia schools allow no more thank 30 minutes of computer time for early childhood classes (K-2) per week, no more than 1 hour of computer time for 3rd and 4th grade per week and no more than 30 minutes of computer time per day for 5th and 6th grade.

One of the worst things to come out of pandemic school is the over reliance of 1:1 laptops in elementary school. We know without a doubt that daily screen time is very bad for children's development.

Get back to traditional teaching/shared class carts and ditch the reliance on 1:1 laptops for most of elementary school.

This. My DD just graduated with teaching degree and during her student teaching in early elementary grades she was "required" to have each student read for at least 30 minutes....great right? Reading on a freaking tablet!! I mean seriously. I thought that was insane. Then for logging in...each student was supposed to remember to login to their laptop and use a pw....half the time my DD just did it for them because the amount of time it took 2nd graders to type it all in was excruciatingly slow and time consuming. And this was a Title 1 school with early elementary students already struggling.

And then during an interview up here she asks about cell phone usage policy for students and is told that isn't really the problem - it's the smart watches and kids texting back n forth with their parents that's the issue...because a parent saying "oh, I don't let my elementary age child bring his/her cell phone to school" but turns around and gives them a smartphone is really any better? I haven't ready the EO, but wonder if it mentions anything about smart watches.

What’s the issue with reading on a tablet? It’s the same text that would otherwise be on paper, right?

For one thing, retention is better when reading from paper than from a screen. And for another, screens are just one tap away from distraction, whether it's another tab, a different section, a gif, anything. Tablets, chromebooks, laptops - vehicles of distraction for the kid using it and the other kids near it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see added to this EO that Virginia schools allow no more thank 30 minutes of computer time for early childhood classes (K-2) per week, no more than 1 hour of computer time for 3rd and 4th grade per week and no more than 30 minutes of computer time per day for 5th and 6th grade.

One of the worst things to come out of pandemic school is the over reliance of 1:1 laptops in elementary school. We know without a doubt that daily screen time is very bad for children's development.

Get back to traditional teaching/shared class carts and ditch the reliance on 1:1 laptops for most of elementary school.

This. My DD just graduated with teaching degree and during her student teaching in early elementary grades she was "required" to have each student read for at least 30 minutes....great right? Reading on a freaking tablet!! I mean seriously. I thought that was insane. Then for logging in...each student was supposed to remember to login to their laptop and use a pw....half the time my DD just did it for them because the amount of time it took 2nd graders to type it all in was excruciatingly slow and time consuming. And this was a Title 1 school with early elementary students already struggling.

And then during an interview up here she asks about cell phone usage policy for students and is told that isn't really the problem - it's the smart watches and kids texting back n forth with their parents that's the issue...because a parent saying "oh, I don't let my elementary age child bring his/her cell phone to school" but turns around and gives them a smartphone is really any better? I haven't ready the EO, but wonder if it mentions anything about smart watches.

What’s the issue with reading on a tablet? It’s the same text that would otherwise be on paper, right?

For one thing, retention is better when reading from paper than from a screen. And for another, screens are just one tap away from distraction, whether it's another tab, a different section, a gif, anything. Tablets, chromebooks, laptops - vehicles of distraction for the kid using it and the other kids near it.

This. Screen time is screen time -- we all know too much is not good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see added to this EO that Virginia schools allow no more thank 30 minutes of computer time for early childhood classes (K-2) per week, no more than 1 hour of computer time for 3rd and 4th grade per week and no more than 30 minutes of computer time per day for 5th and 6th grade.

One of the worst things to come out of pandemic school is the over reliance of 1:1 laptops in elementary school. We know without a doubt that daily screen time is very bad for children's development.

Get back to traditional teaching/shared class carts and ditch the reliance on 1:1 laptops for most of elementary school.

This. My DD just graduated with teaching degree and during her student teaching in early elementary grades she was "required" to have each student read for at least 30 minutes....great right? Reading on a freaking tablet!! I mean seriously. I thought that was insane. Then for logging in...each student was supposed to remember to login to their laptop and use a pw....half the time my DD just did it for them because the amount of time it took 2nd graders to type it all in was excruciatingly slow and time consuming. And this was a Title 1 school with early elementary students already struggling.

And then during an interview up here she asks about cell phone usage policy for students and is told that isn't really the problem - it's the smart watches and kids texting back n forth with their parents that's the issue...because a parent saying "oh, I don't let my elementary age child bring his/her cell phone to school" but turns around and gives them a smartphone is really any better? I haven't ready the EO, but wonder if it mentions anything about smart watches.

What’s the issue with reading on a tablet? It’s the same text that would otherwise be on paper, right?

