Bad review about FCPS first grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are zoned for a Greatschools 10/10 elementary school in the Langley pyramid. We have not talked to anyone about the schools yet as our kids are young. A neighbor of mine who has a DD in first grade was saying most of the teaching is on screens and the homework is on screens as well. She said it kind of matter-of-factly, not happily. That is not what I want for my child. Do we need to shell out a ton of money we don’t have for private?! Does it vary in other elementary schools.

Although screens are used, this neighbor’s rendition is an over exaggeration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP it's highly teacher dependent. I have 3 kids in FCPS elementary schools and so we've dealt with multiple different teachers in many grades. Each teacher will focus more or less on screens.

That said, the Lexia, myOn, Pebble Go, and ST Math focus is annoying. Reading paper books is better for learning. Using physical manipulatives instead of pushing around digital place value blocks in ST Math is better for learning. The "adaptive" technology in both Lexia AND ST Math doesn't actually work (no surprise to anyone who has ever used software) and so the screens are worse at targeting content to individual learners than teachers are. I hate it. It's a major reason we are looking to shell out $$$ for private.

and you will regret that! we spent a small fortune on private the last 2 years for two kids, and it's a sh*tshow...screens EVERYWHERE : this private has no rules for personal devices, smartphones and Apple watches out all day, kids allowed to "take notes" on their personal device even though the school ISSUES chromebooks to each child, personal iPads pulled out for indoor recess (happens VERY often in winter) in grades as young as 1st.
you are FOOLing yourself if you think it's any better in private unless you go to a Catholic school where they shun all tech and they make kids use paper/pencil/books for every assignment.

I'll take public school all day every day, thanks.

We already vetted what the tech use is in private before we applied, and I'm comfortable with it. I'm sorry you had a tough experience though.

[Anonymous]

We are in the Langley pyramid and very pleased with all the schools (having attended 2 elementary, Cooper and Langley). Screens are used for some things, but there is plenty of paper, etc.

Before you shell out money for private, give your public school a try. Right now, there is a lot of hate on FCPS, but I don’t understand it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have been in 2 different elementary schools and I would say that there is far too much screen time these days. Reading/phonics is done on Lexia - must do Lexia every day. Math is frequently on Math playground or whatever that is called - where they consider math to be dressing your penguin or prodigy, which also lets kids spend an oddly weird amount of time dressing characters. Reading is often done on MyOn - not with real books. Indoor recess? Screentime! Lunch? Movie time! Having said that, I'm not sure privates are any better.

There is a growing movement away from tech in schools now that there is more research about how it reduces learning. Unfortunately, it probably won't happen fast enough for my kids or yours.

THIS ^^. You nailed it. I can only hope that by the time I have grandchildren, the pendulum has swung back to no screens in class. The kids are so much happier when the teacher actually READS them a book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are zoned for a Greatschools 10/10 elementary school in the Langley pyramid. We have not talked to anyone about the schools yet as our kids are young. A neighbor of mine who has a DD in first grade was saying most of the teaching is on screens and the homework is on screens as well. She said it kind of matter-of-factly, not happily. That is not what I want for my child. Do we need to shell out a ton of money we don’t have for private?! Does it vary in other elementary schools.

What do you mean?

Life and work revolves around screens. Screens are fabulous teaching tools.

Would you like to return to slate and chalk or something? Make them bang the erasers after school as discipline? Maybe bring back caning or other corporal punishment?

DP. See, it's idiotic posts like this which are cringeworthy. Of course you have to be a dope and go to extremes. The OP is simply saying she would like more emphasis on reading ACTUAL books and less emphasis on screen time. And I'll add to that - bring back textbooks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have been in 2 different elementary schools and I would say that there is far too much screen time these days. Reading/phonics is done on Lexia - must do Lexia every day. Math is frequently on Math playground or whatever that is called - where they consider math to be dressing your penguin or prodigy, which also lets kids spend an oddly weird amount of time dressing characters. Reading is often done on MyOn - not with real books. Indoor recess? Screentime! Lunch? Movie time! Having said that, I'm not sure privates are any better.

There is a growing movement away from tech in schools now that there is more research about how it reduces learning. Unfortunately, it probably won't happen fast enough for my kids or yours.

This is such an odd post. True students are on Lexia. There isn’t any customization of the penguin and STMath, so what are you talking about? Indoor recess occurs 2 to 3 times a year. They are never movies during lunchtime. And kids can go to the library at least 1-2 times a week to get a paper book.

It is true that there’s increased technology in schools nowadays, but your post is clearly an exaggeration.

My experience was closer to PP's - lots of indoor recess, lots of lunch movies (and class time movies), lots of Myon. Obviously schools vary.

Why was your kid watching movies during lunch? Weren’t they in the cafeteria? Your situation is extremely uncommon.

