How can we advocate against Ed tech in elementary in dcps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents out there interested in organizing around tech use in MS? My kid is already mid-elementary so while I totally support any effort to get tech out of younger grades (solidarity), I'm also looking down the pike to MS and would love to see more focus on physical books. Also if there are parents on here with experiences in DCPS MS regarding tech, what can you share? Our IB is Stuart-Hobson, which I'm enthusiastic about, but I've also heard from neighbor kids that it's a lot of chrome book use.

You cannot get “tech out of schools” any more than you can get tech out of the workplace. for example I doubt you want your kid to have to hand write everything through MS and HS; and I doubt you want to block the use of the Internet for bona fide research and reading.

Instead of a nebulous and annoying campaign against “tech” you need to focus on specific subjects and how they are taught. For example, dig into how math is being delivered at SH.

Good job misquoting me, judging me for opinions I did not express, and then repeating what I said only with different words and claiming it was your idea. Am I at work? Are you my male colleague who is 10 years younger, less qualified, and yet bizarrely overconfident in his wrongheaded approach to work? It's uncanny.

Are you the PK3 mom who thinks she knows everything? Good luck to you.

No, since you can't read I'll repeat myself -- I have a kid in mid elementary and my post was the opposite of assuming I know everything. I literally asked for input from parents with MS kids to share their experience so I can learn more about what tech use is like in DCPS at the MS level. Do you have kids in MS in DCPS? I'm guessing no since you couldn't answer my question and had NOTHING helpful to add. Move along, dear.

Calm tf down. Yes I have a kid in DCPS MS and that is exactly why I know what I am talking about. You seem to only want to be surrounded by pearl-clutchers mad that their PK3 kid saw an episode of Dora at school.

I literally asked for parents with kids in DCPS MS to share what their experience is with tech in MS. Rather than do that, which would have been helpful, you told me to "dig in to how math is being delivered at SH." Do you have useful info or not? I actually don't yet believe you actually have an MS kid because no one on this thread has actually shared their experience with MS except the one person who said they advocated for more apps because teachers are spending all their time on behavioral issues and trying to help kids reading at a 1st grade level. Which isn't really a defense of apps so much as an indictment of the entire system.

Also, btw, you are assuming that I share all of the opinions of everyone else posting. I don't. But rather than make fun of and criticizing everyone, I'm trying to have a productive, proactive conversation.

You just want to make fun of parents of preschoolers for... caring about their kids' education? Paying attention to research and recommendations about screen time for very young kids? Why? To make yourself feel good? No one cares how you feel, we're talking about how to improve schools for kids.

I literally clued you in to the biggest thing to ask questions about at SH based on my current experience as a MS parent - math instruction. Sorry you are not getting the commiseration you desired about “screen time.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents out there interested in organizing around tech use in MS? My kid is already mid-elementary so while I totally support any effort to get tech out of younger grades (solidarity), I'm also looking down the pike to MS and would love to see more focus on physical books. Also if there are parents on here with experiences in DCPS MS regarding tech, what can you share? Our IB is Stuart-Hobson, which I'm enthusiastic about, but I've also heard from neighbor kids that it's a lot of chrome book use.

I organized for more tech use in MS, because without apps, my kid would have learned nothing. The teachers have their hands full dealing with social/emotional issues and 7th graders who read at a 1st grade level.

+1. I know the only reason my kid knows how to spell is because of Lexia, because he detests reading.

I’m not sure about Lexia but Reading Plus isn’t that bad - my kid learns a bunch of new vocabulary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The easiest thing to do is leave DCPS for a lower tech school. Then you’ll find parents who want the same things you do.

Not easy, unless you can afford private or are able to move. Yes there are some lower tech charters but some of them have other glaring problems and no one is guaranteed a spot at those that are strong academically.

If enough parents with kids enrolled in DCPS want lower tech in schools, the schools should be responsive to that, especially when there absolutely are experts recommending less tech.

At a minimum we should be looking specifically at Ed Tech contracts and asking if they truly serve our interests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents out there interested in organizing around tech use in MS? My kid is already mid-elementary so while I totally support any effort to get tech out of younger grades (solidarity), I'm also looking down the pike to MS and would love to see more focus on physical books. Also if there are parents on here with experiences in DCPS MS regarding tech, what can you share? Our IB is Stuart-Hobson, which I'm enthusiastic about, but I've also heard from neighbor kids that it's a lot of chrome book use.

