What bothers you about what I described? Songs and an occasional video clip for ss/science? Before boxlights and Promethean boards, I did the same thing with CDs. We watched videos and film strips in school in the 80s. A completely screen-free education experience is not really reasonable. |
That is not true. My kid can access YouTube on their Chromebook. |
+1 By default, YouTube is blocked. You can request it be unblocked. It’s blocked for ES, but my kid is in HS and watches educational content for math and organic chemistry. I had to sign a form to request access for them. |
The kids unblock it and have multiple ways to do so. If you don't want your kid on it that has to be between you and the kid, not you and the school. I'd also recommend parents look at what kids can Google even with the MCPS filters in place. The school system can't create balance and appropriateness in your kid's digital life (no matter how you define it). It's a struggle we all share and we all have to own it. |
The teacher is correct. The problem is not the short videos that teachers are using for lessons. The problem is that other parts of education use screens as well (testing, gamification of lessons or practice). Then parents give screens everytime children go out to restaurants or are sitting in the back of the car. It’s the cumulative load of screens. |
Two different issues. Teachers use screens as it’s easier than teaching. We have multiple teachers providing videos and assignments and they just answer questions. |
When I went to school in the 90s we didn't watch videos daily. We did watch videos sometimes, but it was a whole thing to set up the projector. It was not every day, I don't even think it was every week. No, kids do not need to watch Sesame Street at school, that's absurd. |
+1 Honestly, we need to all work together to get rid of screens. They are designed to be addictive and edtech is just a massive scam. It's not going to be easy. Right now, the onus is entirely on parents to limit and monitor their kids' screen use. It's clearly not working. There are no rules preventing social media companies from marketing to kids and profiting off of purposefully addictive devices and apps that have massive negative effects on their brains. And part of the problem is that adults are also addicted. How often are parents at the playground staring at their phones? I'll admit, I've been that parent. I want to get rid of my smartphone and stop constantly scrolling, but I also use my smartphone for so many things that it feels impossible to get rid of. Having internet connected massive screens in classrooms doesn't help either. Yes, teaching is hard, but having that big screen there is a constant reminder to teachers that they can just show a video and the kids will calm down! Except that's terrible for the kids too, honestly. And individual Chrome books for kids that they have access to all day is also a problem. It's not necessary and it's harmful. We're banning cell phones but require kids to stare at a screen all day? How does this make any sense? |
| I remember the days when my kids' ES teachers would video their math lessons and post them to YouTube so that if a kid was struggling to understand a concept, they could watch it again later. Also, us parents knew what they were working on and could assist if they needed help. Things like YouTube definitely have a place in education. It is not black and white. |
It doesn't need to be on YouTube, which is an addictive social media app. You can create and share video links on Google that won't appear with a long list of non-educational, addictive cat videos. |
At your house, on your wifi. |
| If we can prevent kids from buying alcohol, driving cars, and voting we can prevent them from accessing addictive devices and apps that are bad for their brains. Yes, this includes YouTube. And no, this isn't all on the parents. We all have to work to protect our kids. |
Sesame Street *songs.* Two minutes of the alphabet song. You really are That Parent then, eh? |
x100000 If only mcps tech would listen. |
No, MCPS knows these backdoors exist and has done nothing to block them. Kids are in K-5. It is on MCPS. |