Also - realize I am talking about children in 2nd grade.....high schoolers reading subject textbooks on laptops/tablets is one thing. But 2nd graders learning to read....reading comprehension is going to take a nose dive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see added to this EO that Virginia schools allow no more thank 30 minutes of computer time for early childhood classes (K-2) per week, no more than 1 hour of computer time for 3rd and 4th grade per week and no more than 30 minutes of computer time per day for 5th and 6th grade.

One of the worst things to come out of pandemic school is the over reliance of 1:1 laptops in elementary school. We know without a doubt that daily screen time is very bad for children's development.

Get back to traditional teaching/shared class carts and ditch the reliance on 1:1 laptops for most of elementary school.

This. My DD just graduated with teaching degree and during her student teaching in early elementary grades she was "required" to have each student read for at least 30 minutes....great right? Reading on a freaking tablet!! I mean seriously. I thought that was insane. Then for logging in...each student was supposed to remember to login to their laptop and use a pw....half the time my DD just did it for them because the amount of time it took 2nd graders to type it all in was excruciatingly slow and time consuming. And this was a Title 1 school with early elementary students already struggling.

And then during an interview up here she asks about cell phone usage policy for students and is told that isn't really the problem - it's the smart watches and kids texting back n forth with their parents that's the issue...because a parent saying "oh, I don't let my elementary age child bring his/her cell phone to school" but turns around and gives them a smartphone is really any better? I haven't ready the EO, but wonder if it mentions anything about smart watches.

What’s the issue with reading on a tablet? It’s the same text that would otherwise be on paper, right?

The research says it’s not the same experience. I don’t have time to Google it this morning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The governor’s eo should have banned smartphones in schools. Dumb phones only. That would have been an eo that meant something- not a PR stunt that replicates what many districts already do.

I had a student last year whose father called him almost every day he was in my class. Not text, email, etc but a phone call. I tried to prevent him from answering but Dad complained, so Admin told me that as long as he went outside the room he could take the call.

It needs to be a total cell phone ban.

[Anonymous]

Any updates on how FCPS will implement this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The governor’s eo should have banned smartphones in schools. Dumb phones only. That would have been an eo that meant something- not a PR stunt that replicates what many districts already do.

I had a student last year whose father called him almost every day he was in my class. Not text, email, etc but a phone call. I tried to prevent him from answering but Dad complained, so Admin told me that as long as he went outside the room he could take the call.

Ugh. That is so demeaning to you. I am also a teacher so I’m not available to
Text all day but I’ve always avoided texting my teens during the school hours knowing they are in class.

It needs to be a total cell phone ban.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any updates on how FCPS will implement this?

Nothing will change. They already have a cellphone free environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see added to this EO that Virginia schools allow no more thank 30 minutes of computer time for early childhood classes (K-2) per week, no more than 1 hour of computer time for 3rd and 4th grade per week and no more than 30 minutes of computer time per day for 5th and 6th grade.

One of the worst things to come out of pandemic school is the over reliance of 1:1 laptops in elementary school. We know without a doubt that daily screen time is very bad for children's development.

Get back to traditional teaching/shared class carts and ditch the reliance on 1:1 laptops for most of elementary school.

This. My DD just graduated with teaching degree and during her student teaching in early elementary grades she was "required" to have each student read for at least 30 minutes....great right? Reading on a freaking tablet!! I mean seriously. I thought that was insane. Then for logging in...each student was supposed to remember to login to their laptop and use a pw....half the time my DD just did it for them because the amount of time it took 2nd graders to type it all in was excruciatingly slow and time consuming. And this was a Title 1 school with early elementary students already struggling.

And then during an interview up here she asks about cell phone usage policy for students and is told that isn't really the problem - it's the smart watches and kids texting back n forth with their parents that's the issue...because a parent saying "oh, I don't let my elementary age child bring his/her cell phone to school" but turns around and gives them a smartphone is really any better? I haven't ready the EO, but wonder if it mentions anything about smart watches.

What’s the issue with reading on a tablet? It’s the same text that would otherwise be on paper, right?

Reading and writing on paper is more sensory than using a tablet or computer. It is better for brain development.

Screens are not good for childhood development. In fact, screens are very bad for developing minds. There are many studies pre-pandemic showing this.

Before school shut downs, every single pediatric appointment strongly emphasized that parents should significantly limit screen access for young kids, and reduce it as mucn as possible for older kids.

Before lockdowns, elementary schools had very little screen use in younger grades. At most, there was a shared class cart of laptops that were brought in for a weekly lesson, or for a class reward. Computers were not used daily. Most classes only had 2 to 3 class computers that elementary kids were rotated through on a very limited basis, usually as a reward.

My 2020 graduate was part of the FCPS pilot class for 1:1 assigned latptops... in 7th grade! 2014, middle school, was the first year FCPS tested a laptop for every student, in any grade younder than high school. They picked select 7th grade classes throughout the district to try it, then expanded to all of middle school the following year.

Laptops were limited for younger grades, backed by research.