You cannot get “tech out of schools” any more than you can get tech out of the workplace. for example I doubt you want your kid to have to hand write everything through MS and HS; and I doubt you want to block the use of the Internet for bona fide research and reading.

Instead of a nebulous and annoying campaign against “tech” you need to focus on specific subjects and how they are taught. For example, dig into how math is being delivered at SH.

There are school that still incorporate a LOT of handwriting -- in DC that is private and parochial schools and BASIS and Latin.

DCPS students are being completely left behind and parents should fight this. I would join, but we already left for one of the above.

My kids who have been through Hardy have had 99% of their ELA assignments all hand written. Once in a blue moon they have to type out an essay but only once they have hand written it first.

Yeah this is not the positive thing you think it is. It means the kids are not getting substantial enough writing assignments that they need to type them.

So all prior generations were not getting “substantial enough” (whatever that means) assignments because we didn’t type them? Sure, Jan.
We know that the brain works better when you write with your hands as opposed to typing.

Look, feel free to have your kid hand write a research paper. I hope you know that is a very extreme position to take.

I mean, I don’t think I handwrote any significant assignment post 7th grade …

There are some of us here who hand wrote the bar exam, so a lot has changed.

And

And thank g-d that will never happen again! I typed everything in law school except the bar exam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents out there interested in organizing around tech use in MS? My kid is already mid-elementary so while I totally support any effort to get tech out of younger grades (solidarity), I'm also looking down the pike to MS and would love to see more focus on physical books. Also if there are parents on here with experiences in DCPS MS regarding tech, what can you share? Our IB is Stuart-Hobson, which I'm enthusiastic about, but I've also heard from neighbor kids that it's a lot of chrome book use.

I organized for more tech use in MS, because without apps, my kid would have learned nothing. The teachers have their hands full dealing with social/emotional issues and 7th graders who read at a 1st grade level.

+1. I know the only reason my kid knows how to spell is because of Lexia, because he detests reading.

Why does he detest reading?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents out there interested in organizing around tech use in MS? My kid is already mid-elementary so while I totally support any effort to get tech out of younger grades (solidarity), I'm also looking down the pike to MS and would love to see more focus on physical books. Also if there are parents on here with experiences in DCPS MS regarding tech, what can you share? Our IB is Stuart-Hobson, which I'm enthusiastic about, but I've also heard from neighbor kids that it's a lot of chrome book use.

I organized for more tech use in MS, because without apps, my kid would have learned nothing. The teachers have their hands full dealing with social/emotional issues and 7th graders who read at a 1st grade level.

+1. I know the only reason my kid knows how to spell is because of Lexia, because he detests reading.

The problem is that Lexia might help your kid who hates reading learn to spell, which makes you happy. But plenty of other kids like reading, and if Lexia becomes part of the curriculum instead of just an intervention to help kids like yours, you have a bunch of kids who don't need Lexia wasting time on it when they could be doing something that would actually benefit them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents out there interested in organizing around tech use in MS? My kid is already mid-elementary so while I totally support any effort to get tech out of younger grades (solidarity), I'm also looking down the pike to MS and would love to see more focus on physical books. Also if there are parents on here with experiences in DCPS MS regarding tech, what can you share? Our IB is Stuart-Hobson, which I'm enthusiastic about, but I've also heard from neighbor kids that it's a lot of chrome book use.

You cannot get “tech out of schools” any more than you can get tech out of the workplace. for example I doubt you want your kid to have to hand write everything through MS and HS; and I doubt you want to block the use of the Internet for bona fide research and reading.

Instead of a nebulous and annoying campaign against “tech” you need to focus on specific subjects and how they are taught. For example, dig into how math is being delivered at SH.

There are school that still incorporate a LOT of handwriting -- in DC that is private and parochial schools and BASIS and Latin.

DCPS students are being completely left behind and parents should fight this. I would join, but we already left for one of the above.

My kids who have been through Hardy have had 99% of their ELA assignments all hand written. Once in a blue moon they have to type out an essay but only once they have hand written it first.

Yeah this is not the positive thing you think it is. It means the kids are not getting substantial enough writing assignments that they need to type them.

