APS: I can't stand iPads

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm deeply suspicious of people to write off parents who read the research about devices and education as "Luddites."

You're not smart enough to understand the research. The thing is, you're an Arlingtonian so you don't know what you don't know. You're frequently wrong, but rarely in doubt.

NP. Do you have evidence to support your assertion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our FCPS ES is proud that the kindergartners get time on the computer and the iPad. Do I want that? No, but what can I do?

Write to the Board of Supervisors members.

In pencil?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our FCPS ES is proud that the kindergartners get time on the computer and the iPad. Do I want that? No, but what can I do?

Write to the Board of Supervisors members.

In pencil?

Maybe that would get their attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both my kids go to different highly regarded progressive privates and both use school iPads regularly.

In the case of the 6th grader, iPads are just how most of the work gets done and organized. And it is how the kids collaborate. They move seamlessly from iPads at school to computers at home and back. Objecting seems like objecting to pencils.

In the case of the kindergartener at another school, I think they use the camera a lot to document observations of nature, etc. Plus some creative story creating apps, etc. I would mind this more if I thought they used the iPads a lot or if I didn't trust the school to know what they were doing.

I am 100% sure they don't use iPads for the purpose of wanting to teach kids how to use iPads. iPads are easier to use than pencils.

And once again, the research is clear that children learn better, retain more information via actual *writing* than typing. It's great that children can create professional-looking power-point presentations with movies imbedded in them for science class. But how much actual science is being learned, understood, and remembered?

I don't think the reports are all that professional looking at all. But they do include a lot of mixed media elements from different sources, including drawings, homemade videos, bits and pieces of information from all over. I'm not sure if they are learning more or less but it is just the way the world works now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't stand this policy. I think it is lazy. The kids zone out in front of screens and the research continues to support divesting from screens, not pushing more.

How can this policy change? Is there any way to convince aps to turn this policy around? In an era where there is a shortage of seats, why on earth did they spend so much on stupid teaching methods?

/rant over

I love them. The things my kid has been able to do with them since getting an iPad has been nothing short of amazing. She's used it to augment science projects, she's learned to code, she's worked out presentations.

I would be there shouting you down if you tried to convince APS to "turn this policy around." I'm so sick of you luddite ninnies who are afraid of your shadow. It's 2016. Get with the damn times.

Another parent who loves them. Sights like razz kids and starfall can offer so much more individualization than what any teacher can provide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't stand this policy. I think it is lazy. The kids zone out in front of screens and the research continues to support divesting from screens, not pushing more.

How can this policy change? Is there any way to convince aps to turn this policy around? In an era where there is a shortage of seats, why on earth did they spend so much on stupid teaching methods?

/rant over

I love them. The things my kid has been able to do with them since getting an iPad has been nothing short of amazing. She's used it to augment science projects, she's learned to code, she's worked out presentations.

I would be there shouting you down if you tried to convince APS to "turn this policy around." I'm so sick of you luddite ninnies who are afraid of your shadow. It's 2016. Get with the damn times.

Another parent who loves them. Sights like razz kids and starfall can offer so much more individualization than what any teacher can provide.

Lol. That's pretty funny.

Oh and it's sites. Not sights.

[Anonymous]

This has been our first year in APS and with iPads. I wish they did more paper and pencil writing, just because I feel like my 3rd and 4th graders' handwriting is going down the tubes. I think there is inherent value in writing out ideas longhand-and then editing and typing for a final draft. Also I would like my children to learn to actually type qwerty style and they don't do that so it gets tedious. But overall while I haven't been thrilled, I've been pleasantly surprised.

[Anonymous]

I didn't sign my first grader up for one. There have been no negative consequences. We aren't technology adverse - have an iPad at home and several computers (kids have access to all of them). I told the teacher that if my 1st grader not having an ipad made her life harder at any point, to let me know. So far - it's only made her life easier. One less kid to monitor on the game playing. I'm less opposed to it for my older child, but still don't think the curriculum uses have been very well thought-out or developed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: It's the Arlington Way: Talk. Talk some more. And then some more. Make a bad decision.

I wish to offer an amended version:
It's the Arlington Way: Hold committee meetings. Talk. Talk some more. And then some more. Get committee to make a recommendation. Then the Supt. makes the same bad decision he planned to make all along, regardless of said committee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: It's the Arlington Way: Talk. Talk some more. And then some more. Make a bad decision.

I wish to offer an amended version:
It's the Arlington Way: Hold committee meetings. Talk. Talk some more. And then some more. Get committee to make a recommendation. Then the Supt. makes the same bad decision he planned to make all along, regardless of said committee.

Ain't that the truth. Remember too how the Facilities Committee recommended that APS and the County Board have a joint committee with two representatives from each board to come together and pool land for schools and the county? http://arlingtonva.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/11/CFS_Final_Report_web.pdf

And the Superintendent and County Board said, uh, thanks but no?


Superintendent Murphy is just going to do whatever the hell he wants to do. How on earth do we get rid of him?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm deeply suspicious of people to write off parents who read the research about devices and education as "Luddites."

You're not smart enough to understand the research. The thing is, you're an Arlingtonian so you don't know what you don't know. You're frequently wrong, but rarely in doubt.

PKM? Bored high schooler? Smug Arlington parent with the initals RD?

I don't know what the first or third question reference. And, no, I'm not a bored high schooler. Your post is weirdly specific, though. Sounds like maybe you have some issues with people to work out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: It's the Arlington Way: Talk. Talk some more. And then some more. Make a bad decision.

I wish to offer an amended version:
It's the Arlington Way: Hold committee meetings. Talk. Talk some more. And then some more. Get committee to make a recommendation. Then the Supt. makes the same bad decision he planned to make all along, regardless of said committee.

The talk some more.

[Anonymous]

Just wait until your ipad disappears at school...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: It's the Arlington Way: Talk. Talk some more. And then some more. Make a bad decision.

I wish to offer an amended version:
It's the Arlington Way: Hold committee meetings. Talk. Talk some more. And then some more. Get committee to make a recommendation. Then the Supt. makes the same bad decision he planned to make all along, regardless of said committee.

Ain't that the truth. Remember too how the Facilities Committee recommended that APS and the County Board have a joint committee with two representatives from each board to come together and pool land for schools and the county? http://arlingtonva.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/11/CFS_Final_Report_web.pdf

And the Superintendent and County Board said, uh, thanks but no?


Superintendent Murphy is just going to do whatever the hell he wants to do. How on earth do we get rid of him?

It was the county manager that said no, not the superintendent. (This one, at least, is not on Pat.) And parents should be livid about it. PA big group of people, including a fair number of very knowledgeable APS volunteers, spent a year working to develop a process to bring together schools and the county to when some people want parks and some people want schools and some people want affordable housing, and the county board said "no thanks, we'll just appoint a separate five person blue ribbon panel with an unclear mandate who will maybe meet in secret to just tell us what we want to hear." It is complete BS. The public school pressure the superintendent, county manager, and both boards to do what all these committees recommend or justify why they are not, otherwise what the hell is the point.

[Anonymous]

^^ apologies, can't type on a damn phone