Teachers, I want to know your opinions on technology at school

[Anonymous]

The internet is always down at my school so it's pretty worthless IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The internet is always down at my school so it's pretty worthless IMO.

So your school and or school system is worthless, not the technology no one can use, right? When people bring up private vs. public or public schools in higher income areas vs. schools in lower income areas, this is key. Teachers and parents should be all over this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The internet is always down at my school so it's pretty worthless IMO.

So your school and or school system is worthless, not the technology no one can use, right? When people bring up private vs. public or public schools in higher income areas vs. schools in lower income areas, this is key. Teachers and parents should be all over this.

The FP has a valid point. If you can't use the technology because there is no access then all you have is a black rectangle that weighs a couple of pounds so it makes a great paperweight. We're a 1:1 school and flukey internet is a huge problem. Teachers are all over it but parents not so much. At some point teachers stop planning lessons using the technology because they need to do something they can count on.

[Anonymous]

OP, are you someone who also posts in Arlington Education Matters?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, are you someone who also posts in Arlington Education Matters?

Nope. I don't know what that is.

I'm just a parent that isn't a big fan of the push for technology in the classroom and the funding for it. I've always thought it was unnecessary in elementary school and I'd rather see kids do hand-on experiments and creating things with their hands. It's my lack of understanding "how" it's implemented that prompted me to post. I only hear from the kids how they got computer time and got to play math games on the iPad. Which bothers me. I'd rather they kids socialize and work together on projects rather than group chatting while they are sitting next to each other. I'm only hearing bits and pieces from my kids so I really want to hear from teachers what they think. So far this thread has open my mind to the learning applications technology is having in the classroom when done correctly. And I am seeing some value in it whereas I didn't earlier. I haven't flipped completely but I have a better understanding now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, are you someone who also posts in Arlington Education Matters?

Nope. I don't know what that is.

I'm just a parent that isn't a big fan of the push for technology in the classroom and the funding for it. I've always thought it was unnecessary in elementary school and I'd rather see kids do hand-on experiments and creating things with their hands. It's my lack of understanding "how" it's implemented that prompted me to post. I only hear from the kids how they got computer time and got to play math games on the iPad. Which bothers me. I'd rather they kids socialize and work together on projects rather than group chatting while they are sitting next to each other. I'm only hearing bits and pieces from my kids so I really want to hear from teachers what they think. So far this thread has open my mind to the learning applications technology is having in the classroom when done correctly. And I am seeing some value in it whereas I didn't earlier. I haven't flipped completely but I have a better understanding now.

There's far more of this "filler" and "brain break" stuff even in middle and high school than most schools will admit to. I'm not sure it's much different than it was 30 years ago when some students would finish in 10 minutes and a few needed most of the period, and so the ones who were done worked on other assignments, doodled, read books, disrupted class, etc.. But, I also don't like that they spend so man hours in the dark and that each subject requires the same sorts of reading-answer questions-writing skills. Or that it is so easy for a lazy teacher to find yet another video to show and discuss ad nauseum. But, again, lazy teachers gonna laze whatever the technology or lack thereof.

Now, in elementary school, most kids need more practice writing legibly. Keyboarding can wait.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, are you someone who also posts in Arlington Education Matters?

Nope. I don't know what that is.

I'm just a parent that isn't a big fan of the push for technology in the classroom and the funding for it. I've always thought it was unnecessary in elementary school and I'd rather see kids do hand-on experiments and creating things with their hands. It's my lack of understanding "how" it's implemented that prompted me to post. I only hear from the kids how they got computer time and got to play math games on the iPad. Which bothers me. I'd rather they kids socialize and work together on projects rather than group chatting while they are sitting next to each other. I'm only hearing bits and pieces from my kids so I really want to hear from teachers what they think. So far this thread has open my mind to the learning applications technology is having in the classroom when done correctly. And I am seeing some value in it whereas I didn't earlier. I haven't flipped completely but I have a better understanding now.

There's far more of this "filler" and "brain break" stuff even in middle and high school than most schools will admit to. I'm not sure it's much different than it was 30 years ago when some students would finish in 10 minutes and a few needed most of the period, and so the ones who were done worked on other assignments, doodled, read books, disrupted class, etc.. But, I also don't like that they spend so man hours in the dark and that each subject requires the same sorts of reading-answer questions-writing skills. Or that it is so easy for a lazy teacher to find yet another video to show and discuss ad nauseum. But, again, lazy teachers gonna laze whatever the technology or lack thereof.

Now, in elementary school, most kids need more practice writing legibly. Keyboarding can wait.

DP. I'm a teacher who thinks kids need to do more keyboarding, not less. Our high school students can't type worth a darn on their keyboards and it is a problem for them. It takes them 2-3 times as long to write a paper because they lack this skill. It is like trying to scuba dive without fins. They can swim but they aren't getting very far very fast.

[Anonymous]

"I’d be fine with online books if we had very basic kindle-like readers for them."

100000x this. I think that one of the biggest issues with online textbooks seems (to me) to be that so many of the interfaces are just so complicated to read. if you could read them like a kindle that would make life a lot easier, and also limit distractions that are currently often just a click away.