So all prior generations were not getting “substantial enough” (whatever that means) assignments because we didn’t type them? Sure, Jan.
We know that the brain works better when you write with your hands as opposed to typing.

Look, feel free to have your kid hand write a research paper. I hope you know that is a very extreme position to take.

I mean, I don’t think I handwrote any significant assignment post 7th grade …

At some schools it's not. At my kids non-DCPS middle school, he has had to do both (turn in a footnoted research paper that is typed, and also turn in a 500-word handwritten essay).

AP Test essays are handwritten.

so it's very important for students to know how to do this, have legible handwritting, and practice at school. It's not "an extreme position." A more extreme position is for a middle school to never require handwritten essays. and then send these poor kids into AP classes where they are competing with students who know how to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents out there interested in organizing around tech use in MS? My kid is already mid-elementary so while I totally support any effort to get tech out of younger grades (solidarity), I'm also looking down the pike to MS and would love to see more focus on physical books. Also if there are parents on here with experiences in DCPS MS regarding tech, what can you share? Our IB is Stuart-Hobson, which I'm enthusiastic about, but I've also heard from neighbor kids that it's a lot of chrome book use.

You cannot get “tech out of schools” any more than you can get tech out of the workplace. for example I doubt you want your kid to have to hand write everything through MS and HS; and I doubt you want to block the use of the Internet for bona fide research and reading.

Instead of a nebulous and annoying campaign against “tech” you need to focus on specific subjects and how they are taught. For example, dig into how math is being delivered at SH.

There are school that still incorporate a LOT of handwriting -- in DC that is private and parochial schools and BASIS and Latin.

DCPS students are being completely left behind and parents should fight this. I would join, but we already left for one of the above.

My kids who have been through Hardy have had 99% of their ELA assignments all hand written. Once in a blue moon they have to type out an essay but only once they have hand written it first.

Yeah this is not the positive thing you think it is. It means the kids are not getting substantial enough writing assignments that they need to type them.

So all prior generations were not getting “substantial enough” (whatever that means) assignments because we didn’t type them? Sure, Jan.
We know that the brain works better when you write with your hands as opposed to typing.

Look, feel free to have your kid hand write a research paper. I hope you know that is a very extreme position to take.

I mean, I don’t think I handwrote any significant assignment post 7th grade …

At some schools it's not. At my kids non-DCPS middle school, he has had to do both (turn in a footnoted research paper that is typed, and also turn in a 500-word handwritten essay).

AP Test essays are handwritten.

so it's very important for students to know how to do this, have legible handwritting, and practice at school. It's not "an extreme position." A more extreme position is for a middle school to never require handwritten essays. and then send these poor kids into AP classes where they are competing with students who know how to do it.

Actually most APs that would require longer free-form answers are digital: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/exam-administration-ordering-scores/administering-exams/digital-ap-exams/exam-modes

There are some that look like they have written short answers. My guess is it will be all digital by the time our MS kids are there.

Anyway while I agree that some handwriting is good, I don’t think that pushing to get rid of the most ubiquitous and helpful tech tool (word processing) should be done just to prep for the AP exam!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents out there interested in organizing around tech use in MS? My kid is already mid-elementary so while I totally support any effort to get tech out of younger grades (solidarity), I'm also looking down the pike to MS and would love to see more focus on physical books. Also if there are parents on here with experiences in DCPS MS regarding tech, what can you share? Our IB is Stuart-Hobson, which I'm enthusiastic about, but I've also heard from neighbor kids that it's a lot of chrome book use.

You cannot get “tech out of schools” any more than you can get tech out of the workplace. for example I doubt you want your kid to have to hand write everything through MS and HS; and I doubt you want to block the use of the Internet for bona fide research and reading.

Instead of a nebulous and annoying campaign against “tech” you need to focus on specific subjects and how they are taught. For example, dig into how math is being delivered at SH.

Good job misquoting me, judging me for opinions I did not express, and then repeating what I said only with different words and claiming it was your idea. Am I at work? Are you my male colleague who is 10 years younger, less qualified, and yet bizarrely overconfident in his wrongheaded approach to work? It's uncanny.

Are you the PK3 mom who thinks she knows everything? Good luck to you.

