iPad in the classroom for video games
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Anonymous
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I am wondering how others react to this (my husband and I have different reactions and I'm trying to judge whether I'm being unreasonable).
My child is in KG and our school recently started rolling out new technology, including an iPad in the classroom that children can use during "center" time when they rotate through various activities such as reading, art, puzzles, pretend play in a kitchen, etc. We were told the idea was that the iPad would have educational games that children could choose to play every now and then during center time. My child told me a while back that he and other kids were playing "Angry Birds." I was surprised and asked the teacher about it, and it turns out that the teachers were not aware that Angry Birds was on the iPad (I guess it comes standard) and some of the kids had found it on their own. I was told that this classroom was the first to get the iPad and the programs hadn't been fully installed yet; that the kids would not be allowed to play Angry Birds; and that the only games available would be "educational" games. Fast forward a few months and I find out that my child plays "Fruit Ninja" on the iPad...I had never played Fruit Ninja but had heard of it through a niece and suspected it was no more educational than Angry Birds, so I asked about it, thinking maybe I would learn that it does have some educational value. The teachers told me that the kids are allowed to play Fruit Ninja (though they are not allowed to use the iPad every day) because it has to do with math and fractions because the object is to cut fruits into pieces. So I thought OK, that makes sense. But then recently I saw what it is and it really has nothing to do with math or fractions. I don't think it's a bad or harmful video game (and for the record we do allow our kids to play some video games at home so I am not someone who forbids video or computer use), but I wonder why children are playing this game at school, where they are supposed to be learning, under the guise that it teaches math when it does no such thing as far as I can tell. Does anyone else find this inappropriate? Or am I being unreasonable? It's not that I don't want any play time in KG...I think play time is fine and can be very appropriate and beneficial for KG especially. I just don't think kids should be passively playing a video game at school on a dubious theory that it is teaching them math when it is not. Please no haters, I am just curious about what others think and/or whether anyone would approach the teachers or principal about this issue (in a friendly manner, of course). |
Anonymous
| You are being completely unreasonable. Take a chill pill. |
Anonymous
| You're being totally unreasonable. Center time isn't very long and kindergartners are adjusting to a new work-centered schedule vs. the play-centered preschools they came from. Give the kids a break. |
Anonymous
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OP, I'm with you. I don't know Fruit Ninja, so I'm basing it on what you say. I don't think kids need technology in the classroom much at all. They all get far too much "technology" (i.e. computers, tv, Wii, Leapster, DS, whatever) FAR more than they need outside of school.
Centers are supposed to be hands-on learning time. They are supposed to be manipulating physical objects (especially at the kindergarten age). I don't disagree with using some programs -- for example, in 3rd grade adv. math, they go to stations to practice multiplication tables or other math games on computers. They allow kids to bring in ipads and the like in the regular class room and a couple third graders supposedly use them for reading.... I kind of doubt that. I think they are distractions in many cases and the schools/teacher just haven't yet figured out how crafty some of these kids are in making it look like they are doing real work when they aren't. The ones who bring in the Ipad in 3rd grade everyday are the ones who aren't real keen on opening a book... so you can guess what's going on. Anyway, the good news for you is that your child is only in kinderg. and it's not going to derail his/her education if the status quo continues. On the other hand, like you, I want my kids learning in school, not just playing around during the academic blocks. So, yes, I would have a conference with the teacher and let her explain or show you what it is they are supposed to be learning. Go in with an open mind, but also state your position. The teacher and admins are still figuring out this technology piece and they should hear from parents as they make their plans. Be a voice, but be calm. |
Anonymous
| /\ /\ /\ ITA |
Anonymous
| I'm with 10:44 and 19:44, fwiw. |
Anonymous
Well said. This would be a huge concern for me. |
Anonymous
| I wouldn't care at all but I'm a pretty chilled parent. If you care, then approach the principal regarding it. You don't need anonymous people to back your concern up. |
Anonymous
| I'm a teacher. The way they are using the iPad is BS. Any good teacher can come up with better educational rewards than that. Talk to principal. |
Anonymous
| One iPad shared amongst the entire classroom of what, maybe 25 kids, to be used during brief periods once a day. Nah, wouldn't bother me. Technology is good and I don't have a problem with kids seeing that and getting comfortable using it. |
Anonymous
| They can do better. Why don't you make a list of games that you think would be educational yet fun and suggest the teacher put those on the iPad? That's one way working parents can "help in the classroom" without being there. |
Anonymous
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I'm not a fan of the IPad in class. Our 3rd grade teacher uses a personal ipad as a "reward" for students. The first student receives the "reward" for some good behavior and then is allowed to pass it around to his/her friends. So really, it is a reward for the first child and then a reinforcement of social pecking order for the rest -- only the popular kids are in the chain of friends who pass the ipad around. Unpopular kids just look on with envy as 4-5 kids get the ipad solely because they are friends with the first one. This is very poor class room managment, IMO.
More worrisome to me than the iPad is the fact that our MCPS school's "computer" special, which is 1x a week for 45mins or so, has devolved to computer game time. Kids are allowed to do games which practice math facts, but in fact spend far more time on other web-based computer games at Poptropica.com. This "computer" special is really nothing but video game time. IMO, they should at a minimum be spending time in "computer" special practicing keyboarding and learning how to use word, presentation, and other programs which they will use from 3rd up to do school work. In a best case scenario, kids would actually learn more "computer science" in this class, but I think that is beyond hope as there don't seem to be any qualified teachers. |
Anonymous
| So. Completely. Stupid. The kids do not need this. |
Anonymous
| OP, you are completely right IMO |
Anonymous
| I don't allow my kids screen time during the week to play games, and I'd really hope that the school wasn't doing that either. Clearly they need to learn to use the computer, iPad, or whatever, but it's for educational purposes, and Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja are not educational games. If you are wanting to teach kiddos to manipulate the device, there are a TON of good games out there that are approved by educators and actually have learning components for them. Slicing fruit on an iPad is not educational, any way you chalk it up. |