How much screen time/technology is used in elementary schools in 2023?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are looking at the Smartboard screen a great deal, because teachers are still teaching with slides, as there aren’t textbooks. Slides give a snapshot of instruction, and then, for example, a few math problems, and that’s the lesson for the day. Reading books and writing by hand on paper allows kids to engage much more fully with the content.

How is a smartboard worse than the blackboards of old??? They are far better in my opinion.
Kids do plenty of reading physical books and writing by hand in our school.

I disagree. There has been little to no reading a physical book, other than 20min at home enforced by a parent. There are no textbooks at school, so there is no material on social studies or science to read. The students only write during a writing prompt time. The Google slide decks from Covid are being used and kids might write in one word answers on a worksheet. There is no dictation. There is no taking notes at all. The notes are given to the students in a packet of worksheets stapled together. There is no textbook to consult with when the student misses some blanks. So, all in all, very little handwriting occurs each day and much less reading.

What pyramid are you in? This has not been our experience in Marshall pyramid. Tech is used but I see lots of work coming home that is handwritten.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are looking at the Smartboard screen a great deal, because teachers are still teaching with slides, as there aren’t textbooks. Slides give a snapshot of instruction, and then, for example, a few math problems, and that’s the lesson for the day. Reading books and writing by hand on paper allows kids to engage much more fully with the content.

How is a smartboard worse than the blackboards of old??? They are far better in my opinion.
Kids do plenty of reading physical books and writing by hand in our school.

I disagree. There has been little to no reading a physical book, other than 20min at home enforced by a parent. There are no textbooks at school, so there is no material on social studies or science to read. The students only write during a writing prompt time. The Google slide decks from Covid are being used and kids might write in one word answers on a worksheet. There is no dictation. There is no taking notes at all. The notes are given to the students in a packet of worksheets stapled together. There is no textbook to consult with when the student misses some blanks. So, all in all, very little handwriting occurs each day and much less reading.

What pyramid are you in? This has not been our experience in Marshall pyramid. Tech is used but I see lots of work coming home that is handwritten.

That is pretty accurate for our dc's school in region 4. it all depends on the individual teacher and what the school principal lets teachers get away with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Reid and central off said last year that teachers need to get back to pen and paper. Less google slide assignments and no you tube real alouds, etc. But it is not translating down to the schools and curriculum services hasn’t been able to re write and take out old slide decks from the Covid time.

Teacher here. I wonder if the schools who are mostly on laptops all day are the ones who were 1:1 with FCPSOn before Covid. I don’t know one teacher at my school that has kids on computers all day(virtual notebooks, google slide assignments, etc.) Technology is used but not all day. I would say if I had to estimate by grade level…
K-2- 30 mins a day
3-30-60 mins a day
4-6- 30-120 mins a day. 120 mins is when certain projects are happening or students are getting ready to publish pieces.

Good teachers know how to balance the tech usage.

My older dc went to the same ES as my 3rd. The older 2 they had one laptop cart for the whole grade. They were on laptops very little and did lots of physical projects and handwritten work. After Covid, the same school, youngest was on laptops for 2-3 hours every day in 4th, 5th and now 6th. The bulk of the instructional day. In 4th grade, he brought home maybe 5 pieces of handwritten work ALL YEAR LONG.
Some teachers are still using the "Gatehouse slides" as pp called them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Reid and central off said last year that teachers need to get back to pen and paper. Less google slide assignments and no you tube real alouds, etc. But it is not translating down to the schools and curriculum services hasn’t been able to re write and take out old slide decks from the Covid time.

They need to take the 1:1 laptops out of the ESes and mandate a max amount of time kids can be on the laptops doing work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually most of the smart boards put up years ago no longer work and the county doesn’t support the software anymore. So they are just giant screens to look at.

I asked my 9th and 7th grader about this last night and they both said the smart boards were just giant screens and they had never seen a kid write on them or do a math problem on them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Reid and central off said last year that teachers need to get back to pen and paper. Less google slide assignments and no you tube real alouds, etc. But it is not translating down to the schools and curriculum services hasn’t been able to re write and take out old slide decks from the Covid time.

Because using the google slides and youtube videos is MUCH easier, and people being human will always take the easier option. There needs to be more rules and more real , hands-on curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Reid and central off said last year that teachers need to get back to pen and paper. Less google slide assignments and no you tube real alouds, etc. But it is not translating down to the schools and curriculum services hasn’t been able to re write and take out old slide decks from the Covid time.

Teacher here. I wonder if the schools who are mostly on laptops all day are the ones who were 1:1 with FCPSOn before Covid. I don’t know one teacher at my school that has kids on computers all day(virtual notebooks, google slide assignments, etc.) Technology is used but not all day. I would say if I had to estimate by grade level…
K-2- 30 mins a day
3-30-60 mins a day
4-6- 30-120 mins a day. 120 mins is when certain projects are happening or students are getting ready to publish pieces.

Good teachers know how to balance the tech usage.

My older dc went to the same ES as my 3rd. The older 2 they had one laptop cart for the whole grade. They were on laptops very little and did lots of physical projects and handwritten work. After Covid, the same school, youngest was on laptops for 2-3 hours every day in 4th, 5th and now 6th. The bulk of the instructional day. In 4th grade, he brought home maybe 5 pieces of handwritten work ALL YEAR LONG.
Some teachers are still using the "Gatehouse slides" as pp called them.