No, since you can't read I'll repeat myself -- I have a kid in mid elementary and my post was the opposite of assuming I know everything. I literally asked for input from parents with MS kids to share their experience so I can learn more about what tech use is like in DCPS at the MS level. Do you have kids in MS in DCPS? I'm guessing no since you couldn't answer my question and had NOTHING helpful to add. Move along, dear.

Calm tf down. Yes I have a kid in DCPS MS and that is exactly why I know what I am talking about. You seem to only want to be surrounded by pearl-clutchers mad that their PK3 kid saw an episode of Dora at school.

I literally asked for parents with kids in DCPS MS to share what their experience is with tech in MS. Rather than do that, which would have been helpful, you told me to "dig in to how math is being delivered at SH." Do you have useful info or not? I actually don't yet believe you actually have an MS kid because no one on this thread has actually shared their experience with MS except the one person who said they advocated for more apps because teachers are spending all their time on behavioral issues and trying to help kids reading at a 1st grade level. Which isn't really a defense of apps so much as an indictment of the entire system.

Also, btw, you are assuming that I share all of the opinions of everyone else posting. I don't. But rather than make fun of and criticizing everyone, I'm trying to have a productive, proactive conversation.

You just want to make fun of parents of preschoolers for... caring about their kids' education? Paying attention to research and recommendations about screen time for very young kids? Why? To make yourself feel good? No one cares how you feel, we're talking about how to improve schools for kids.

I literally clued you in to the biggest thing to ask questions about at SH based on my current experience as a MS parent - math instruction. Sorry you are not getting the commiseration you desired about “screen time.”

Be more specific or shut the f*** up.

I'm not looking for commiseration, I haven't even complained about a single thing. I'm looking for information and am interested in sharing ideas with people who have similar values to me. If that's not you, go medicate your personality disorder instead of antagonizing people for $hits and giggles online.

I feel bad for your kids and anyone who has to deal with you IRL, including your kids teachers, their friends, their friends parents, your neighbors, your family, and your coworkers. What a f***ing a$$hole.

Hmm, I think your kid’s have bigger problems than screen time. Maybe you would be a happier person if you let them watch some YouTube videos while you do yoga. The intensity of your reaction is strange.

I don't have to let my kids watch YouTube videos in order to do yoga because they will happily entertain themselves without screens while I do yoga or read or work or whatever I need to do.

My reaction is a direct response to your behavior. I'm guessing a lot of people react to you this way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents out there interested in organizing around tech use in MS? My kid is already mid-elementary so while I totally support any effort to get tech out of younger grades (solidarity), I'm also looking down the pike to MS and would love to see more focus on physical books. Also if there are parents on here with experiences in DCPS MS regarding tech, what can you share? Our IB is Stuart-Hobson, which I'm enthusiastic about, but I've also heard from neighbor kids that it's a lot of chrome book use.

You cannot get “tech out of schools” any more than you can get tech out of the workplace. for example I doubt you want your kid to have to hand write everything through MS and HS; and I doubt you want to block the use of the Internet for bona fide research and reading.

Instead of a nebulous and annoying campaign against “tech” you need to focus on specific subjects and how they are taught. For example, dig into how math is being delivered at SH.

Good job misquoting me, judging me for opinions I did not express, and then repeating what I said only with different words and claiming it was your idea. Am I at work? Are you my male colleague who is 10 years younger, less qualified, and yet bizarrely overconfident in his wrongheaded approach to work? It's uncanny.

Are you the PK3 mom who thinks she knows everything? Good luck to you.

No, since you can't read I'll repeat myself -- I have a kid in mid elementary and my post was the opposite of assuming I know everything. I literally asked for input from parents with MS kids to share their experience so I can learn more about what tech use is like in DCPS at the MS level. Do you have kids in MS in DCPS? I'm guessing no since you couldn't answer my question and had NOTHING helpful to add. Move along, dear.

Calm tf down. Yes I have a kid in DCPS MS and that is exactly why I know what I am talking about. You seem to only want to be surrounded by pearl-clutchers mad that their PK3 kid saw an episode of Dora at school.

I literally asked for parents with kids in DCPS MS to share what their experience is with tech in MS. Rather than do that, which would have been helpful, you told me to "dig in to how math is being delivered at SH." Do you have useful info or not? I actually don't yet believe you actually have an MS kid because no one on this thread has actually shared their experience with MS except the one person who said they advocated for more apps because teachers are spending all their time on behavioral issues and trying to help kids reading at a 1st grade level. Which isn't really a defense of apps so much as an indictment of the entire system.

