The giant immersive screens in classrooms

[Anonymous]

I've seen the boards used in really innovative ways in early elementary, including for math games that allow kinetic learners to engage physically with the screen.

Like any tool, there are good and bad ways to use it, but OP's entire diatribe seems to be based on the word of a kid younger than 8, and without any of the context for why a teacher might need the kids to stay busy for 15 minutes.

[Anonymous]

My kids in ES have a ton of papers with work on it coming home daily. And we are in MCPS so nothing fancy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've seen the boards used in really innovative ways in early elementary, including for math games that allow kinetic learners to engage physically with the screen.

Like any tool, there are good and bad ways to use it, but OP's entire diatribe seems to be based on the word of a kid younger than 8, and without any of the context for why a teacher might need the kids to stay busy for 15 minutes.

Lady, I am not the only parent who is concerned about teachers showing literal videos instead of reading books to kids. And while it's certainly possible my child is lying or misrepresenting well multiple other posters have affirmed that teachers in MCPS show YouTube videos instead of reading books to the class so that they can "read" the specific book that is supposedly needed. So it's not my imagination. Your post reeks of gaslighting.

[Anonymous]

Not in MC but I teach kindergarten in another MD. Most of our assessments are one-on-one. Last week I gave a math assessment one-on-one and I had the kids watch maybe five St. Patrick’s Day books on YouTube. This week is progress monitoring one-on-one. That means a few more books. Maybe about spring. Almost every 2-3 weeks I have to stop teaching to give assessments one-on-one. I have a para for 45 minutes at the end of the day. That’s it. There are only so many things the kids can do where they are quiet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not in MC but I teach kindergarten in another MD. Most of our assessments are one-on-one. Last week I gave a math assessment one-on-one and I had the kids watch maybe five St. Patrick’s Day books on YouTube. This week is progress monitoring one-on-one. That means a few more books. Maybe about spring. Almost every 2-3 weeks I have to stop teaching to give assessments one-on-one. I have a para for 45 minutes at the end of the day. That’s it. There are only so many things the kids can do where they are quiet.

I get it, but this seems highly problematic. You can't scream about how terrible it is to give a sleep deprived toddler a tablet at the grocery store and how parents are therefore responsible for all behavior issues in classrooms when you are using the same addictive and harmful tools in your classroom. You may feel you have more reason to do it than the parent, but some empathy and seek awareness would be nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I imagine the money for the boxlights may have come from federal funds and therefore didn't detract, necessarily, from the general accounts. But, beyond that, paper simply has been expensive for some time now and is an on-going consumerable. If anything MCPS needs to train staff on proper print jobs, whether sending to CopyPlus or knowing better to send a b/w job to a color laser printer. (IYKYK.)

It's all taxpayer funding. Taxpayers are paying enough money for books but that money is being used for screens to show YouTube videos instead

You know what is also expensive? Software. Hardware. And all the tech people that are required to maintain it. Makes paper look cheap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I imagine the money for the boxlights may have come from federal funds and therefore didn't detract, necessarily, from the general accounts. But, beyond that, paper simply has been expensive for some time now and is an on-going consumerable. If anything MCPS needs to train staff on proper print jobs, whether sending to CopyPlus or knowing better to send a b/w job to a color laser printer. (IYKYK.)

It's all taxpayer funding. Taxpayers are paying enough money for books but that money is being used for screens to show YouTube videos instead

You know what is also expensive? Software. Hardware. And all the tech people that are required to maintain it. Makes paper look cheap.

What are kids getting for all of this tech besides massive behavior issues and poor reading scores?

[Anonymous]

OP, have you actually talked to your childs teacher about this to get informed on how often the smart board was being used and in what capacity? Your child reported watching a book on it one time. That does not mean that every book is read from the smart board. I am a teacher within PGCPS and the smart boards are rarely used although every classroom has one. They are quite unreliable (wifi and the smart board itself breaking down) and it takes teachers a lot of time, which they do not have, to convert whatever the paper based curriculum has to a the smart board. Honestly, as a teacher, we cannot get rid of them. Reach out to the principal and or the school board to petition to get rid of them. I would much rather have physical manipulatives, textbooks for every child, etc than a smart board. You all, as parents, have so much power but the only thing you do is fuss at the teacher. It is being directed at the wrong people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, have you actually talked to your childs teacher about this to get informed on how often the smart board was being used and in what capacity? Your child reported watching a book on it one time. That does not mean that every book is read from the smart board. I am a teacher within PGCPS and the smart boards are rarely used although every classroom has one. They are quite unreliable (wifi and the smart board itself breaking down) and it takes teachers a lot of time, which they do not have, to convert whatever the paper based curriculum has to a the smart board. Honestly, as a teacher, we cannot get rid of them. Reach out to the principal and or the school board to petition to get rid of them. I would much rather have physical manipulatives, textbooks for every child, etc than a smart board. You all, as parents, have so much power but the only thing you do is fuss at the teacher. It is being directed at the wrong people.

Gtfooh, parents had zero power. Parents had to beg and plead to get schools to start teaching kids to read again.

I am not the only parent who is concerned about teachers showing literal videos instead of reading books to kids. And while it's certainly possible my child is lying or misrepresenting well multiple other posters have affirmed that teachers in MCPS show YouTube videos instead of reading books to the class so that they can "read" the specific book that is supposedly needed. Or so they can keep kids quiet while they conduct assessments. So it's not my imagination. Your post reeks of gaslighting.

[Anonymous]

Btw I'm not "fussing at the teacher." I actually think she is amazing in so many ways. I think she has a tool in her classroom that does a lot more harm than good.

You flat out dismiss my concerns as lies from a child. That's gross, and false.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Btw I'm not "fussing at the teacher." I actually think she is amazing in so many ways. I think she has a tool in her classroom that does a lot more harm than good.

You flat out dismiss my concerns as lies from a child. That's gross, and false.

DP. Screens are here to stay. How can it be minimized or used effectively in schools? Teachers are trying various methods. Try limiting screens at home. Encourage your school PTA and school leaders to hold meetings (or via another method) to present to adults/families of the students understand negative effects of screens and to help their kids limit screens at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Btw I'm not "fussing at the teacher." I actually think she is amazing in so many ways. I think she has a tool in her classroom that does a lot more harm than good.

You flat out dismiss my concerns as lies from a child. That's gross, and false.

DP. Screens are here to stay. How can it be minimized or used effectively in schools? Teachers are trying various methods. Try limiting screens at home. Encourage your school PTA and school leaders to hold meetings (or via another method) to present to adults/families of the students understand negative effects of screens and to help their kids limit screens at home.

This thread is about screens in schools. The fact you keep trying to change the subject to parents speaks volumes about how little you actually care about the harms of screens on kids. What strategies does MCPS have in place to avoid overuse of screens in the classroom? My guess is nada.

[Anonymous]

Teachers are like screen limits for thee but not for me

[Anonymous]

Has situation in classrooms improved this year?

[Anonymous]

Can someone please point me to the parents who are politically organizing around this issue? We have local elections in a year. I want to join in.