This PP is sharing their Covid experience. Yes, two years ago, this happened. It doesn't anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have been in 2 different elementary schools and I would say that there is far too much screen time these days. Reading/phonics is done on Lexia - must do Lexia every day. Math is frequently on Math playground or whatever that is called - where they consider math to be dressing your penguin or prodigy, which also lets kids spend an oddly weird amount of time dressing characters. Reading is often done on MyOn - not with real books. Indoor recess? Screentime! Lunch? Movie time! Having said that, I'm not sure privates are any better.

There is a growing movement away from tech in schools now that there is more research about how it reduces learning. Unfortunately, it probably won't happen fast enough for my kids or yours.

THIS ^^. You nailed it. I can only hope that by the time I have grandchildren, the pendulum has swung back to no screens in class. The kids are so much happier when the teacher actually READS them a book.

There is no way that we will use less technology in 2050.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have been in 2 different elementary schools and I would say that there is far too much screen time these days. Reading/phonics is done on Lexia - must do Lexia every day. Math is frequently on Math playground or whatever that is called - where they consider math to be dressing your penguin or prodigy, which also lets kids spend an oddly weird amount of time dressing characters. Reading is often done on MyOn - not with real books. Indoor recess? Screentime! Lunch? Movie time! Having said that, I'm not sure privates are any better.

There is a growing movement away from tech in schools now that there is more research about how it reduces learning. Unfortunately, it probably won't happen fast enough for my kids or yours.

THIS ^^. You nailed it. I can only hope that by the time I have grandchildren, the pendulum has swung back to no screens in class. The kids are so much happier when the teacher actually READS them a book.

There is no way that we will use less technology in 2050.

And there will be more acceptance of virtual public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have been in 2 different elementary schools and I would say that there is far too much screen time these days. Reading/phonics is done on Lexia - must do Lexia every day. Math is frequently on Math playground or whatever that is called - where they consider math to be dressing your penguin or prodigy, which also lets kids spend an oddly weird amount of time dressing characters. Reading is often done on MyOn - not with real books. Indoor recess? Screentime! Lunch? Movie time! Having said that, I'm not sure privates are any better.

There is a growing movement away from tech in schools now that there is more research about how it reduces learning. Unfortunately, it probably won't happen fast enough for my kids or yours.

THIS ^^. You nailed it. I can only hope that by the time I have grandchildren, the pendulum has swung back to no screens in class. The kids are so much happier when the teacher actually READS them a book.

There is no way that we will use less technology in 2050.

And there will be more acceptance of virtual public schools.

Because that worked out so well during the pandemic.

If there's virtual public school, everyone will be just as smrt (mispelling intentional) as they are in M. T. Anderson's sci fi book Feed, where tech has taken over and people are utter idiots and the world is falling to pieces.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have been in 2 different elementary schools and I would say that there is far too much screen time these days. Reading/phonics is done on Lexia - must do Lexia every day. Math is frequently on Math playground or whatever that is called - where they consider math to be dressing your penguin or prodigy, which also lets kids spend an oddly weird amount of time dressing characters. Reading is often done on MyOn - not with real books. Indoor recess? Screentime! Lunch? Movie time! Having said that, I'm not sure privates are any better.

There is a growing movement away from tech in schools now that there is more research about how it reduces learning. Unfortunately, it probably won't happen fast enough for my kids or yours.

THIS ^^. You nailed it. I can only hope that by the time I have grandchildren, the pendulum has swung back to no screens in class. The kids are so much happier when the teacher actually READS them a book.

There is no way that we will use less technology in 2050.

And there will be more acceptance of virtual public schools.

Because that worked out so well during the pandemic.

If there's virtual public school, everyone will be just as smrt (mispelling intentional) as they are in M. T. Anderson's sci fi book Feed, where tech has taken over and people are utter idiots and the world is falling to pieces.

Spoken by someone who clearly knows nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you have determined all of the first grade classes in FCPS are all bad based on what one neighbor said about one class ?

No, OP didn't. OP's question is literally whether it is like this at other schools. Her discussion with her neighbor prompted her to ask a broader group of people about their experience.

[Anonymous]

I am not in Langley pyramid and my child is in 2nd. For background, we are new to FCPS this year; prior school had tech in a computer lab once a week.

I find that there IS a lot of screens, especially if your child is one of the top performers. I check my child's email and the kids are emailing each other, commenting on assignments with silly responses, creating goof off slides that they email to each other, emailing websites to games, probably playing those games... on an almost daily basis. I assume this is when small groups are happening, and the teacher needs the computer to babysit the rest of the 25+ kids. I'm not really happy about it. I much prefer the once-a-week computer lab set up so the kids can focus on finding something non-tech related to do in their spare time.

[Anonymous]

Cooper plays movies and shows sport game reruns in the cafeteria during lunch to try to control the chaos. I don’t blame them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are at Forestville and 1st grade is 20 kid classrooms and lovely. Yes screens but not too much. Lots on paper. You cannot judge an entire county on ONE class in ONE school.

This cannot be true. We have classes of 28-29 kids in 1st grade at Spring Hill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please, please call your principals and superintendents and ask to decrease screen time.

Lol. This doesn’t change anything.