Also, btw, you are assuming that I share all of the opinions of everyone else posting. I don't. But rather than make fun of and criticizing everyone, I'm trying to have a productive, proactive conversation.

You just want to make fun of parents of preschoolers for... caring about their kids' education? Paying attention to research and recommendations about screen time for very young kids? Why? To make yourself feel good? No one cares how you feel, we're talking about how to improve schools for kids.

I literally clued you in to the biggest thing to ask questions about at SH based on my current experience as a MS parent - math instruction. Sorry you are not getting the commiseration you desired about “screen time.”

Be more specific or shut the f*** up.

I'm not looking for commiseration, I haven't even complained about a single thing. I'm looking for information and am interested in sharing ideas with people who have similar values to me. If that's not you, go medicate your personality disorder instead of antagonizing people for $hits and giggles online.

I feel bad for your kids and anyone who has to deal with you IRL, including your kids teachers, their friends, their friends parents, your neighbors, your family, and your coworkers. What a f***ing a$$hole.

Hmm, I think your kid’s have bigger problems than screen time. Maybe you would be a happier person if you let them watch some YouTube videos while you do yoga. The intensity of your reaction is strange.

I don't have to let my kids watch YouTube videos in order to do yoga because they will happily entertain themselves without screens while I do yoga or read or work or whatever I need to do.

My reaction is a direct response to your behavior. I'm guessing a lot of people react to you this way.

Oh right, sure ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents out there interested in organizing around tech use in MS? My kid is already mid-elementary so while I totally support any effort to get tech out of younger grades (solidarity), I'm also looking down the pike to MS and would love to see more focus on physical books. Also if there are parents on here with experiences in DCPS MS regarding tech, what can you share? Our IB is Stuart-Hobson, which I'm enthusiastic about, but I've also heard from neighbor kids that it's a lot of chrome book use.

You cannot get “tech out of schools” any more than you can get tech out of the workplace. for example I doubt you want your kid to have to hand write everything through MS and HS; and I doubt you want to block the use of the Internet for bona fide research and reading.

Instead of a nebulous and annoying campaign against “tech” you need to focus on specific subjects and how they are taught. For example, dig into how math is being delivered at SH.

There are school that still incorporate a LOT of handwriting -- in DC that is private and parochial schools and BASIS and Latin.

DCPS students are being completely left behind and parents should fight this. I would join, but we already left for one of the above.

My kids who have been through Hardy have had 99% of their ELA assignments all hand written. Once in a blue moon they have to type out an essay but only once they have hand written it first.

Yeah this is not the positive thing you think it is. It means the kids are not getting substantial enough writing assignments that they need to type them.

So all prior generations were not getting “substantial enough” (whatever that means) assignments because we didn’t type them? Sure, Jan.
We know that the brain works better when you write with your hands as opposed to typing.

yeahhh really don't know why people are reducing some of this discussion like what parents want is to "have good handwriting" or not watch youtube videos. I don't think that's what the concerned parents are saying. I think they / we are concerned about actual LEARNING. The benefits of hand-to-brain connection is real and well-documented.

When we toured schools, I talked to multiple TEACHERS at different schools that said they "hate" or "don't love" having the kids on chromebooks or ipads so many hours during the week, but that the schools or DCPS require it and they are doing what they can to support the students for the assessments and whatnot. I don't know, maybe we should listen to the teachers??? It's very possible that at least half or perhaps even a majority of the teachers and parents don't like how the curriculum resources have shifted but think it's a done deal and are just trying to live with it.

Not looking forward to seeing where this discussion is in another 2-3 years in the absence of significant pushback... I hope it's not us whining the kids aren't learning basic science facts and math because DCPS bought whatever latest tech package and it turns out to be 30% AI slop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you need to focus on the curriculum and ineffectiveness of “Ed tech” as opposed to portraying the image of a precious Montessori mom who believes that even one episode of Teletubbies will pollute her child’s brain.

The issue is not a teacher putting a dance video on the smart screen - that is actually probably a fun and good use of screens. The actual issue is that the screen/algorithm based instructional methods replacing paper *do not work.* Even more of an alarm bell should sound when the school starts telling you that the instruction will be “self paced” with your child on a device.