I don't see what's wrong with using the district's slides if they are tied to the standards and teach the content--why reinvent the wheel? Especially since the teacher shortage has meant they need to hire more provisional licensed teachers/teacher trainees etc. They have enough on their hands managing 26+ kids not to mention doing all the outside work to become licensed. And other teachers are taking up the slack for the beginning teachers. I'd advise you to choose your battles a little more wisely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Reid and central off said last year that teachers need to get back to pen and paper. Less google slide assignments and no you tube real alouds, etc. But it is not translating down to the schools and curriculum services hasn’t been able to re write and take out old slide decks from the Covid time.

Teacher here. I wonder if the schools who are mostly on laptops all day are the ones who were 1:1 with FCPSOn before Covid. I don’t know one teacher at my school that has kids on computers all day(virtual notebooks, google slide assignments, etc.) Technology is used but not all day. I would say if I had to estimate by grade level…
K-2- 30 mins a day
3-30-60 mins a day
4-6- 30-120 mins a day. 120 mins is when certain projects are happening or students are getting ready to publish pieces.

Good teachers know how to balance the tech usage.

My older dc went to the same ES as my 3rd. The older 2 they had one laptop cart for the whole grade. They were on laptops very little and did lots of physical projects and handwritten work. After Covid, the same school, youngest was on laptops for 2-3 hours every day in 4th, 5th and now 6th. The bulk of the instructional day. In 4th grade, he brought home maybe 5 pieces of handwritten work ALL YEAR LONG.
Some teachers are still using the "Gatehouse slides" as pp called them.

I don't see what's wrong with using the district's slides if they are tied to the standards and teach the content--why reinvent the wheel? Especially since the teacher shortage has meant they need to hire more provisional licensed teachers/teacher trainees etc. They have enough on their hands managing 26+ kids not to mention doing all the outside work to become licensed. And other teachers are taking up the slack for the beginning teachers. I'd advise you to choose your battles a little more wisely.

Do you think its appropriate for a 4th grader to only bring home say 10 pieces of written work on paper for an entire school year? Yes or no?
Do you think its appropriate for an elementary school student to be on the laptop for 2-3 hours EVERY school day? Think how much of the day is spent out of the classroom at lunch/specials/recess/transitions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Reid and central off said last year that teachers need to get back to pen and paper. Less google slide assignments and no you tube real alouds, etc. But it is not translating down to the schools and curriculum services hasn’t been able to re write and take out old slide decks from the Covid time.

They need to take the 1:1 laptops out of the ESes and mandate a max amount of time kids can be on the laptops doing work.

I agree with K-3 should have limited tech usage. I do think 4-6 should have daily tech usage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Reid and central off said last year that teachers need to get back to pen and paper. Less google slide assignments and no you tube real alouds, etc. But it is not translating down to the schools and curriculum services hasn’t been able to re write and take out old slide decks from the Covid time.

They need to take the 1:1 laptops out of the ESes and mandate a max amount of time kids can be on the laptops doing work.

I agree with K-3 should have limited tech usage. I do think 4-6 should have daily tech usage.

Curious as to why? Its not like they don't get plenty of tech in their "non school" hours. I have never seen any research done showing kids learn better on laptops.

[Anonymous]

IIRC the issue with the dreaded gatehouse covid slides was that they were boring, poorly-done crap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IIRC the issue with the dreaded gatehouse covid slides was that they were boring, poorly-done crap.

Your recollection is correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Reid and central off said last year that teachers need to get back to pen and paper. Less google slide assignments and no you tube real alouds, etc. But it is not translating down to the schools and curriculum services hasn’t been able to re write and take out old slide decks from the Covid time.

They need to take the 1:1 laptops out of the ESes and mandate a max amount of time kids can be on the laptops doing work.

I agree with K-3 should have limited tech usage. I do think 4-6 should have daily tech usage.

Kids need to know how to research, utilize programs, type, put together presentations. If kids don’t get these skills in late ES, middle and high school will be much more difficult. I am not saying they should be glued to a computer, but they should be utilized daily. One goal of school is preparing the workforce. Most jobs use computers daily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Reid and central off said last year that teachers need to get back to pen and paper. Less google slide assignments and no you tube real alouds, etc. But it is not translating down to the schools and curriculum services hasn’t been able to re write and take out old slide decks from the Covid time.

Teacher here. I wonder if the schools who are mostly on laptops all day are the ones who were 1:1 with FCPSOn before Covid. I don’t know one teacher at my school that has kids on computers all day(virtual notebooks, google slide assignments, etc.) Technology is used but not all day. I would say if I had to estimate by grade level…
K-2- 30 mins a day
3-30-60 mins a day
4-6- 30-120 mins a day. 120 mins is when certain projects are happening or students are getting ready to publish pieces.

Good teachers know how to balance the tech usage.

My older dc went to the same ES as my 3rd. The older 2 they had one laptop cart for the whole grade. They were on laptops very little and did lots of physical projects and handwritten work. After Covid, the same school, youngest was on laptops for 2-3 hours every day in 4th, 5th and now 6th. The bulk of the instructional day. In 4th grade, he brought home maybe 5 pieces of handwritten work ALL YEAR LONG.
Some teachers are still using the "Gatehouse slides" as pp called them.

I don't see what's wrong with using the district's slides if they are tied to the standards and teach the content--why reinvent the wheel? Especially since the teacher shortage has meant they need to hire more provisional licensed teachers/teacher trainees etc. They have enough on their hands managing 26+ kids not to mention doing all the outside work to become licensed. And other teachers are taking up the slack for the beginning teachers. I'd advise you to choose your battles a little more wisely.

Gatehouse links these flies in the pacing guide. There is a hope (and expectation) that they are used daily in the classroom. Some of the older teachers have reverted back to their previous materials, but the new teachers use these linked slides quite frequently.

[Anonymous]

My kid has enough time that he and his friends have enough time to send poop emojis to each other on several different occasions.