Since pandemic lockdowns, the pediatrician medical groups and education establishment have looked the other way on the issue of the proven negative effects of too much screen time on childhood development.

Screens should not be used in early elementary school, period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see added to this EO that Virginia schools allow no more thank 30 minutes of computer time for early childhood classes (K-2) per week, no more than 1 hour of computer time for 3rd and 4th grade per week and no more than 30 minutes of computer time per day for 5th and 6th grade.

One of the worst things to come out of pandemic school is the over reliance of 1:1 laptops in elementary school. We know without a doubt that daily screen time is very bad for children's development.

Get back to traditional teaching/shared class carts and ditch the reliance on 1:1 laptops for most of elementary school.

This. My DD just graduated with teaching degree and during her student teaching in early elementary grades she was "required" to have each student read for at least 30 minutes....great right? Reading on a freaking tablet!! I mean seriously. I thought that was insane. Then for logging in...each student was supposed to remember to login to their laptop and use a pw....half the time my DD just did it for them because the amount of time it took 2nd graders to type it all in was excruciatingly slow and time consuming. And this was a Title 1 school with early elementary students already struggling.

And then during an interview up here she asks about cell phone usage policy for students and is told that isn't really the problem - it's the smart watches and kids texting back n forth with their parents that's the issue...because a parent saying "oh, I don't let my elementary age child bring his/her cell phone to school" but turns around and gives them a smartphone is really any better? I haven't ready the EO, but wonder if it mentions anything about smart watches.

What’s the issue with reading on a tablet? It’s the same text that would otherwise be on paper, right?

Reading and writing on paper is more sensory than using a tablet or computer. It is better for brain development.

Screens are not good for childhood development. In fact, screens are very bad for developing minds. There are many studies pre-pandemic showing this.

Before school shut downs, every single pediatric appointment strongly emphasized that parents should significantly limit screen access for young kids, and reduce it as mucn as possible for older kids.

Before lockdowns, elementary schools had very little screen use in younger grades. At most, there was a shared class cart of laptops that were brought in for a weekly lesson, or for a class reward. Computers were not used daily. Most classes only had 2 to 3 class computers that elementary kids were rotated through on a very limited basis, usually as a reward.

My 2020 graduate was part of the FCPS pilot class for 1:1 assigned latptops... in 7th grade! 2014, middle school, was the first year FCPS tested a laptop for every student, in any grade younder than high school. They picked select 7th grade classes throughout the district to try it, then expanded to all of middle school the following year.

Laptops were limited for younger grades, backed by research.

Since pandemic lockdowns, the pediatrician medical groups and education establishment have looked the other way on the issue of the proven negative effects of too much screen time on childhood development.

Screens should not be used in early elementary school, period.

Times are changing. 20 years from now, they’ll be literally attached to us.

[Anonymous]

Reading comprehension from screens is not as high as it is with physical media. I teach 10 and I go to great lengths to do everything on paper in my class - assignments, readings, all of it. The one time I do it on the device is for formal written essays and such and of course, that’s when I deal with the most plagiarism and chat GPT bullshit. I just might make them write those by hand this year too, honestly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to see added to this EO that Virginia schools allow no more thank 30 minutes of computer time for early childhood classes (K-2) per week, no more than 1 hour of computer time for 3rd and 4th grade per week and no more than 30 minutes of computer time per day for 5th and 6th grade.

One of the worst things to come out of pandemic school is the over reliance of 1:1 laptops in elementary school. We know without a doubt that daily screen time is very bad for children's development.

Get back to traditional teaching/shared class carts and ditch the reliance on 1:1 laptops for most of elementary school.

This. My DD just graduated with teaching degree and during her student teaching in early elementary grades she was "required" to have each student read for at least 30 minutes....great right? Reading on a freaking tablet!! I mean seriously. I thought that was insane. Then for logging in...each student was supposed to remember to login to their laptop and use a pw....half the time my DD just did it for them because the amount of time it took 2nd graders to type it all in was excruciatingly slow and time consuming. And this was a Title 1 school with early elementary students already struggling.

And then during an interview up here she asks about cell phone usage policy for students and is told that isn't really the problem - it's the smart watches and kids texting back n forth with their parents that's the issue...because a parent saying "oh, I don't let my elementary age child bring his/her cell phone to school" but turns around and gives them a smartphone is really any better? I haven't ready the EO, but wonder if it mentions anything about smart watches.

PP here...correction:

...but turns around and gives them a smart watch is really any better? I haven't ready the EO, but wonder if it mentions anything about smart watches.

iWatches are phone, just a different form factor. Laptops / ipads, TVs and the like CAN also be phones. So yes, if cell phones are banned, connected watches will also be banned.

[Anonymous]

Robinson middle school is piloting the ban this year. Some parents are already freaking out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Robinson middle school is piloting the ban this year. Some parents are already freaking out.

I'm jelly. Wish it were us.