So the upshot is - no, you cannot act like an entitled parent and cry that your baby is being “exposed to screens.” Because computers are obviously here to stay in the world. You need to focus on how Ed tech has replaced books and paper based education despite being catastrophically less effective - particularly in math.

This is a gross misrepresentation of what most people want. And sure if it’s the equivalent to 3-15 minutes a day sure.

But sometimes the books are read on the screen, all the morning meeting songs are on the screen, the movement breaks, whole group lessons,etc. -it can add up to 30-60 minutes easily.

To not take this seriously is to discredit the vast amount of research coming out. My generation (gen z) is the first one said to be less capable than the previous generations in terms of executive functioning skills and the like. It will only get worse.

I’m not advocating for Montessori or Waldorf -especially since both have ties to eugenics or forest school. Please don’t use reductive arguments.

I simply don’t think it’s appropriate for classrooms with children 3-5 years old to be made to have laptop carts with iPads in them. Especially when it’s not developmentally appropriate or necessary.

1) I doubt you are actually in the classroom every day to know how much time is on screens
2) Using your granola-mom standards as the basis for your advocacy is not going to work. Screens are not actually toxic to children. This is just like when granola moms try to organize against baloney sandwiches and yoplait (check the archives).
3) there IS a BIG problem with screens, and that is with their use to deliver computerized/algorithmic curriculums that have poor results. THIS is what you need to have your eye on - how is your school delivering phonics and math instruction? Not the YouTube dancing video.

Haha. I made sure to NOT mention that I AM a PK teacher/coach. I hate to burst your bubble but I have seen this in plenty of classrooms.

Why did you ignore my mentioning of laptop carts in every ECE classroom? This is easily verifiable by the Ed spec of schools that are modernizing.

It’s also not just about what is currently happening, it’s what’s coming as well. DCPS isn’t giving us all iPads for nothing.

The fact that you are bashing moms because you think they are not experts and just overly sensitive is telling.

What do you let your young child have 3+ hours of screen time a day and you feel guilty?

And please stop moving the goalpost like people are just saying ‘a screen in general’ it’s not helpful to the conversation.

Hmm maybe you are the psycho PK3 teacher my kid had.

Maybe you can answer my question about phonics and math instruction though because that is the one that actually matters, not your weird thing about laptop carts.

This is the last time I will answer you since you are clearly not interested in an intelligent conversation. As for your boring question -through free and guided play. My students are all ‘ahead.’

Oh guess what I didn’t use? Some run of the mill app. I feel sorry for your child’s previous teachers, you are clearly can’t understand basic neuroscience or child development.

You want to teach phonics and math through “free and guided play”? OK then!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents out there interested in organizing around tech use in MS? My kid is already mid-elementary so while I totally support any effort to get tech out of younger grades (solidarity), I'm also looking down the pike to MS and would love to see more focus on physical books. Also if there are parents on here with experiences in DCPS MS regarding tech, what can you share? Our IB is Stuart-Hobson, which I'm enthusiastic about, but I've also heard from neighbor kids that it's a lot of chrome book use.

You cannot get “tech out of schools” any more than you can get tech out of the workplace. for example I doubt you want your kid to have to hand write everything through MS and HS; and I doubt you want to block the use of the Internet for bona fide research and reading.

Instead of a nebulous and annoying campaign against “tech” you need to focus on specific subjects and how they are taught. For example, dig into how math is being delivered at SH.

There are school that still incorporate a LOT of handwriting -- in DC that is private and parochial schools and BASIS and Latin.

DCPS students are being completely left behind and parents should fight this. I would join, but we already left for one of the above.

My kids who have been through Hardy have had 99% of their ELA assignments all hand written. Once in a blue moon they have to type out an essay but only once they have hand written it first.

Yeah this is not the positive thing you think it is. It means the kids are not getting substantial enough writing assignments that they need to type them.

So all prior generations were not getting “substantial enough” (whatever that means) assignments because we didn’t type them? Sure, Jan.
We know that the brain works better when you write with your hands as opposed to typing.

yeahhh really don't know why people are reducing some of this discussion like what parents want is to "have good handwriting" or not watch youtube videos. I don't think that's what the concerned parents are saying. I think they / we are concerned about actual LEARNING. The benefits of hand-to-brain connection is real and well-documented.

