Laptops for every kid is the worst decision made in modern education

[Anonymous]

I'm reading a book titled the, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt! Wow! I have a middleschooler who doesn't have a phone. One subject uses an online textbook. Just that alone opened us up to 2-3 hrs of computer use a day before we realized what was happening. Kid was completing homework super fast and then playing on the computer. We caught on after 2-3 months when kid's attention span tanked, behavior was an issue, etc. I cannot even imagine how things would have been with a phone thrown in the mix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm reading a book titled the, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt! Wow! I have a middleschooler who doesn't have a phone. One subject uses an online textbook. Just that alone opened us up to 2-3 hrs of computer use a day before we realized what was happening. Kid was completing homework super fast and then playing on the computer. We caught on after 2-3 months when kid's attention span tanked, behavior was an issue, etc. I cannot even imagine how things would have been with a phone thrown in the mix.

Kid was probably so excited to connect to the social aspect of school that she overdid. Either extreme, too much or zero, is not good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My children are in public schools in a “great” school/area, but having a laptop for each student and using them for every class, almost every assignment, is the worst decision in educational policy. I have heard from my kids of so many instances during class time when kids are using their school-issued laptops to not only get answers from AI, but carry out full discussions with AI, as well as using their laptops to video record and photograph other kids and then use those images in generative AI in horrible ways. The teachers have alternately either done nothing when told about this, or are seemingly unaware when this goes on under their noses. This happens in AAP, AP, every class, all the time. The kids have no attention span, aren’t learning, and are becoming socially maladapted for any functioning society.

I'm a teacher. We completely agree with this. We hate those damn things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm reading a book titled the, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt! Wow! I have a middleschooler who doesn't have a phone. One subject uses an online textbook. Just that alone opened us up to 2-3 hrs of computer use a day before we realized what was happening. Kid was completing homework super fast and then playing on the computer. We caught on after 2-3 months when kid's attention span tanked, behavior was an issue, etc. I cannot even imagine how things would have been with a phone thrown in the mix.

Kid was probably so excited to connect to the social aspect of school that she overdid. Either extreme, too much or zero, is not good.

No, that wasn't it. Kid doesn't have a phone. That doesn't mean they don't get tablet time on weekends. Kids can't control themselves when tablets are around. The situation gets worse the older they get. How old are your kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My children are in public schools in a “great” school/area, but having a laptop for each student and using them for every class, almost every assignment, is the worst decision in educational policy. I have heard from my kids of so many instances during class time when kids are using their school-issued laptops to not only get answers from AI, but carry out full discussions with AI, as well as using their laptops to video record and photograph other kids and then use those images in generative AI in horrible ways. The teachers have alternately either done nothing when told about this, or are seemingly unaware when this goes on under their noses. This happens in AAP, AP, every class, all the time. The kids have no attention span, aren’t learning, and are becoming socially maladapted for any functioning society.

I'm a teacher. We completely agree with this. We hate those damn things.

As a teacher, I hate them too… as a person who collects checks and has a health insurance for the lowlow it’s good. My kids don’t attend public school xD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm reading a book titled the, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt! Wow! I have a middleschooler who doesn't have a phone. One subject uses an online textbook. Just that alone opened us up to 2-3 hrs of computer use a day before we realized what was happening. Kid was completing homework super fast and then playing on the computer. We caught on after 2-3 months when kid's attention span tanked, behavior was an issue, etc. I cannot even imagine how things would have been with a phone thrown in the mix.

great you're reading that, but there are a lot of complaints with that book FYI

I won't spoil anything but just read some reviews when you're done

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm reading a book titled the, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt! Wow! I have a middleschooler who doesn't have a phone. One subject uses an online textbook. Just that alone opened us up to 2-3 hrs of computer use a day before we realized what was happening. Kid was completing homework super fast and then playing on the computer. We caught on after 2-3 months when kid's attention span tanked, behavior was an issue, etc. I cannot even imagine how things would have been with a phone thrown in the mix.

great you're reading that, but there are a lot of complaints with that book FYI

I won't spoil anything but just read some reviews when you're done

Please share your thoughts about it. I'm open to hear feedback so please post your thoughts/experience with the book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:School districts don't care and will blame parents (their go-to excuse for their own incompetence) for as long as they can get away with it. Parents have to go to state legislators to fix this.

The districts are ran by lazy people. I hope these losers reap what they sow one day and have the students who they shafted on reading and math administering their meds at the nursing home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School districts don't care and will blame parents (their go-to excuse for their own incompetence) for as long as they can get away with it. Parents have to go to state legislators to fix this.

This. The administrators and teachers found a way to do as little as possible. They don’t care if their kids become imbeciles.

HS teacher for over a decade. Can confirm this. I literally no longer spend any time outside of my contract hours for absolutely anything.

AI for planning. Own students grading their tests (with blind codes, no names on it so my rear is saved from any snowflake complaining), computer this computer that. Also gamification of stuff. It’s wild. But now I have a life to live AND can make serious cash on the side with tutoring and coaching. Some months my side hustles actually bring me in more than my teacher checks. In all honesty, the reason to still do this is for the health insurance lol not gonna lie

Yeah. Teachers don’t care. They just want to work their designated hours, show some dumb slides, and collect gift cards from parents.

I had some awesome teachers in the 80s and 90s. They gave a shit and some even stayed after school to tutor us. Those teachers no longer exist. Now, it’s here, do some extra work on the laptop and blame mom when you fail.

[Anonymous]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/education/los-angeles-school-district-require-screen-time-limits-rcna332173

Hopefully the tide is turning. I am in CA and people are livid about this here, how kids can access youtube in class and are forced to bring the homework home is absurd. Keep showing up at the board meetings.