[Anonymous]

I am a school psychologist and my husband teaches middle school. We pulled out kids out of public school last year in part because we found our 3rd and 5th grade spent too much time on iPads and chrome books. And when we really started looking at what they were doing and learning we realized we needed to move them to a parochial school with limited technologies. Our fifth grader learned how to watch music videos or play games and listen to music and then when the teacher walked by he would switch screens. The 5th graders were messenging each other about social things instead of paying attention to lessons. Kids were allowed to have their cell phones out. In math the teacher wouldn't teach and instead tell them to go to khan academy or other free math programs but never really checked what they were doing. When they had to read my son would set it to read aloud and he would be playing games instead of focusing.

Here is a summary of an interesting research study showing handwriting notes is better than typing.
https://www.npr.org/2016/04/17/474525392/attention-students-put-your-laptops-away

[Anonymous]

I can write much better with pen and paper and it's not the typing that holds me back. This printing is just not my handwriting. On paper I can't easily scratch off a word if I find a better one.
Typing on phones and ipads is not keyboarding. Schools don't teach handwriting or require papers to be writted by hand.
Typing can wait til middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a school psychologist and my husband teaches middle school. We pulled out kids out of public school last year in part because we found our 3rd and 5th grade spent too much time on iPads and chrome books. And when we really started looking at what they were doing and learning we realized we needed to move them to a parochial school with limited technologies. Our fifth grader learned how to watch music videos or play games and listen to music and then when the teacher walked by he would switch screens. The 5th graders were messenging each other about social things instead of paying attention to lessons. Kids were allowed to have their cell phones out. In math the teacher wouldn't teach and instead tell them to go to khan academy or other free math programs but never really checked what they were doing. When they had to read my son would set it to read aloud and he would be playing games instead of focusing.

Here is a summary of an interesting research study showing handwriting notes is better than typing.
https://www.npr.org/2016/04/17/474525392/attention-students-put-your-laptops-away

Again, all your examples are poor methodology at play. Both of you ..you and your husband need to get in touch with how to teach with technology. Your article has a picture and commentary of a college scenario. And you think there should be less technology there? No..there will be more. There should never be someone teaching 100% of the time in a lecture mode.
No, we are not going back to handwriting.
Your private parochial school has less technology because of the cost. There teachers are not trained, either, and likely not certified teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a school psychologist and my husband teaches middle school. We pulled out kids out of public school last year in part because we found our 3rd and 5th grade spent too much time on iPads and chrome books. And when we really started looking at what they were doing and learning we realized we needed to move them to a parochial school with limited technologies. Our fifth grader learned how to watch music videos or play games and listen to music and then when the teacher walked by he would switch screens. The 5th graders were messenging each other about social things instead of paying attention to lessons. Kids were allowed to have their cell phones out. In math the teacher wouldn't teach and instead tell them to go to khan academy or other free math programs but never really checked what they were doing. When they had to read my son would set it to read aloud and he would be playing games instead of focusing.

Here is a summary of an interesting research study showing handwriting notes is better than typing.
https://www.npr.org/2016/04/17/474525392/attention-students-put-your-laptops-away

You are in a school system and your husband is a middle school teacher? May I suggest professional development?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a school psychologist and my husband teaches middle school. We pulled out kids out of public school last year in part because we found our 3rd and 5th grade spent too much time on iPads and chrome books. And when we really started looking at what they were doing and learning we realized we needed to move them to a parochial school with limited technologies. Our fifth grader learned how to watch music videos or play games and listen to music and then when the teacher walked by he would switch screens. The 5th graders were messenging each other about social things instead of paying attention to lessons. Kids were allowed to have their cell phones out. In math the teacher wouldn't teach and instead tell them to go to khan academy or other free math programs but never really checked what they were doing. When they had to read my son would set it to read aloud and he would be playing games instead of focusing.

Here is a summary of an interesting research study showing handwriting notes is better than typing.
https://www.npr.org/2016/04/17/474525392/attention-students-put-your-laptops-away

Again, all your examples are poor methodology at play. Both of you ..you and your husband need to get in touch with how to teach with technology. Your article has a picture and commentary of a college scenario. And you think there should be less technology there? No..there will be more. There should never be someone teaching 100% of the time in a lecture mode.
No, we are not going back to handwriting.
Your private parochial school has less technology because of the cost. There teachers are not trained, either, and likely not certified teachers.

There=their. Typo corrected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I teach kindergarten. I think computers in schools (ie, one to one) are a waste of money. If I was in charge, there'd be pets in the classroom, beautiful reading lofts, a science grow lab for plants, tons of books, blocks, dramatic play areas.....but computers? Nope.

As a middle school teacher and parent of young children, I agree with you-- for kindergarten and elementary kids. No need for computer use until 5-6 grade. After that, they are invaluable.

[Anonymous]

25-year vet
We moved to an area where my kids aren’t anchored to a device.

Guess what? They actually TALK to each other during discussions!

We’ve ruined an entire generation, but I’m grateful to have avoided damaging my own kids.