When we toured schools, I talked to multiple TEACHERS at different schools that said they "hate" or "don't love" having the kids on chromebooks or ipads so many hours during the week, but that the schools or DCPS require it and they are doing what they can to support the students for the assessments and whatnot. I don't know, maybe we should listen to the teachers??? It's very possible that at least half or perhaps even a majority of the teachers and parents don't like how the curriculum resources have shifted but think it's a done deal and are just trying to live with it.

Not looking forward to seeing where this discussion is in another 2-3 years in the absence of significant pushback... I hope it's not us whining the kids aren't learning basic science facts and math because DCPS bought whatever latest tech package and it turns out to be 30% AI slop.

Totally agree. This is what I'm hearing from teachers at our school too -- they don't want to spend so much time on computers or devices but often the curriculum or DCPS testing/assessment requirements make it unavoidable. A huge problem is also that the tech often doesn't work, so teacher will wind up spending time playing IT instead of teaching. They don't want that, the kids don't want it, I don't know why anyone would defend a situation in which teachers are spending hours of instructional time helping kids log on.

No one is arguing kids shouldn't learn to type. That's obviously an essential skill. I do think DCPS pushes typing too early. Kids learn in 3rd in order to facilitate CAPE testing, and I think it would be better to push handwriting in 3rd and then introduce typing in 4th as a skills class and not be requiring kids to type assignments or assessments until 5th. But CAPE pushes it earlier.

There are lots of studies about the value of doing math by hand instead of via an app, and to the benefit of writing out notes or reading comprehension responses by hand, because of how the process of writing by hand commits things to long term memory. I think it's especially concerning when kids are learning foundational math via apps, without the benefit of using pencil and paper to really commit basic math facts to memory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you need to focus on the curriculum and ineffectiveness of “Ed tech” as opposed to portraying the image of a precious Montessori mom who believes that even one episode of Teletubbies will pollute her child’s brain.

The issue is not a teacher putting a dance video on the smart screen - that is actually probably a fun and good use of screens. The actual issue is that the screen/algorithm based instructional methods replacing paper *do not work.* Even more of an alarm bell should sound when the school starts telling you that the instruction will be “self paced” with your child on a device.

So the upshot is - no, you cannot act like an entitled parent and cry that your baby is being “exposed to screens.” Because computers are obviously here to stay in the world. You need to focus on how Ed tech has replaced books and paper based education despite being catastrophically less effective - particularly in math.

This is a gross misrepresentation of what most people want. And sure if it’s the equivalent to 3-15 minutes a day sure.

But sometimes the books are read on the screen, all the morning meeting songs are on the screen, the movement breaks, whole group lessons,etc. -it can add up to 30-60 minutes easily.

To not take this seriously is to discredit the vast amount of research coming out. My generation (gen z) is the first one said to be less capable than the previous generations in terms of executive functioning skills and the like. It will only get worse.

I’m not advocating for Montessori or Waldorf -especially since both have ties to eugenics or forest school. Please don’t use reductive arguments.

I simply don’t think it’s appropriate for classrooms with children 3-5 years old to be made to have laptop carts with iPads in them. Especially when it’s not developmentally appropriate or necessary.

1) I doubt you are actually in the classroom every day to know how much time is on screens
2) Using your granola-mom standards as the basis for your advocacy is not going to work. Screens are not actually toxic to children. This is just like when granola moms try to organize against baloney sandwiches and yoplait (check the archives).
3) there IS a BIG problem with screens, and that is with their use to deliver computerized/algorithmic curriculums that have poor results. THIS is what you need to have your eye on - how is your school delivering phonics and math instruction? Not the YouTube dancing video.

Haha. I made sure to NOT mention that I AM a PK teacher/coach. I hate to burst your bubble but I have seen this in plenty of classrooms.

Why did you ignore my mentioning of laptop carts in every ECE classroom? This is easily verifiable by the Ed spec of schools that are modernizing.

It’s also not just about what is currently happening, it’s what’s coming as well. DCPS isn’t giving us all iPads for nothing.

The fact that you are bashing moms because you think they are not experts and just overly sensitive is telling.

What do you let your young child have 3+ hours of screen time a day and you feel guilty?

And please stop moving the goalpost like people are just saying ‘a screen in general’ it’s not helpful to the conversation.

Hmm maybe you are the psycho PK3 teacher my kid had.

Maybe you can answer my question about phonics and math instruction though because that is the one that actually matters, not your weird thing about laptop carts.

This is the last time I will answer you since you are clearly not interested in an intelligent conversation. As for your boring question -through free and guided play. My students are all ‘ahead.’

Oh guess what I didn’t use? Some run of the mill app. I feel sorry for your child’s previous teachers, you are clearly can’t understand basic neuroscience or child development.

You want to teach phonics and math through “free and guided play”? OK then!

DP but you are talking to a PK teacher. Free and guided play is absolutely how a lot of kids start to learn letters and letter sounds, counting, shapes, colors, etc., as 3 and 4 year olds.

Do you want preschoolers drilling multiplication tables on an iPad? WTF?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you need to focus on the curriculum and ineffectiveness of “Ed tech” as opposed to portraying the image of a precious Montessori mom who believes that even one episode of Teletubbies will pollute her child’s brain.

The issue is not a teacher putting a dance video on the smart screen - that is actually probably a fun and good use of screens. The actual issue is that the screen/algorithm based instructional methods replacing paper *do not work.* Even more of an alarm bell should sound when the school starts telling you that the instruction will be “self paced” with your child on a device.

So the upshot is - no, you cannot act like an entitled parent and cry that your baby is being “exposed to screens.” Because computers are obviously here to stay in the world. You need to focus on how Ed tech has replaced books and paper based education despite being catastrophically less effective - particularly in math.

This is a gross misrepresentation of what most people want. And sure if it’s the equivalent to 3-15 minutes a day sure.

But sometimes the books are read on the screen, all the morning meeting songs are on the screen, the movement breaks, whole group lessons,etc. -it can add up to 30-60 minutes easily.

To not take this seriously is to discredit the vast amount of research coming out. My generation (gen z) is the first one said to be less capable than the previous generations in terms of executive functioning skills and the like. It will only get worse.

I’m not advocating for Montessori or Waldorf -especially since both have ties to eugenics or forest school. Please don’t use reductive arguments.

I simply don’t think it’s appropriate for classrooms with children 3-5 years old to be made to have laptop carts with iPads in them. Especially when it’s not developmentally appropriate or necessary.

1) I doubt you are actually in the classroom every day to know how much time is on screens
2) Using your granola-mom standards as the basis for your advocacy is not going to work. Screens are not actually toxic to children. This is just like when granola moms try to organize against baloney sandwiches and yoplait (check the archives).
3) there IS a BIG problem with screens, and that is with their use to deliver computerized/algorithmic curriculums that have poor results. THIS is what you need to have your eye on - how is your school delivering phonics and math instruction? Not the YouTube dancing video.

Haha. I made sure to NOT mention that I AM a PK teacher/coach. I hate to burst your bubble but I have seen this in plenty of classrooms.

Why did you ignore my mentioning of laptop carts in every ECE classroom? This is easily verifiable by the Ed spec of schools that are modernizing.

It’s also not just about what is currently happening, it’s what’s coming as well. DCPS isn’t giving us all iPads for nothing.

The fact that you are bashing moms because you think they are not experts and just overly sensitive is telling.

What do you let your young child have 3+ hours of screen time a day and you feel guilty?

And please stop moving the goalpost like people are just saying ‘a screen in general’ it’s not helpful to the conversation.

Hmm maybe you are the psycho PK3 teacher my kid had.

Maybe you can answer my question about phonics and math instruction though because that is the one that actually matters, not your weird thing about laptop carts.

This is the last time I will answer you since you are clearly not interested in an intelligent conversation. As for your boring question -through free and guided play. My students are all ‘ahead.’

Oh guess what I didn’t use? Some run of the mill app. I feel sorry for your child’s previous teachers, you are clearly can’t understand basic neuroscience or child development.

You want to teach phonics and math through “free and guided play”? OK then!

DP but you are talking to a PK teacher. Free and guided play is absolutely how a lot of kids start to learn letters and letter sounds, counting, shapes, colors, etc., as 3 and 4 year olds.

Do you want preschoolers drilling multiplication tables on an iPad? WTF?

If you look back at my post, the point is, I don’t think catastrophizing over the presence of iPad carts or showing a dance video is really helpful. What is helpful is yes, looking to see how phonics and math are taught, and no, I don’t think that should be via iPad.